Groin strains are common in any sport that involves sprinting, cutting, or kicking, and they have a reputation for lingering longer than athletes expect. Here’s why, and what actually helps.

What’s actually strained

“Groin strain” usually refers to an injury of the adductor muscles, the group that pulls your leg inward, on the inner thigh. They’re heavily loaded in sports like soccer, hockey, and football, which involve rapid direction changes, sprinting, and kicking, all of which put the adductors under sudden, forceful stretch.

Why groin strains take longer to heal than expected

The adductors are active in almost every lower-body movement, which makes it hard to fully rest them the way you might rest an upper-body muscle. Athletes also tend to return to sprinting and cutting before the muscle has actually regained its strength and elasticity, which is a major reason groin strains have a high re-injury rate.

Grading the injury

Like other muscle strains, groin injuries are graded 1 to 3. Grade 1 is a mild pull, usually with minimal impact on strength. Grade 2 involves partial tearing, noticeable weakness, and pain with resisted movement. Grade 3 is a complete tear, less common, but significant, sometimes requiring imaging to confirm and a much longer recovery.

What treatment actually involves

Early treatment focuses on reducing pain and protecting the muscle from further strain. As it heals, rehab shifts to progressive strengthening, specifically targeting the adductors through ranges and speeds that match your sport, since returning to sprinting or kicking too early, before that strength is rebuilt, is the most common reason these injuries recur.

When to get it checked

See someone if the pain is significant, you’re limping, it’s not improving after a week of relative rest, or you’ve strained the same groin more than once this season. Repeat strains usually mean the underlying strength deficit was never fully addressed.

Getting assessed in Calgary

We assess the grade of the strain and build a rehab plan focused on getting the adductors strong enough to handle your sport again, not just pain-free at rest.

Dealing with a groin strain? Learn more about our sports physiotherapy or request an assessment at our downtown Calgary clinic.