The Symptoms of a Pulled Groin

Athletes at high school, collegiate and professional levels are susceptible to groin pulls. Non-athletic persons can also pull the muscle while performing simple exercises like stretching, lifting weights, walking or running. Depending on the depth and length of the rupture, symptoms related to the pull can be mild or severe.

A Pronounced Shift

• If you over-stretch or tear your adductor longus, brevis or magnus muscles, you might experience a sudden and intense shot of pain at the top of your thigh. If you pull the adductor muscles on the right side of your body, you will feel a shot of pain in your right thigh. If you pull the adductor muscles on the left side of your body, you will feel a shot of pain in your left thigh. A hard blow to your inner thighs can also cause your groin to experience a sudden piercing ache.

Air Leaps

• The more severe the rupture, the more intense the shot of sudden pain will be. If you are running fast when the muscle pulls, as happens to Olympic and professional track athletes, the rupture could send you leaping into the air for a second. This happens when one of the three adductor muscles pops or snaps as it ruptures. If the tear is extensive, you might be unable to walk on your own.

Stiffness and Weakness

• Tenderness, weakness or stiffness in the groin area, particularly near the adductor magnus muscle, is a strong sign that you have experienced a groin pull. The more pressure you apply to the muscles through simple acts like walking or standing, the more tender, weak and stiff the muscle can become. If the strain or rupture occurred at your adductor longus muscle, which is close to the crown of your thigh, you might experience stiffness and weakness in your hip area instead of at your inner thighs.

Bruises and Fatigue

• Groin pulls severe enough to rupture a blood vessel in your thigh can cause your groin musculature area to bruise. Strained and pulled muscle tissues can also cause you to feel tired. Additionally, your muscles might feel tight or stiff after a pull. Aurora Health Care advises that rest, compression and elevation are required in order for the muscles to heal. If you apply weight or pressure to your groin muscle too soon, you could restrain or rupture the muscle. You could also permanently weaken the muscle.

Considerations

• Groin pulls range from the pelvis to the femur bone, which is located at the inner thigh. The pull, rupture or strain affects muscles at the center of the body. The pull is particularly painful because these muscles, also known as adductor muscles, connect the legs to the pelvis bone. Some pulls affect hip joints, rectus femoris and illiopsoas muscles as well. This is why it can be immediately difficult to walk if you pull your groin muscle. To prevent straining or rupturing the muscle further, seek medical assistance as soon as you experience symptoms related to a groin pull. Adequately stretching before you participate in strenuous activities like hurdling, sprinting, football or basketball helps to lower your chances of pulling your groin muscle.