How to Recover From Groin Injury

A groin injury can have several causes, such as overexertion or traumatic injury. Treating the injury quickly is critical to a successful recovery. However, groin injuries cannot be treated like other muscles injuries. Immediate movement and stretching, which is often recommended for muscle strain, can be detrimental to an injured groin.

Instructions

• 1

  Assess the injury. Lacerations, breaks and injuries to the genitals are types of injuries that must have immediate medical attention. Go to the doctor immediately. See a doctor even after a seemingly minor injury to rule out a larger problem.

• 2

  Treat the injury as soon as possible with ice or heat. The University of Michigan's sports medicine adviser says to place an ice pack on the injury "for 20 to 30 minutes every three to four hours for two or three days or until the pain goes away." Use heat if the ice is too uncomfortable. This includes heating pads, hot baths or artificially heating ointments.

• 3

  Rest until your doctor clears you for regular exercise. Patients who return to exercise often extend recovery from a groin injury or strenuous activity before the injury has time to heal. A mild strain from two days to two weeks to heal properly. Severe injuries can take months.

• 4

  Stick to the rehabilitation schedule. Another hindrance to a quick recovery is failing to properly rehabilitate the groin muscles and tissues. In serious injuries, the groin area must work slowly toward normal movement. Certain stretches and exercises can increase the damage to the area. Physical therapists are trained in the proper way to manipulate the area back to normal. Let them do their job.

• 5

  Take only medications prescribed by the doctor or over-the-counter drugs for pain and inflammation. Do not take steroids or unprescribed muscle relaxers.