[John845]

Hi guys. I suffered a groin injury 2 weeks ago on a Friday. I play soccer so its a running sport, as I was doing my usual thing during the game, I started getting a feeling which I never get, on my left groin area. As the game progressed it got worse till I couldn't do any more sprints because the pain was too much. I took a couple days off thinking it would help and I played again on the following Tuesday. Again I got the same pain, on the left groin, so I stopped. I followed up and took an entire week off, did absolutely nothing to let it heal. So I play today again, and the same pain returns, and I stopped immediately this time. The pain is inside my leg, not on the outside skin.

Now can anyone explain to me what I should do to heal this, do I need to goto a doctor? What kind of cardio could I do to keep me in shape while I don't do any running because of this? Please reply if you have any information, thanks.

[Reev]

Ok first if you have access to a doctor it couldnt hurt to see one. Here is some info on groin pulls(what to do after having one and what to do to prevent them.)

Rest
It is important to rest following the injury to allow the injured muscle to properly heal. Allow pain to guide your level of activity; this means that activities which cause symptoms should be avoided.

Stretching
Gentle stretching is helpful, but it should not be painful. Stretching excessively can be harmful and slow the healing process.


Ice the Injury
Apply ice to the injured area in the acute phase (first 48 hours after injury), and then after activities. Ice will help calm the inflammatory response and stimulate blood flow to the area.

Heat Applications
Before activities, gentle heating can help loosen the muscle. Apply a heat pack to the groin prior to stretching or exercising. As a general rule of thumb, remember to heat before, and ice after.

What can be done to prevent groin strains?
New research is shedding light on factors that can be helpful in preventing groin injuries. Competitive athletes who participate in soccer, ice hockey, or similar sports that are prone to groin injuries should focus some energy on groin injury prevention. Exactly what exercises and stretches are most important in still being worked out, but some suggestions for groin injury prevention include:

Adductor stretching: That basicaly could be the stretch where you sit on the ground with the bottoms of your feet pulled up towards you, and leaning slightly forward.

Hip adductor and abductor strengthening: You can do lunges for this. The sideways kind and the forward kind.


Core stability, including abdominal and lumbar strengthening

Together, these exercises and stretches can help control the movements of the hip and pelvis, and hopefully prevent many groin strains.

Hope this helps