What is a groin pull?
A groin pull is an injury to the muscles of the inner thigh. The groin muscles, called the "adductor muscle" group, consists of six muscles that span the distance from the inner pelvis to the inner part of the femur (thigh bone). These muscles pull the legs together, and also help with other movements of the hip joint. The adductor muscles are important to many types of athletes including sprinters, swimmers, soccer players, and football players.
What happens to the muscle with a groin pull?
A groin pull is an injury to the adductor muscles called a muscle strain. When a muscle is strained, the muscle is stretched too far. Less severe strains pull the muscle beyond their normal excursion. More severe strains tear the muscle fibers, and can even cause a complete tear of the muscle. Most commonly, groin pulls are minor tears of some muscle fibers, but the bulk of the muscle tissue remains intact.
What are the symptoms of a groin pull?
An acute groin pull can be quite painful, depending on the severity of the injury. Groin pulls are usually graded as follows:

• Grade I Groin Strain: Mild discomfort, often no disability. Usually does not limit activity.
• Grade II Groin Strain: Moderate discomfort, can limit ability to perform activities such as running and jumping. May have moderate swelling and bruising associated.
• Grade III Groin Strain: Severe injury that can cause pain with walking. Often patients complain of muscle spasm, swelling, and significant bruising.

Groin pulls are often seen in athletics who participate in sports such as ice hockey and soccer. The injury appears to be related to factors including hip muscle strength, preseason conditioning, and previous injury. Because of this, proper conditioning is of utmost importance to prevent the occurrence of a groin strain injury. Athletes, especially hockey and soccer players, should incorporate adductor strengthening, pelvic stabilization, and core strengthening exercises into their workouts to prevent the occurrence of a pulled groin. What other problems can cause similar symptoms?
A pulled groin is usually a clear diagnosis. Most athletes know what the injury is before they seek medical attention. However, other conditions can mimic the symptoms of a groin strain.
One condition that was previously not well recognized is called a sports hernia. Sports hernias have been found in patients who were diagnosed with chronic groin strains. The sports hernia is a condition similar to a regular inguinal hernia, and is due to a weakening of the muscles that form the abdominal wall. The symptoms of a sports hernia are often nearly identical to those of a groin strain. For more information:

• Sports hernias
• Inguinal hernias   

 Other conditions that may mimic the symptoms of a groin strain include osteitis pubis (inflammation of the pubic bone), hip joint problems (including early arthritis, labral tears, and other conditions), and low back problems (pinched nerves). When do I need to see a doctor for a groin pull?
If you have symptoms of a severe groin pull, you should be evaluated for proper treatment. Some signs of a severe groin strain include:

• Difficulty walking
• Pain while sitting or at rest
• Pain at night

Severe groin pulls should be evaluated because in some very rare situations of complete muscle rupture, surgery may be necessary to reattach the torn ends of the muscle. This is rarely needed, even in patients with Grade III groin strain injuries, as these patients can usually undergo successful non-operative treatment. If you are unsure if you have a groin pull or the symptoms do not quickly resolve, then you should be seen by your doctor. As described above, other conditions can be confused with a groin pull, and these should be considered if your symptoms do not resolve. Once a strain is diagnosed, you can begin treatment for your groin pull.
Treatment of a groin pull is usually guided by the severity of the injury. Resting a groin pull is the key to successful treatment. As a general rule of thumb, if you have a groin pull, you can do activities that don't aggravate your injury. You should rest until you are pain free to allow the injured muscle to heal. Resting inadequately may prolong your recovery.
The following are the common treatments used for groin strains:

• Rest
  It is important to rest following the injury to allowed the injured muscle to properly heal. Allow pain to guide your level of activity; this means that activities which cause symptoms should be avoided.
• Stretching
  Gentle stretching is helpful, but it should not be painful. Stretching excessively can be harmful and slow the healing process.
  • Adductor stretches
• Ice the Injury
  Apply ice to the injured area in the acute phase (first 48 hours after injury), and then after activities. Ice will help calm the inflammatory response and stimulate blood flow to the area.
• Heat Applications
  Before activities, gentle heating can help loosen the muscle. Apply a heat pack to the groin prior to stretching or exercising. As a general rule of thumb, remember to heat before, and ice after.
  • Know when to ice and when to heat an injury
• Anti-inflammatory Medications
  Oral anti-inflammatory medications (such as Ibuprofen, Aleve, or Motrin) can help relieve symptoms of pain and also calm the inflammation.
• Physical Therapy
  Physical therapists can be helpful in guiding treatment that may speed your recovery. Some people find modalities such as ultrasound, therapeutic massage, and specific exercises particularly helpful. You should see your physician to determine if these would be appropriate for your condition.

What can be done to prevent groin strains?
New research is shedding light on factors that can be helpful in preventing groin injuries. Competitive athletes who participate in soccer, ice hockey, or similar sports that are prone to groin injuries should focus some energy on groin injury prevention. Exactly what exercises and stretches are most important in still being worked out, but some suggestions for groin injury prevention include:

• Adductor stretching
• Hip adductor and abductor strengthening
• Pelvic stabilization exercises
• Core stability, including abdominal and lumbar strengthening

Together, these exercises and stretches can help control the movements of the hip and pelvis, and hopefully prevent many groin strains. _Sources:

Pulled Hamstring / Hamstring Strain

What is a pulled hamstring / hamstring strain?

The hamstring muscle is a group of large, powerful muscles that span the back of the thigh, from the lower pelvis to the back of the shin bone. The hamstring is the important muscle that functions to extend the hip joint and flex the knee joint.
The hamstring is used in many sporting activities, as well as normal daily activities. Sports that commonly cause a hamstring injury are sprinting sports that involve sudden accelerations. These include track and field, soccer, and basketball.

A hamstring injury can also occur as a result of a direct blow to the muscle, such as being kicked in the back of the thigh, or falling on the back of the thigh. Hamstring contusions are different from pulled hamstrings, although they may cause similar symptoms.

What is a pulled hamstring?

A pulled hamstring, also called a hamstring strain, is a tear of the hamstring muscle fibers. In less severe hamstring strains, Grade I injuries, the tearing is microscopic. The muscle fibers are essentially stretched too far, and some bleeding occurs within the muscle. In very severe hamstring strains, severe Grade III injuries, the hamstring muscle can completely rupture, and may require surgery to repair the torn ends of the muscle.

Muscle strains and tears most commonly occur because of what is called an "eccentric contraction." When this occurs, the muscle is trying to contract while another force (the ground, another player, etc.) is forcing the muscle in the opposite direction. This creates tremendous force on the muscle, and if the force is strong enough, it will tear the muscle fibers.

What are the symptoms of a pulled hamstring?

The symptoms of a pulled hamstring depend on the severity of the injury. The hamstring injury is usually sudden and painful. Other common symptoms include:

• Bruising: Small tears within the muscle cause bleeding and subsequent bruising. The bruise begins in the back of the thigh, and as time passes the bruise will pass down below the knee and often into the foot.
• Swelling: The accumulation of blood from the hamstring injury causes swelling of the thigh. This can make further muscle contraction difficult and painful. Wearing a compressive bandage can help control the swelling.
• Spasm: Muscle spasm is a common and painful symptom of a hamstring injury. Because of the trauma to the muscle, signals of contraction are confused, and the muscle may be stimulated. If severe, muscle relaxants can help with spasms.
• Difficulty Contracting: Flexing the knee is often painful after a pulled hamstring, and can even prevent the patient from walking normally. If you are unable to contract the hamstring, the muscle may be completely ruptured.

What is the treatment of a pulled hamstring?

The immediate treatment of any muscle injury consists of the RICE protocol - rest, ice,compression, and elevation (never apply ice directly to the skin). This is aimed at reducing the bleeding and damage within the muscle tissue. Resting may be the common sense approach, but it is one that is often ignored by competitive athletes. This is unwise, since it does not take much to turn a grade one strain into a grade two, or a grade two strain into a grade three. As a general rule, grade one hamstring strains should be rested from sporting activity for about 3 weeks and grade two injuries for about 4 to 6 weeks. In the case of a complete rupture, the muscle will have to be repaired surgically and the rehabilitation afterwards will take about 3 months. Regardless of the level of the injury the treatment in the first five days is the same. The hamstring should be rested in an elevated position with an ice pack applied for twenty minutes every two hours, if practical (never apply ice directly to the skin). A compression bandage should be applied to limit bleeding and swelling in the tissues. After the first five days have been spent resting, more active rehabilitation can be started. Crutches may be necessary if walking is painful or if spasms are severe. If the pain is significant, or if the symptoms do not steadily resolve, medical evaluation should be obtained.

Grade 1

Sensation of cramp or tightness and a slight feeling of pain when the muscles are stretched or contracted.

Grade 2

With a grade two hamstring strain there is immediate pain which is more severe than the pain of a grade one injury. It is confirmed by pain on stretch and contraction of the muscle.

Grade 3

A grade three hamstring strain is a severe injury. There is an immediate burning or stabbing pain and the athlete is unable to walk without pain. The muscle is completely torn and there may be a large lump of muscle tissue above a depression where the tear is. After a few days with grade two and three injuries a large bruise may appear below the injury site caused by the bleeding within the tissues.

Courtesy of sportlink.co.uk