Hello,

I am suffering from recurring Groin/adductor strains. I play ice hockey in an adult league and pulled my groin (right adductor)about 2 months ago playing. I do not have health insurance and was not able to go to the doctor. When the injury occured, I felt a strong pain in my groin and knew right away it was a strain. It hurt to walk for a couple days but I used the RICE technique and rested. I thought I was able to play the following week (which I wasn't) and my second shift I had my groin hurting again. Me being VERY stubborn, I finished the game playing at a 60% as I could not any more. It again hurt to walk and was very tender. I rested it for 3 weeks, RICE treatment for the 1st week and worked on stetching and strengthing it. I went back to playing again once a week and wear a compression shorts and wrap it with an Ace bandage to extra compression. I felt fine playing and skating hard again. The first couple weeks I returned I played more at 75-80% just because I didn't want to re-injure it. The 3rd week back playing I felt fine once again and I was back at skating at 100%. I wear the compression short and wrapped it. No pain or discomfort during or afterwards. I usually ice my groin after every game and workout to lower any swelling if any (More as prevention). The following day, as the day went on, I felt my groin was becoming sore and I felt I had strained it again! It doesn't hurt on the touch, but is definitely a strain.

I have done alot of research and as well as my prior knowledge is that if the pain occured the day after, it was most likely a grade 1 strain. RICE and rest for 1-3 weeks and should be back.

Well, I rested it another 3 weeks, was stretching it out and strengthening it as well in the gym. (I go to the gym 3 days a week and would say I am in good shape). I felt 100% again at this point, as I was able to squat heavy, box jumps, side jumps, lunge jumps, jog...etc. My 1st game back, I forgot my ace bandage but did have my compression shorts. Well While playing I didn't have any pain but towards the end I has some VERY MINOR discomfort if you would even call it that. I was skating very lightly as we were winning and did not want to injure it towards the end. I stretched after the game and feel fine, but I did have a bad feeling I had strained the muscle again. Unfortunately I did, same thing as the last time, I started to feel the pain the following day and I immediately started putting ice for 20 min every 1-2 hours. I was able to workout in the gym 2 days later, and felt fine once I had warmed up. I was able to squat the same weight and about 5 days later I was able to light jog for 1 mile with no pain. These last 2 weeks I have been constantly wrapping my groin with an ACE bandage and applying heating pads. I also started using my foam roller strictly every day and before I workout in the gym to start massaging the groin area and help with myofascial release. I was feeling about 95%, I was thinking about making a comeback for my hockey playoffs next week so I increased intensity as the gym. Instead of a standard full body weight training, I added sets of lunge jumps and side jumps, I also capped my workout with HIIT on the stationary bike for 20 min. I used the foam roller after my workout for 10-15 minutes, working on my groin, front hip flexors, rear hip flexors, side hips, glutes and felt fine. I applied ice when I got home and ice it 2 times. Today I feel my groin stain AGAIN!

I will rest as long as it takes this time. But how will I know when I am really 100%? When I feel 100%, I play and re injure myself. I know I must have alot of scar tissue built up and the scar tissue is not as flexible as muscle tissue. I try and give myself deep tissue massages using my foam roller to break down the scar tissue with myofascial release. I also purchased a muscle roller stick to bring to work.

If anything is different, This time the pain from the stain is more on my front hip flexor. I don't feel much pain when I try and close my legs with resistance, but more when walking up stairs and resistance pushing my leg up. Also, for the last week for using the foam roller daily on my whole hip region, the side of my hips have been very tender, more on my right side where the injury occurred.

I will have a very basic health insurance starting on the end of August, I hope for the General Practice doctor to give me an MRI and a referral to a Physio. My referral appointments will be expensive and I will not be able to afford 2-3 times a week. Other than rest, what else can I do? I am willing to miss as much time from not playing hockey, to just be 100% and be able to play hard again. My summer league is almost over and if I sit out and rest until the fall/winter season begins, it will be about 7 weeks. If I continue to rest, stretch, strengthen, and foam roll, will this be enough? I will see the doctor ASAP too, but I am very depressed that I cannot play the game I love.

Also, I am 30 years old and take the following supplements/vitamins: Protein, BCAAs, Multi-vitamin, Glucosamine/condrotin/msn, Super Cissus, Vitamin E, fish oil.

Thank you

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