If you are reading these lines, surely, it is because you have ever exercised and, the next day, you have noticed pain every time you move in some parts of your body such as the groin. This type of discomfort is called groin strain, although it is generally commonly referred to as pull in groin.
A pull in the groin is a physical discomfort that occurs when the muscles in this area are overstretched so that they end up tearing. It can also appear when we subject the adductors to a physical effort that our body is not prepared to accept, or when we receive a strong blow to this part of the body. Groin strains usually go away on their own with a few days’ rest at home. However, if we do not know how to treat this muscle pain correctly, it could worsen to become a more serious injury. Therefore, in the following oneHOWTO article, we will explain how to heal a pulled groin. Take note!
A groin strain, also known colloquially as a groin pull, is an injury in which a tear (either partial or total) in the muscles that are close to this area, specifically in the pectineo, the short adductors (which go from the pelvis to the femur) and the long adductors (which go from the pelvis to the knees).
Groin pull is usually caused by three main causes: an excessive stretching of the adductors until they begin to tear, a physical overexertion or a direct blow to this area of the body.
However, there are also some Factors that increase the risk of suffering this muscle injury:
- Play sports in which you must run and stop in very short periods of time or where you change direction abruptly, such as athletics, soccer, and hockey, among others.
- Lack of warm-up before training: If the muscles have not been previously warmed up correctly, it is likely that they will become seized and a tear will occur.
- Poor physical condition: we are more likely to suffer a strain when we are not used to exercising frequently.
- Going back to exercise too soon after an injury: If you do not rest long enough to recover, you will probably suffer a groin strain again.
A groin pull can be milder or more severe depending on both the symptoms that accompany the injury and their intensity. Therefore, below, we will explain the different inguinal strains according to their severity:
- Grade 1 strain or slight pull: At this stage of the injury, it is common for the person to have no problem when walking and doing physical activity. The main symptoms of a mild groin pull are fairly subtle pain and a bit of stiffness in the muscles.
- Grade 2 strain or moderate pull: During this phase, the person suffering from the jerk may have walking complications and will find it virtually impossible to run. The most common symptoms in this case are moderate pain and stiffness in the groin, swelling and bruising around the affected area.
- Grade 3 strain or severe pull: to this degree, the jerk will practically not allow the injured person to walk. You will most likely feel a kind of cleft in the muscle and other symptoms such as severe groin pain, bruising, and swelling.
To heal a groin strain, it is important that you first identify the degree of groin strain you suffer, since treating a minor injury will not be the same as a more serious one. If, for example, you have a grade 3 strain, you will probably need at least 8 weeks of rehabilitation and in the most severe cases, a surgical operation to treat the tear.
However, if your groin strain is rather mild or moderate, you will have to spend approximately 4 to 8 weeks of rehabilitation and, in addition, it is recommended that you follow the following tips that will help you heal a pulled groin more quickly :
Use of ice
A widely used remedy for relieve pain and swelling Of the pulls in the groin is the use of ice, since its cooling power will help you to reduce inflammation of the affected area.
To use it, you will have to take several ice cubes and wrap them with a towel, since direct contact can be annoying and even make the injury worse. When you have the towel ready, apply it to the adductors for 20 minutes every hour on a daily basis.
Hot water compresses
Just as cold is a good remedy for relieving bloating, heat can also be quite an effective trick if ice has failed to reduce swelling.
Place a towel soaked in hot water on the affected area for half an hour. When you notice that the temperature of the skin returns to normal, you will have to apply another ice towel for 20 minutes. The change from hot to cold can help you both lower inflammation how to reduce pain.
Rest all you can
To heal a pull in the groin or any other part of the body, it is essential that you lay down and avoid walking as much as possible. Although we know that there are work or family commitments that prevent us from resting, it will be recommended that you postpone them as long as possible, since if you start walking as soon as possible, the only thing that will achieve is that the distension does not heal completely and, in addition, that you have sequelae subsequently.
Use of elastic bands
Compressing your groin muscles will also help you both to reduce inflammation and to stabilize the affected area. To do this, you can buy an orthosis at the pharmacy, since it is a device that will conform to this part of the body, or elastic bands to compress the groin.
If you don’t have any of these items, you can also use some bandages. In any case, it is important that you do not adjust it too much, as you could worsen the discomfort.
In addition, we advise you to consult the recommendations in the article How to avoid muscle pulls.
