Groin strain

[tuglet]

I started the Stronglifts 5x5 programme 7 weeks ago and I’m really enjoying it. I weigh 75kg and I’m squatting 70kg so I’m on my way to my first goal of squatting my own bodyweight. However, I seem to have picked up a groin strain which is sore enough to make me limp. I took five days off and the pain went away, but as soon as I started squatting again it was back with a vengeance.

How long do I need to lay off the squats and deadlifts to allow this to heal fully? I’m planning to continue with the bench press, overhead press, push ups, chin ups/pull ups and reverse crunches as I can’t stand the though of doing nothing. Are there alternatives to squats and deadlifts that I can do while allowing my groin to heal?

[bales]

I suffer from groin strains intermittently, I think you need to be pro-active about your reecovery and not just rest for a number of weeks and start again as you were.

There is probably a weakness/lack of flexibilty that you need to address.

I would suggest doing regular stretching on it such as lunges - front and side to side, seated groin stretch, lying on your back and pull your knees to your chest etc etc... Whilst you are doing this regular exercises such as step-ups (ideally as high as you can make them) and walking lunges (with DB's if you can manage it)

If you have a theraband (or any other thick elastic would do) tie it in a loop and put one end under your good legs foot and the other around your other foot and do knee raises with your bad leg - as if you were running - using the resistance of the band to work against.

My strains always seem to coincide with a lack of core work so maybe instead of just weights try and incorporate some sort of general conditioning routine into your workouts and build up the weight slowly.

Edited by bales on Thursday 9th September 10:13

[996 sps]

See a good sports physio mate or sports therapist and get an assessment just to give yourself a good heads up whats going on.

[tuglet]

bales said:

I suffer from groin strains intermittently, I think you need to be pro-active about your reecovery and not just rest for a number of weeks and start again as you were.

There is probably a weakness/lack of flexibilty that you need to address.

I would suggest doing regular stretching on it such as lunges - front and side to side, seated groin stretch, lying on your back and pull your knees to your chest etc etc... Whilst you are doing this regular exercises such as step-ups (ideally as high as you can make them) and walking lunges (with DB's if you can manage it)

If you have a theraband (or any other thick elastic would do) tie it in a loop and put one end under your good legs foot and the other around your other foot and do knee raises with your bad leg - as if you were running - using the resistance of the band to work against.

My strains always seem to coincide with a lack of core work so maybe instead of just weights try and incorporate some sort of general conditioning routine into your workouts and build up the weight slowly.

Edited by bales on Thursday 9th September 10:13

Hi bales

Thanks for the advice. Can you give me an example of a general conditioning routine?

[tuglet]

996 sps said:

See a good sports physio mate or sports therapist and get an assessment just to give yourself a good heads up whats going on.

I'm going to make an appointment to see the physio at my local gym. £20 for a half hour sounds like a fair price to me.

[bales]

tuglet said:

Hi bales

Thanks for the advice. Can you give me an example of a general conditioning routine?

Just circuit training type exercise i.e bodyweight exercise and medicine ball work.

Stuff like press-ups, sit-ups, crunches, lunges, squat thrusts, burpees, dips, chins, plank, back hypers etc etc...

Have a look on the web for circuit training routines/exercises.

[tuglet]

bales said:

tuglet said:

Hi bales

Thanks for the advice. Can you give me an example of a general conditioning routine?

Just circuit training type exercise i.e bodyweight exercise and medicine ball work.

Stuff like press-ups, sit-ups, crunches, lunges, squat thrusts, burpees, dips, chins, plank, back hypers etc etc...

Have a look on the web for circuit training routines/exercises.

I'm already doing press ups, crunches, chins and planks 3 times a week. I'll give the others a try too.

[goldblum]

You can do any activity that doesn't aggravate the groin pull.At this stage that means anything like lunges etc should not be done.

You don't say when the pull occurred but if it's still within 48 hrs apply ice.Take some anti inflammatorys and make an appointment to

see a physio.Don't return to squats too soon or you risk developing a chronic injury.When you do return warm up properly and go light for a few weeks,with plenty

of stretching.

[bales]

tuglet said:

bales said:

tuglet said:

Hi bales

Thanks for the advice. Can you give me an example of a general conditioning routine?

Just circuit training type exercise i.e bodyweight exercise and medicine ball work.

Stuff like press-ups, sit-ups, crunches, lunges, squat thrusts, burpees, dips, chins, plank, back hypers etc etc...

Have a look on the web for circuit training routines/exercises.

I'm already doing press ups, crunches, chins and planks 3 times a week. I'll give the others a try too.

If your already doing that then you prob don't need to start adding extra exercises.

As 996sp says go see a physio and see what they recommend in terms of rehab/treatment.

[bales]

goldblum said:

You can do any activity that doesn't aggravate the groin pull.At this stage that means anything like lunges etc should not be done.

You don't say when the pull occurred but if it's still within 48 hrs apply ice.Take some anti inflammatorys and make an appointment to

see a physio.Don't return to squats too soon or you risk developing a chronic injury.When you do return warm up properly and go light for a few weeks,with plenty

of stretching.

In my experience unless you have a very serious tear, not doing anything for a number of weeks whilst it is healing and then just returning to training is rarely a good idea.

You need to find out what caused it and address any weaknesses in around that area which could have contributed.

When I tore my hamstring in May this year within 4/5 days I was jogging slowly and stretching it everyday. It still took me 6 weeks to get back near to full fitness but without a great deal of exercises/rehab that I did to strengthen my hamstrings progressively I think it would have taken a lot longer.

I think being proactive and not just sticking to RICE is very important.

Edited by bales on Thursday 9th September 15:16

[goldblum]

bales said:

goldblum said:

You can do any activity that doesn't aggravate the groin pull.At this stage that means anything like lunges etc should not be done.

You don't say when the pull occurred but if it's still within 48 hrs apply ice.Take some anti inflammatorys and make an appointment to

see a physio.Don't return to squats too soon or you risk developing a chronic injury.When you do return warm up properly and go light for a few weeks,with plenty

of stretching.

In my experience unless you have a very serious tear, not doing anything for a number of weeks whilst it is healing and then just returning to training is rarely a good idea.

You need to find out what caused it and address any weaknesses in around that area which could have contributed.

When I tore my hamstring in May this year within 4/5 days I was jogging slowly and stretching it everyday. It still took me 6 weeks to get back near to full fitness but without a great deal of exercises/rehab that I did to strengthen my hamstrings progressively I think it would have taken a lot longer.

I think being proactive and not just sticking to RICE is very important.

Edited by bales on Thursday 9th September 15:16

At the moment the OP cannot walk properly on the injured leg.He has said he is limping.

Anything other than rest would be extremely foolish.He should see a physio asap.

[bales]

goldblum said:

At the moment the OP cannot walk properly on the injured leg.He has said he is limping.

Anything other than rest would be extremely foolish.He should see a physio asap.

Fair enough, I think we can accept we have different views on this.

[grumbledoak]

Been there! Go see a physio. Your groin is under some strain even when you are sitting down, so this isn't necessarily going to go away on it's own.