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Recover from an adductor muscle injury
Firstly you have to decide whether it is a pull or a strain and why it happened.
It is usually caused by increasing the volume intensity or a combination and often occurs in the final 4 weeks before an important event when the muscle is fatigued.
There are 5 adductor muscles and their purpose is to pull the leg together.
They are five muscles that combined make up the adductor muscle
Adductor Brevis
Adductor Longis
Adductor Magnus
Adductor Gracilis and Pectineus
These muscles are typically used in sprinting turning (Football squash hurdling cross country running)
(Long adductors)
Inflammation of the tendons (tendonitis) is caused by overuse where the tendon attaches itself to the bone
Can be a as result of a previous injury such as a groin strain.
Signs & Symptoms of an adductor injury
Pain in the groin area towards the top of the adductor muscle, the pain go also spread down the leg.
Pain is one specific area of the leg muscle or bone
Painful when you press the legs together.
Difficulty running too painful
What you should do with an adductor injury
REST – Most important part of the healing process
R.I.C.E Rest (I make no apologies for this but you MUST)
Ice and rest
Compression and REST
Elevation and REST
This is often the last thing a motivated athlete wants to do.
To continue can increase the severity of the injury from minor to serious which can result in many months losing all that hard earned fitness and increasing the risk of the injury to re-occur again and again.
A 1st degree strain can easily end up as 3rd degree and can take up to 6 months to recover from.
TREATMENT – Ultra-sound easy low resistance strength exercises and massages to help speed up the recovery process.
Compression shorts thigh guards will help keep the muscle area warm and speed up the recovery process. Compression clothing maintains constant muscle tissue temperature.
By making the area 1-2 degrees warmer it will also make the muscle more extensible.
See a professional sports injury expert to advise you on what you should do, remember every one is different.
They may suggest anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen. Most experts I have spoken to suggest pain relief drugs only for up to a week after the injury has occurred.
When the pain reduces start gentle low intensity exercise again and avoid over compensating with other muscles.
Gradually return back to sport.
You can resume running again as long as you don’t feel pain during and after and the injury does not get worse in the next 24 hours.
Be careful and listen to your body for any increased tenderness. Rest again for 1-3 days if the pain increases.
Never force a stretch
Nutrition.
Nutrition can also play a vital role in speeding up the recovery.
Have a carbohydrate drink before exercise allows muscles to contract more easily so avoid dehydration especially when recovering from a muscle injury.
Carbohydrate straight after then protein drink within 60 minutes then every 2 hours after a carbohydrate snack will supply the muscles with energy required for muscle contraction.
Being low in energy may have actually caused the injury in the first place not because the muscle was tired.
Abductor Longis injury – Symptoms include painful stiff and weak muscles.
Why it can happen?
An adductor muscle injury does not have to because it has been stretched further than normal. Tightness and shortening can occur over many weeks then what may seem a normal movement will cause the injury.
Regular massage will often pick up this type of problem before injury becomes serious.
The degree of seriousness can be described in many ways
1st degree strain = a few muscle fibres are damaged = Complete Rest for 1-2 weeks
Signs and symptoms include –you only feel the pain when you stop the exercise and may feel like its cramp or tightness. Pain may not even be noticeable unless you contract or stretch the muscle.
2nd degree injury = is damaged to a larger number of fibres = Complete REST 3-5 weeks
Signs and symptoms include – More painful than degree 1 and is even painful during walking
3rd degree strain is complete rupture of the muscle – This type of injury may need surgery and can take up to 16 weeks to fully recover from and will be painful to touch.
Signs and symptoms include – A constant pain or stabbing pain (like something is snatching) Common to see a large bruise within hours of the injury occurring due to bleeding within the tissues.
Painful getting out of bed, even moving slowly,
Age is related to elevated risk for strains due to reduced elasticity of connective tissue.
Only return to exercise when the you can no longer fell pain
Football players may need 4 weeks off then 2 weeks rehab before playing again. Many make take much longer it often depends on how soon they stopped without causing further damage.
Mark successfully recovered from and adductor muslce injury and lives to race again.