Groin pain can become chronic (lasting for more than 3 months or recurrently presenting) for some athletes. A small percentage of this will have a hernia that may require surgical repair (Gilmore’s Groin) but the majority have a collection of non-structural groin problems that will respond to comprehensive rehabilitation.
Bone, ligamentous, tendinous or muscular pain can all occur individually or collectively. The common factor at play is ‘abnormal tension’ on the groin. This may be due to over-training, poor flexibility, poor core control or poor gluteal muscle control.
At IONA Physiotherapy, a detailed assessment of your training regime and physical factors will be undertaken. Sometimes, diagnostic imaging (MRI) may be required to assist in treatment decisions, but in the majority of cases, surgical referral is not considered until conservative management has failed to resolve your symptoms.
Rehabilitation will follow (link to groin strain) and temporary ‘relative’ rest may be necessary to get the symptoms under control and allow progressive rehab.
‘Relative’ rest simply means looking at all training / sporting activities and reducing the most provocative elements to get you down to the point where no symptoms are produced during activity. Total rest does not work – you may not feel pain while you rest, but often the symptoms re-appear more severely when you recommence your sport.
