Hip Adductor Strain Treatment: What to Know

The adductors are muscles on the inner thigh that help pull the leg toward the body's centre and steady the pelvis. A strain can affect muscle fibres near the groin after a sudden change of direction, forceful stretch, kick, or rapid increase in training. Pain may be felt in the groin or inner thigh, especially when squeezing the legs together, sprinting, or changing direction. See [Groin Pain](/symptoms/groin-pain/) for a broader symptom overview.

A clinician considers the injury's onset, tenderness, strength, walking pattern, and pain with resisted movement. This helps distinguish a strain from hip joint or other groin problems.

Reduce running, kicking, cutting, and wide-leg stretching while they provoke pain, but keep comfortable movement such as easy walking. Cooling the area briefly may help symptoms; protect the skin and stop if it irritates you. Early rehabilitation often uses gentle range-of-motion work, followed by isometric adductor squeezes and then strengthening through larger movements.

A physiotherapist can tailor [Exercise Therapy](/treatments/physiotherapy-and-rehabilitation/exercise-therapy/) to your strength and sport. Later stages add jogging, acceleration, lateral movement, and sport-specific drills. A [Return-to-Sport Programme](/treatments/physiotherapy-and-rehabilitation/return-to-sport-programme/) can organise these steps, while [Sports Physiotherapy](/treatments/physiotherapy-and-rehabilitation/sports-physiotherapy/) may address technique, load, and recurrence risks.

Arrange an assessment if pain limits walking, persists despite reducing activity, returns whenever you resume training, or is accompanied by marked bruising, swelling, weakness, or a snapping sensation. Seek urgent care for severe pain after major trauma, inability to bear weight, a visibly deformed leg, or sudden groin pain with feeling faint or unwell.

Ask: Which movements should I pause? What level of discomfort is acceptable during exercise? How will strength be compared from side to side? What milestones should I meet before sprinting, cutting, or returning to matches? Could another hip or groin problem explain symptoms that do not improve?