Groin Strain Symptoms

Groin strain, as the name suggests is a condition that affects the groin region and leads to varying degrees of muscle pain and discomfort. The groin area is made up of a cluster of muscles, known as the abductor muscles. These muscles connect the different muscles and tendons from the hips to the inside of the thighs and the pelvic area. The abductor muscles are responsible for the inward movement of the leg and pull it back in after every outward movement that it makes. These muscles are used in all movements of walking and to maintain the stability of the hips and legs. Thus when there is a strain or pull in any of these muscles, tendons or the hip bone itself, there is a direct effect on the movement of the leg. This then leads to several groin strain symptoms. What are these groin strain symptoms and how is one to go about treating groin pain is what we shall see in the paragraphs that follows.

Symptoms

Groin strain or pulled groin is a common occurrence among athletes and people who are heavily into sports. The chances of suffering a groin strain increase if sufficient warm up exercises are not undertaken by them and the muscles are not sufficiently prepared for the action that is to follow. Other than that, a sudden and rapid movement or jerk can cause a groin strain to happen.

Grades of Strain
There are 3 grades of the groin pain that comes about from a groin pull or pulled groin muscle. The first grade refers to a situation when the groin strain is a minor one and probably affects only 10% of the muscle and tendon functionality. In the grade 2 category, the muscles, tendons and probably the bone have suffered more damage and can be more severely affected. The grade 3 category is one in which the muscles and tendons are affected in the worst possible manner and could even lead to ruptures. Depending on the grade of the strain, the strain symptoms will vary. The following are the symptoms that each grade will lead to:

Grade	Symptoms
Grade 1	Mild discomfort in the regions of thigh and/or legs Pain while running and sprinting Certain areas are tender to touch Tightness in the groin muscles
Grade 2	Sharp and sudden shooting pain in thighs and legs. Swelling and bruising on legs and groin area Severe tightness in the groin muscles Pain when stretching muscles Body weakness Contraction of leg muscles leading to pain Running is painful, walking is affected
Grade 3	Sharp shooting pain when exercising Visible lump on groin muscles Inner thighs swell or bruise over Cannot contract groin muscles Pain in simple actions like stretching

There are certain other symptoms that come about,-testicle pain for example. If there is sudden and unexplained pain that is felt in the testicles, it could be an indication of groin strain or even sports hernia.

Treatment

When someone suffers from groin strain symptoms the correct form of treatment becomes imperative to follow. What are the groin strain treatment forms that one needs to follow? Here are some treatment methods that one should look into:

Stop Training
Stop training till the time you have consulted a doctor and diagnosed the grade of symptoms that you are suffering from. Exerting the muscles that have already been strained will cause for more complications to arise and might lead to permanent damage as well.

Rest Up
It is important to take complete and proper rest as well. Proper rest will ensure that the injured muscles and tendons are allowed to recover. Putting the muscles at rest will ease the pressure and strain and help alleviate the healing process. Do not cause any strain, or there might be a relapse of all the symptoms.

Ice and Hot Packs
An ice pack must be administered for the first 48 hours from the time of the strain. For this you can get specialized packs or use pieces of ice wrapped in a cloth and use it over the skin. After 2 days, shift to a hot pack-dip a towel in hot water and use it over the strain or take a hot water bath. Use the packs for 15-20 minutes at a stretch.

Medication
Pain killers can be taken to deal with the pain symptoms that comes about as a natural process of the strain. Other than that, specialized lotions and creams for the treatment might be prescribed by the doctor as well.

One can also carry forth some groin stretches in consultation with your doctor. It is important to consult a doctor if one fears that they are suffering from groin strain. If any of the symptoms that you are experiencing coincide with the groin strain symptoms that have been mentioned in the article, then you need to seek medical help so that the situation can be brought into control at the earliest. This will further prevent a relapse and the worsening of the condition that may cause permanent damage. The groin strain recovery time will depend on how soon you start the treatment.