Groin injuries can be caused by muscle injuries, direct trauma, inflammation and infection, and neurological problems. Rest and physical therapy are recommended for muscle injuries, while hernias and trauma may require medical evaluation and treatment. Inflammation and infection can also cause groin pain, as can lower back problems.
Groin injuries include muscle injuries, direct trauma to the groin, inflammation and infection, and neurological problems. Most involve tightness in the groin muscles and resolve with rest and the application of ice and heat as needed. In other cases, medical evaluation and treatment may be needed to resolve the injury.
In muscle injuries, muscles can be pulled or strained when people exercise without warming up, overextend their muscles, or suffer lacerating injuries such as those associated with loss of balance and falling. The patient may experience immediate pain at the time of the injury. A dull, throbbing pain usually characterizes a muscle pull. For severe strains, the patient may experience difficulty walking due to stiffness and swelling of the muscles. Rest is usually recommended to allow the muscle to recover, followed by light physical therapy to rebuild strength before resuming normal activities.
A specific type of muscle injury known as a hernia is also a problem that can be seen in the groin. In a true hernia, called an inguinal hernia, the muscles in the abdominal wall separate, allowing the contents to protrude and creating a characteristic bulge. Sports hernias, a variation, occur when the muscle wall thins but does not separate. The patient feels pain and discomfort, but the abdominal contents remain firm.
Direct groin trauma is a common cause of groin injuries for athletes in contact sports, one of the reasons athletes are advised to wear protective equipment. Accidental kicks are common, and athletes sometimes collide with other players or are hit unintentionally. This can cause severe pain in both men and women and can lead to future complications if muscles or nerves are torn. In some cases, the trauma causes a laceration in the groin and stitches may be needed to repair it. Groin injuries associated with trauma should be evaluated for internal bleeding.
Inflammation and infection, including inflammation of the pelvis and hip joints, can also be associated with a groin injury. The patient may feel a dull, generalized pain and think that a muscle has been pulled or strained. Finally, lower back problems can also lead to groin injuries. If the nerves in the lower back are pinched, this will create referred pain in other areas of the body, including the groin. The patient may feel numbness or tingling, and in some cases, the altered sensation puts people at risk of further groin injury, as they do not recognize the damage when it occurs and will continue to engage in physical activity after a pull or muscle strain .
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