Injured upper groin / hamstring

Hi guys.

Basic story is this. After messing around playing some soccer (and sadly not after warming up properly) I seemed to have injured the upper part of my left leg. Injured happened 4 weeks ago and it doesn't seem to be healing.

The injury happened after I threw might right leg backwards in an attempt to backheal a ball which was behind my back. Somehow, I'm guessing I've overstretched a muscle, I managed to injure a muscle in my upper left leg.

My symptoms are as follows.

1. At present I can jog and sprint fine. In fact, this injury doesn't hamper me at all when running.
2. I can press my knees together without any pain.
3. I can pull my knees towards my chest without pain.
4. If I go to touch my toes, especially if I go to touch my left toe, I get a pain in the top of my leg, right beside my scrotum.
5. I get a similar pain if I try to stretch my left leg to the left when playing soccer for instance.

Apart from no 4 and 5 I don't seem to have any other trouble. I've read that it may be an abductor muscle injury but from what I have read, I shouldn't be able to do either 2 or 3 if this were the case.

Is this serious. Should I go to the physio about it or should this clear up by itself.

Thanks.

hi hoegaarden,

at the outset, let me emphasize that consulting your local physio will be the best option coz nothing can match a true physical examination.

however, from your post I understand that your presentation is just similar to most of my rugby patients.

well, I call it the "inguinal ligament sprain".

please go through the picture attached to understand why the area "right beside my scrotum - as you mentioned" is painful.

it is precisely because that is where the lower segment of the ligament gets attached.

your description is a bit confusing coz you have used the wrong terminology. in medicine - "leg" denotes to the segment below the knee.

regarding treatment options what you should understand is "generally ligaments have very poor blood supply".

hence rest/avoid strenuous exercises to prevent further damage and ultrasound/LASER therapy to aid/hasten the healing process and follow up strengthening/stretching exercise of the hip prime movers to avoid re-injury.

take care & do keep me posted about your recovery. all the best.

cheers,

thomas

Thanks for the reply. I played a game of soccer tonight and it passed without incident.

This ligament doesn't seem to be under any pressure at all when I'm running. Even kicking a football doesn't seem to bother me at all. Is it OK to keep going like this or would this affect recovery ?

I would go to physio but you should see what other members think.