Whether you’re sprinting down the soccer field, making a sharp cut on the basketball court, or simply moving awkwardly during a workout, groin pain can stop you in your tracks. One of the most common culprits? Adductor strains, often called groin pulls. This injury can be frustrating, painful, and slow to heal without the right care. At Ames Spine & Sport, we specialize in helping athletes and active individuals recover quickly, prevent re-injury, and get back to doing what they love.

Understanding Adductor Strains (Groin Pulls): Causes, Prevention, Strengthening, and Recovery

Adductor strains — commonly called “groin pulls” — are one of the most frequent injuries in athletes, especially in sports that involve quick changes of direction, kicking, or sprinting. At Ames Spine & Sport, we see these often in soccer, hockey, football, and track athletes, but they can affect anyone from weekend warriors to pros.

What Causes an Adductor Strain?

The adductors are a group of muscles on the inside of your thigh that help bring your leg toward the midline of your body. A strain happens when one of these muscles is overstretched or torn.

     Common causes include:

• Sudden changes in direction (cutting, pivoting, twisting)
• Explosive movements (sprinting, jumping, kicking)
• Muscle imbalance between inner thigh and outer hip muscles
• Inadequate warm-up or flexibility
• Overuse and fatigue

Athletes often feel a sharp pain in the inner thigh or groin at the moment of injury, sometimes accompanied by swelling, bruising, or difficulty walking.

How to Prevent Adductor Strains

Prevention is always better than recovery! Protecting your groin muscles requires a mix of mobility, strength, and body awareness.

     Tips for prevention:

• Always warm up before training and games (dynamic stretches > static stretching)
• Incorporate hip mobility drills into your routine
• Strengthen both the adductors and abductors to maintain muscle balance
• Progress intensity gradually when starting a new activity
• Stay hydrated and avoid training on fatigued muscles

Strengthening & Prehab/Rehab Exercises

Targeted strengthening is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of groin pulls — and to recover faster if you’ve had one.  Here are some drills and exercises I like for these injuries, BUT incorporating these movements into a sport-specific rehab plan usually produces the best clinical outcomes.  Don't worry!  I'll put this all together for you during your visit!

     Warm-up / Mobility:

• Lateral lunges – dynamic stretch for inner thigh mobility
• Hip circles – controlled movement prep for hip and groin
• Adductor rock-backs – gentle mobility + stretch

     Strengthening / Prehab:

• Copenhagen planks – excellent for adductor activation and strength
• Side-lying hip adduction – simple, effective inner thigh strengthening
• Glute bridges with ball squeeze – combines glutes and adductors for stability
• Lateral band walks – balances hip abductors with adductors

     Rehab / Progressions:

• Start with isometric holds (squeezing a ball or pillow between knees)
• Progress to low-resistance adduction with bands
• Add eccentric-focused adductor slides once pain-free
• Finish with sport-specific drills (cutting, sprinting, agility) to return to play

(Important: Always progress gradually and check with your provider for clearance before loading an injured muscle.)

Adductor strains may be common, but they don’t have to keep you sidelined. With the right combination of mobility work, strengthening, and recovery tools, you can heal faster and come back stronger than before.

If you’re dealing with groin pain or want to protect yourself from future injuries, schedule an appointment with Ames Spine & Sport today. Our team will create a personalized recovery and performance plan so you can move confidently — on and off the field.