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A groin strain is a partial or complete tear of the small fibers of the adductor muscles. The adductors are a group of muscles located on the inner side of the thigh. They start in the groin area and run down the inner thigh to attach to the inner side of the knee.
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A groin strain can be caused by:
Factors that may increase your chance of developing a groin strain include:
Symptoms may include:
You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.
Most groin strains can be diagnosed with a physical exam. Images may be needed if severe damage is suspected. Images may be taken with an MRI scan.
Muscle strains are graded according to their severity:
Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Recovery time ranges depending on the grade of your injury. Treatment steps may include:
Your muscles will need time to heal. RICE is often the main part of treatment:
Prescription or over-the-counter medications may be advised to reduce pain and inflammation.
To help reduce your chance of getting a groin strain, take the following steps:
American Council on Exercise
http://www.acefitness.org
Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.familydoctor.org
Muscle strains in the thigh. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00366. Updated March 2014. Accessed February 23, 2018.
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10/26/2010 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillancehttp://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115701/Sports-related-groin-pain: Massey T, Derry S, Moore R, McQuay H. Topical NSAIDs for acute pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;(6):CD007402.
Last reviewed March 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Laura Lei-Rivera, PT, DPT, GCS Last Updated: 3/18/2013