hip-and-groin-painHip pain is a condition that originates from an injury or from a pre-existing condition. Yet, among many cases of hip pain, inflammation of the tendon in the pelvic area is the most common. Hip and groin pain can be related and they can be caused by a variety of muscle or joint problems in your pelvis. Sometimes, hip pain can be construed as lower back pain.

Pain on the hip joint is sometimes caused by sitting frequently for long periods of time, landing your butt clumsily, sports that require too much pelvic movement, a sedentary lifestyle, and arthritis. Hip joints can become achy when they stagnate in a fixed position for a lengthy duration, or when they are being moved repetitiously and uncomfortably.

A groin strain is a relatively common condition characterised by the tearing of some or all the groin muscles. The muscles at the inner aspect of your thigh are known as the adductor muscles (groin). These muscles originate from the pelvis and insert into the inner aspect of the thigh and lower leg bones.

The groin muscles are responsible for stabilising the pelvis and moving the leg towards the mid-line of the body. They are particularly active during running and kicking. A groin strain commonly occurs due to a sudden contraction of the groin muscles, usually when they are in a position of stretch. This typically occurs during rapid acceleration whilst running, particularly when changing direction or when a footballer performs a long kick. They are commonly seen in running sports such as football, hockey and athletics (particularly sprinters, hurdlers, and long jumpers) as well as skiing, horse riding and gymnastics. Groin strains tend to occur more among older athletes, particularly if they did an inadequate warm-up prior to the actual game.

Groin strains range from a grade 1 to a grade 3 strain and are classified as follows:

Grade 1: Small number of muscle fibres are torn resulting in some pain but allowing full function.

Grade 2: A significant number of muscle fibres are torn with moderate loss of function.

Grade 3: All muscle fibres are ruptured resulting in major loss of function.

Proper diagnosis and management strategies for hip pain and groin strain are very important as they may become chronic if not managed appropriately.