The "groin pull" is one of the most common injuries in athletics.

What is it?

The groin is that area of the hip between the abdomen and thigh. It is the crease formed between these two areas when the hip is flexed. Five muscles comprise this sensitive area: adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, gracilis, and pectineus. These muscles work as a unit to adduct the leg (move the leg toward the midline of the body).

Why does it happen?

A disparity in strength between the abductor muscles (those that move the leg away from the midline of the body) and the adductor muscles is the major factor in groin related  injuries. The risk of injury is increased when leg adductor strength is less than 80% of the abductor stregth. An unbalanced ratio limits hip stability, especially during split-second changes in direction or acceleration.

Other factors that influence the injury risk include lower overall body strength and playing surface .

Why should you care?

The groin muscles are not only important for core strength and injury prevention in athletes, they are important to all of us in our daily activities. The groin muscles stabilize the hip every time one stands/balances on one leg (an activity we all perform without thought, hundreds - if not thousands - of times each day).

What can you do to prevent it?

Begin your training program with a warm-up that emphasizes stretching the adductors and abductors. The easiest and most widely used techniques employ a foam roller for this phase of the workout and are followed with a few minutes of total body mobility exercises. The foam roller is a handy tool that can be used daily.

Below is a sample exercise program that athletes may incorporate into their training regimen. This is a beginner workout focusing only on movements specific to injury prevention. Performing some of these 1-2 times per week durring the off-season is recommended.

Each athlete's primary concern should be achieving structural balance before beginning sport-specific training.

It is important to consult your physician to obtain the correct diagnosis prior to performing any rehabilitative program - you can't rehabilitate until you know what's broken. You must not assume that groin pain is simply a "muscle strain," as it could be a sign of a much more serious condition such as a hernia or a fractured hip/pelvis. Consultation with one's physician is even more important in adolescent athletes, as groin pain may be a manifestation of a serious malady of the growth plate that is often a surgical emergency.

Whatever your state of health or athletic performance, always be your best with a happy and healthy groin!

Dr. Mark Galland is an orthopaedic surgeon, sports medicine specialist and physician at Orthopaedic Specialists of North Carolina. Galland received his medical degree from Tulane University's School of Medicine and completed his residency in the university's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He began his career in orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine while serving in the United States Navy at a naval hospital at Camp Lejeune, N.C. There, he served as chief of orthopaedic surgery and was the recipient of numerous awards for both leadership and excellence in treating injuries common to sailors and marines. Since beginning with Orthopaedic Specialists of North Carolina, Galland has continued to treat injured athletes. He currently serves as a team physician and orthopaedic consultant to the Carolina Mudcats, the AA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds Major League Baseball team, and as medical director and orthopaedic consultant to the Louisburg College athletic program. He also serves as the team physician and orthopaedic consultant to several local high schools.

Aaron Brown received his Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology at Ohio University. He is the owner and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of Brown Strength & Conditioning in Raleigh. He serves as a Certified Performance Coach with USA Weightlifting.

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