Athletic Groin Pain
- patrick6041
- Apr 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Athletic groin pain can be particularly frustrating for athletes because it can significantly impact their performance, plus the underlying causes can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Different athletes may experience different symptoms. Some athletes may experience a sharp pain in the groin area during activities that involve cutting or twisting movements, while others may experience a dull ache that persists even during periods of rest. It is important to understand that athletic groin pain can have a variety of causes.
They can be classified into five categories:
Adductor Related Groin Pain
Iliopsoas Related Groin Pain
Inguinal Related Groin Pain
Pubic Related Groin Pain
Hip Related Groin Pain or Other Causes
1. The most common cause of athletic groin pain is related to the adductor muscles. This type of pain is often associated with activities that involve repetitive kicking, sprinting or rapid changes of direction, such as soccer or ice hockey. It can be assessed by testing if resisted hip adduction provokes pain and palpating the adductors for tenderness.
2. Iliopsoas-related groin pain involves the hip flexors and can be assessed by testing if resisted hip flexion and stretching the hip flexors provoke pain. You can attempt to palpate the iliopsoas for tenderness; however, research has found this to be unreliable.
3. Inguinal pain is often caused by repetitive lifting, twisting, or turning movements and can result in pain in the lower abdomen or pubic area. This can be assessed by palpating for pain in the inguinal canal region (if hernia bulge is present, refer to medical Dr. for further evaluation). Pain provocation may occur with an abdominal contraction or when coughing or sneezing.
4. Pubic-related injuries can be associated with regional trauma or impact to the pelvis. They can also occur with high velocity movements. These can be assessed by palpating for pain at the pubic symphysis and the pubic bone.
5. Hip-related groin pain can be caused by hip impingement, osteoarthritis, joint inflammation, and labral tears.
Some other potential causes of adductor pain that need to be considered include referral from the spine, peripheral nerve entrapment, avulsion, or stress fracture plus systemic medical conditions.
コメント