What should you know about groin pull injury?

The adductor muscles draw the leg towards the body and help steady the pelvis. A sudden sprint, wide step, kick, slip or change of direction can overload them. Pain may sit high in the inner thigh or near the pubic area, and may increase when squeezing the legs together, walking quickly or getting out of a car. Bruising, tenderness, weakness or a feeling of tightness can occur. The severity cannot be judged from pain alone, so an examination helps distinguish a muscle strain from a hip or other groin problem.

Pause sprinting, kicking and movements that reproduce the pain. Keep gentle, comfortable walking if it does not make symptoms worse later. During the early phase, a wrapped cold pack may ease discomfort; protect the skin and use short applications. As movement settles, a physiotherapist can guide pain-limited mobility, adductor loading, hip and trunk strengthening, and sport-specific drills. Do not rush back because ordinary walking feels better: running and cutting place greater demand on the groin. A graded Return-to-Sport Programme can help test strength and control before full activity.

Arrange an assessment if pain is severe, walking is difficult, swelling or bruising is marked, you felt a pop, or symptoms are not clearly improving with relative rest. Seek urgent care for sudden severe groin pain, a new bulge, inability to bear weight, numbness, fever, or pain after significant trauma. A clinician can check the hip, abdomen and inner thigh rather than assuming every groin symptom is a strain.

Ask which structure appears injured, which activities are safe today, how to progress strengthening, and what functional signs should be present before returning to sport.