Groin pain can be one of the first signs of hip dysfunction. It may even be paired with pain on the side and/or symptoms in the glute. For a more detailed list of possible hip pain causes, refer to our generalized hip pain blog.
Have you ever checked out the anatomy of the front and medial (inside) aspects of the hip? Probably not if you're not an anatomy nerd like us. But, check it out! There are a significant number of muscles that overlap there!
Groin pain can be related to any number of muscles being tight, but the most common ones are the adductor group, and hip flexors.
How does a physical therapist treat groin pain?
First we need to determine the cause of the groin pain. Is it related to the joint itself and you're experiencing impingement? Or perhaps it is related entirely to a tensioned muscle? The pelvic floor can also be related and referring into the groin.
Is my groin pain related to the hip joint?
If your groin pain is more related to the joint surfaces and capsule, then we will perform hip mobilizations to improve the arthrokinematic motion (roll, glide and spin). This in turn affects osteokinematic motion at the hip (flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, internal/external rotation). If the groin pain is even partially related to muscle tension (which it usually is), then we need to work on calming down that muscle. We can do this a variety of ways, but often dry needling, trigger point release, and massage.
How do I strengthen the hip and groin?
Next it's time to retrain the muscles to perform at an optimal level and all work together. This can be done in isolation of individual muscles or targeting entire groups in a more functional manner. Both are important for your recovery. The final stage of this would be more sport specific training. This can look like plyometrics, endurance training, and even breaking down the motions of your sport.
Physical therapy for groin pain in Columbia and Baltimore, Maryland
If you have groin pain, your physical therapist can determine the cause of the pain and provide conservative management solutions. Reach out to our office today!
