Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional for advice specific to your condition. © 2026 Better Physiotherapy Bundoora.
Groin strains are one of the most common injuries in football, soccer, and hockey — and one of the most frequently under-rehabilitated. The adductor muscles take longer to regain full strength than pain resolution suggests, which is why re-injury rates without proper physio can exceed 30%.
The Adductor Muscles
The adductor muscle group includes adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, gracilis, and pectineus. Of these, adductor longus is the most commonly strained — it runs from the pubic bone to the femoral shaft and is under high eccentric load during the push-off and kicking phases of running and football.
Mechanisms of Injury
Groin strains typically occur during:
- Maximum sprinting efforts — particularly acceleration from a standing start
- Change of direction with the leg in a wide stance
- Kicking — both at contact and during the follow-through phase
- Overstretching into a wide straddle position
- Sudden change of direction in wet or slippery conditions
Pre-season is the highest-risk period, when athletes push intensity before adequate adductor conditioning has been established after an off-season.
Physiotherapy Management by Grade
Grade 1 (mild): Active recovery — maintain full range of movement with pain-free exercise, begin adductor loading within 48–72 hours, return to full training in 1–3 weeks with progressive strengthening.
Grade 2 (moderate): Initial relative rest (2–5 days), ice and compression to manage swelling, then progressive adductor loading starting with isometrics and advancing through the Copenhagen adductor progression. Return to sport at 3–6 weeks with strength testing.
Grade 3 (complete tear): Medical assessment required to confirm no associated pubic bone or joint injury. Conservative rehabilitation for most complete tears is appropriate; surgery is occasionally required for elite athletes. Return to sport at 3–4 months.
Prevention: The Copenhagen Program
The Copenhagen adductor exercise program — developed by Danish sports researchers — reduces groin injury risk in football players by over 40%. It involves a progressive series of adductor exercises done on a bench partner. Any athlete at risk of groin strains should be incorporating this into their pre-season and in-season program.
Groin Strain Treatment at Better Physiotherapy Bundoora
Our physiotherapists manage groin strains for AFL, soccer, and hockey players across Melbourne's northern suburbs. We use objective strength testing to determine safe return-to-sport timing. Call (03) 9467 6900 or book online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a groin strain?
A groin strain is a tear of one or more of the adductor muscles — most commonly adductor longus — which run from the pubic bone to the inner thigh. It typically occurs during sprinting, rapid change of direction, or kicking. Pain is felt in the groin and inner thigh, often sharp at the time of injury.
How do I grade a groin strain?
Grade 1: mild strain with minor tearing, minimal pain and no significant strength loss. Grade 2: moderate tear causing clear pain, bruising, swelling, and notable strength reduction. Grade 3: complete rupture — severe pain, significant bruising, and inability to walk normally. Grade determines recovery time and management approach.
When can I return to sport after a groin strain?
Return to sport is based on strength and function, not time or pain resolution alone. Full adductor strength symmetry (within 10% of the uninjured side) on groin squeeze testing, pain-free sprint performance, and successful sport-specific movement testing are the criteria physiotherapists use. Returning early based on pain reduction alone is the most common cause of re-injury.
Is groin pain always from the adductors?
No. The groin is an anatomically complex area. Other causes of groin pain include hip flexor (iliopsoas) strain, inguinal hernia (sports hernia / athletic pubalgia), hip joint pathology (FAI, labral tears), nerve entrapment, and referred pain from the lumbar spine. A thorough physiotherapy assessment differentiates between these presentations.
Ashley Haleel
Physiotherapist & Owner — Better Physiotherapy Bundoora