Groin injury

A groin injury refers to complaints in the groin region. Footballers in particular have to deal with this. One third of groin injuries occur acutely, with sudden severe shooting pain. In two thirds of groin injuries, the onset of complaints is insidious.

The groin region is the area at the front where the abdomen transitions to the leg, extending to the pubic region and the inner side of the thigh. This is the region where abdominal, pelvic, and leg muscles come together.

Football and groin pain

Football is the sport with the most groin injuries. This is mainly due to kicking the ball. Enormous forces are exerted on the groin region. Both the kicking leg and the standing leg have to cope with these forces.

When kicking, the structures in the groin are first stretched enormously and then shortened with great force and speed. The faster, more powerful, and more explosive the movement, the further the ball travels, but also the greater the load on the muscles in the groin. The standing leg has to absorb this movement. During the kick, there is rotation over the standing leg. This gives a rotation in the groin region, which leads to compression in the groin.

How groin pain develops

Acute groin injuries usually occur when kicking a ball. Rapid turning, twisting, and sprinting are also common triggers. However, most groin injuries develop gradually as a result of overuse. In this case, the groin has been subjected to too high a load for a prolonged period, for example, because the intensity of the training has increased.

Recovery from groin injuries

Recovery from groin injuries often takes a long time. This is due to the complexity of the anatomy of the groin. The groin region is the crossroads of abdominal and leg muscles. These muscles therefore have to work together. Pelvic stability is also important.

Rapid recovery starts with correctly identifying the cause. But because of the complexity, this is not always easy. The most important thing for a good and quick recovery is to adjust training. This means that football training can still be carried out, but with modifications, such as less intensity or avoiding hard kicks.

For groin pain that has occurred acutely, it is advised not to play football for the first few days. A groin injury can fully recover within three to twelve weeks. This depends on the cause and the duration of the complaints. When groin injuries have occurred more often, recovery can take much longer. It is therefore important to recover properly from a groin injury to reduce the chance of the complaints returning.

Physiotherapy for groin injuries

For optimal recovery, ask a physiotherapist or sports physiotherapist for help. A (sports) physiotherapist investigates the underlying cause of the injury. This may be reduced mobility, muscle strength, or stability. It is often a combination of these factors.

Treatment therefore often consists of an exercise programme with stretches and exercises to improve stability. Stability exercises are usually fairly simple exercises; these form the basis. If stability is good, the exercises become heavier and more focused on football. Stability here means the ability to control movements. A physiotherapist will also give advice for further recovery.

Preventing groin injuries

A groin injury leads to a period of not playing football or playing less. It is therefore important to prevent groin pain. A good warm-up is essential here. The groin must be warmed up during the warm-up with attention to mobility. The groin should no longer feel stiff.

In addition, a strong body leads to far fewer injuries. Strength training is therefore recommended. The most important thing is a sound build-up of training and matches. Start training gently after a summer or winter break. Speed and explosiveness, in particular, must be built up.

Different types of groin pain

Read more here about different types of groin pain.