How Long It Takes To Heal From A Groin Injury – Health Digest

If you’re an athlete, you’ve probably had a run-in with a groin injury. According to a 2013 study published in Trauma Monthly, groin injuries account for 2% to 5% of all sports-related injuries. Moreover, a 2018 study published in Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy found that in women’s football, groin injuries make up 17% of the most common “non-time-loss injury locations.” In other words, groin injuries are fairly frequent.

A groin injury is the result of any of the groin muscles being strained. (Read what really happens to your body when you pull a muscle.) Considering there are five muscles in the groin, that makes it a pretty vulnerable area when it comes to injuries. Like any injury, you’ll know you’ve caused your groin some problems if there’s pain, swelling, bruising, or difficulty in moving the particular muscle that’s been damaged. As for how long it will take you to heal from a groin injury, it has everything to do with how severe it is. Mild to moderate groin injuries may take a month or two to heal, while severe and/or chronic strains, which are categorized as grade 3, can take several months before they’re 100% healed.

Although a groin injury won’t prevent you from going to work, unless your work entails using your groin area, it will stand in the way of you being able to do certain activities. And, unfortunately, the only way you can heal from such an injury is to give it time. 

If your doctor has confirmed you have an injured groin, then they might recommend the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) method, especially within the first 48 to 72 hours. Unlike breaking a bone that requires surgical care and maybe even a hospital stay, the RICE method is an at-home technique used for sprains and muscle injuries, as well as dislocated joints.

While the resting part means just that, when it comes to icing, it’s advised that 15 to 20 minutes of ice several times throughout the day is best. Ice helps to reduce swelling and encourages blood flow to the injured muscle, which is essential for healing. Compression and elevating the muscle above your heart, too, helps to minimize swelling so your body can get back to functioning at its full capacity. Your doctor may also suggest taking an NSAID like ibuprofen or Tylenol.

As you begin to feel less pain, small movements can help your groin get back on track. “The old-school recommendation was to avoid any weight-bearing activity and to use crutches,” Yale Medicine orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Elizabeth Gardner, MD, told Yale Medicine News. “But there’s good agreement at this point that we instead want some light, modified mobility that moves the joints and muscles, but not in an intense way or in a manner that exacerbates pain. You’re not trying to strengthen them, just move them, which can accelerate their function.” Your doctor can tell you which movements are best for your groin.

Although an injured groin is both common and an easy fix (as long as you give it time to heal), complications can arise. For example, if the pain persists and/or the swelling gets worse despite icing the area and taking NSAIDs, you might not have just an injury, but a groin hernia. According to a 2023 article published in StatPearls, 2% of women and 25% of men will experience a groin hernia at some point in their life.

Also, if there’s any bleeding, discoloration, or numbness in the area where you injured your groin, you don’t want to wait it out. You want to contact your doctor or head to the ER as soon as possible. If anything else arises that doesn’t look or feel like it’s part of the recovery process, you should reach out to your healthcare provider. While a groin injury isn’t fatal, it could lead to complications in other organs.

If you want to avoid any future groin injuries, then it’s best to avoid activities that are most likely to strain the groin. Hockey, soccer, football, and basketball are considered to be at the top of the list of groin-related offenders. But even if you don’t play any sports, the risk is there — sometimes, all it takes is a wrong step or twisting motion. Because of this, it’s important not to ignore any groin pain and talk to your doctor if you have concerns.