What should you know about recurrent groin strain?

Recurrent groin strain is repeated injury to the inner-thigh muscles, often linked to incomplete rehabilitation or demanding changes in activity. Pain may return with sprinting, cutting, kicking or squeezing the legs together. A proper assessment also checks the hip, pelvis and nearby structures.

The adductor muscles help stabilise the pelvis and control sideways leg movement. Recurrence can follow a rapid return to sport, reduced strength, poor load progression, limited hip movement or a different source of groin pain. Persistent symptoms do not prove that the original strain is the only problem.

A clinician may compare both sides, test resisted adduction, assess hip range and observe sport-specific movement. This helps match rehabilitation to the actual impairment rather than treating pain alone.

Pause sprinting, cutting and kicking when they reproduce pain, but maintain comfortable general movement. Exercise therapy can build adductor, hip and trunk strength in stages. Sports physiotherapy may adjust training loads and technique, while a return-to-sport programme can use progressive running and direction-change tests before full participation.

Book an assessment if groin pain returns repeatedly, affects walking or persists despite reduced training. Seek prompt care after a forceful injury with marked swelling, inability to bear weight, a visible bulge, numbness or severe testicular or abdominal pain.

Ask whether the pain is coming from an adductor, hip joint, tendon or another pelvic structure. Clarify which strengthening stage fits now, how training volume should change, what tests define readiness, and how to respond if pain returns during a session.