There are many types of Groin injury, some of which can occur together. In fact, as many as 90 percent of patients experiencing Groin pain have multiple types of groin injuries simultaneously.

 

Groin strains typically cause pain and tenderness in the groin area and the inside of the thigh. Pain may intensify when patients bring their legs together or raise their knees, such as when taking high steps or doing plyometric (jumping) exercises. You may feel a popping or snapping sensation in the adductor muscle at the time of injury when the fibers are stretched or torn.

 

Common types of Groin injury:

 

Adductor strain (groin strain or pull). 

By far the most common type of groin injury, a groin strain occurs when the adductor muscles, which are the major muscles on the inside of the thigh where it meets the pelvis, are stretched or torn beyond their normal range of motion. These muscles are especially prone to stretching or tearing when athletes make sudden stops or turns. Groin strains are common in runners and soccer players.

 

Avulsion fracture. 

An avulsion fracture occurs when the tendons that connect muscles to bone are torn at the connection site, resulting in pain and muscle weakness. Avulsion fractures in the groin are most common in adolescent athletes because the pelvic growth plates have not yet solidified. Avulsion fractures in the pelvis are most likely to occur along the iliac crest (top of the hip bone). Avulsion fractures can also occur at the ischial tuberosity, which is the lowest point of the pelvic bone where it meets the hamstring.

 

Stress fractures of the femoral neck and/or pubic ramus bone. 

Stress fractures are tiny cracks that form in the bone over time and cause pain. The neck of the femur, or the narrow portion between the ball-shaped head and shaft where it joins the pelvis, can be subject to stress fractures in athletes in which repetitive impacts on the lower body are common, such as distance running, soccer, and basketball.

The pubic ramus bone is located at the bottom of the pelvis behind the genital area and is also associated with repetitive-impact fractures. Groin pain from a stress fracture in the pubic ramus bone may also spread to the buttock.

 

Osteitis pubis. 

This condition’s symptoms are similar to an adductor strain, but the injury is different. Instead of a muscle strain, it is characterized by chronic inflammation in the pubic symphysis joint and its surrounding soft tissue due to repetitive stress on the pelvis. Distance runners, soccer players, and dancers are most at risk.

 

An inguinal hernia. 

An inguinal hernia occurs when the lower abdominal muscles stretch or tear, often resulting in a bulge in the groin area as the abdominal organs press against or push through the weakened muscles. In addition to causing pain, an inguinal hernia can cause a pulling or dragging sensation in the groin, especially when lifting, stretching, bending over, or coughing. Inguinal hernias are more common in men, and are often associated with weightlifting.

 

Osteoarthritis

The most common sign for the onset of osteoarthritis of the hip is groin pain.There is usually associated loss of rotational mobility of the hip joint.

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