Groin Pull

A groin pull is the result of too much stress on the muscles in the thigh and groin area. More technically, a ‘pull’ is known as a strain. A person can suffer from tendon, ligament or muscle strains in this area.

It’s easy to overdo it on a muscle, tendon or ligament. This is especially true during high intensity sports, when the muscles are working hard.

Movements like running, jumping, kicking and rapid directional changes (soccer, football, etc) are the perfect set up for a groin pull or strain.

Strain describes a situation when a tissue has been overstretched, to the point of injury.

Types of Strains

There are 3 classifications of strains; oftentimes the diagnosis can be made with a physical exam, but in some cases an MRI or Xray may be used to help diagnose the issue.

1st degree:
This is a mild strain, with no tearing. A person will have full range of movement and a bit of soreness.
2nd degree:
This is a moderate strain with some tissue damage. Pain is persistent, especially with movement. Moving the injured area should be done very cautiously, outside of continuous rest. Movement is limited, primarily by pain.
3rd degree: This means the tissue is torn, whether it be a ligament, tendon or muscle. Pain is high, and movement is severely limited.

How to Heal a Groin Pull

1st and 2nd degree groin strains will heal with some conservative treatment in anywhere from a week or two, up to 6-8 weeks - everyone’s ability to heal and of course the degree of strain they have will dictate how much time it takes.

Grade 3 strains are more serious, due to the tissue being torn. Oftentimes tears can heal by themselves but there are instances when a complete tear necessitates surgery.

Healing a groin pull involves rest, gentle stretching and anti-inflammatory/tissue repairing natural medicines.

Rest.
Remember, the injury is due to their being tears in a ligament, tendon or muscle. They’ll only heal if there is no more stress on the tissue. Resting and not using the area will allow the injury to heal a lot faster if it continues to be used.
Stretching.
Key word here is gentle. Very minimal stretching will help the torn fibers realign and also bring increased blood flow to the area. Blood carries the nutrients the body needs to heal injuries. Complete immobilization of a groin pull may lead to more stiffness and scar tissue if let to heal improperly. Stretching should never be painful.
Natural anti-inflammatories will help lessen the pain of a groin pull; we have several that we use in clinic with our patients:

Inflammation Relief - The systemic enzymes in Inflammation Relief break down the pain-generating chemicals your body makes in response to injury and tissue damage. It also speeds healing by improving oxygen and nutrient delivery to damaged areas.
T-Relief Ointment is a topical homeopathic cream that can temporarily relieve minor aches and pains associated with sports injuries, repetitive use injuries, sprains, backaches, muscle aches, and bruises in addition to minor arthritis pain and muscle inflammation.

4. Tissue repair

MSI Support is great for helping to heal injuries to muscles - it contains all the nutrients your body needs to repair and recover from injuries.

Ligament Restore provides the injured tendon with the nutrients it needs to heal and repair itself. It also contains pain-relieving botanical medicines. This is one of our most popular products for healing injuries!

A groin pull can take you out of the game for a while - that's why it's so important to work hard to get it healed. Rest, gentle stretching, natural anti-inflammatories for pain, and tissue-healing nutrients will greatly speed up the process. Listen to your body, let pain/discomfort be your guide and give it some time to heal properly.