PART III – GROIN MOBILITY AND STRENGTH
Thanks for joining us for the last installment of our groin injury series!
If you haven’t read Part I or II, please check them out to follow the progression of preventing or recovering from a groin injury.
In Part II, we learned the importance of addressing pelvic position before addressing the groin itself, and now we’ll look at how you can achieve mobility and strength of the groin muscles.
Once you have a basic feel for resisting extension of the low back and tilt of the pelvis, the next step is to get length from the groin muscles in order to have a nice long stride.
It is very important to address length before strength because you can’t be strong in a long position if you can’t even get into the lengthened position.
Coaching Tips
Hip Flexor Mobility (perform on both legs)
Beginner: Lunge Dips at 90-90
- Begin in a split stance with a pillow or pad positioned under the knee of the back leg
- Let both knees bend so that your whole body “dips” down until you touch the pad
- The goal is to have the back knee positioned at 90° with the thigh perpendicular to the floor; if you do not achieve this position you may need to re-adjust your stance
Intermediate: Kneeling Lunge
- Being in a split kneeling position with your back knee on a pillow or pad
- The hip and knee of the forward leg should both start at a 90° so adjust your stance accordingly
- Lean forward until a stretch is felt down the front of the thigh of the rear leg
Advanced: Heel to Buttocks Lunge
- Being in a split kneeling position with your back knee on a pillow or pad
- The hip and knee of the forward leg should both start at a 90° so adjust your stance accordingly
- Reach back to grab the ankle of the rear leg and pull it towards your buttocks
- Lean forward until a stretch is felt down the front of the thigh of the rear leg
Hip Adductor Mobility (perform on both legs)
Beginner: Groin Lunge
- Begin in a kneeling position, then place one leg out to the side with your foot flat and hip and knee positioned at a 90° angle
- Keeping your body facing forward, lean sideways towards the stance leg until a stretch is felt in the groin of the OPPOSITE leg
Intermediate: Tactical Frog
- Begin in a kneeling position, then walk your hands forward so you are on your hands and knees
- Slide both knees out to the side
- Sit straight back trying to touch your buttocks to your heels until a stretch is felt in the groin of both legs
Advanced: ½ Split Mobilization
- Begin in a kneeling position, then walk your hands forward so you are on your hands and knees
- Extend 1 leg straight out to the side with your foot flat on the floor
- Sit straight back trying to touch your buttocks to your heels until a stretch is felt in the groin of the extended leg
After establishing proper length of the groin, the final piece of the puzzle is to add strength to your newly gained flexibility.
Hip Flexor Strength (perform on both legs)
Beginner: Reverse Lunge
- From a standing position, step straight backwards, allowing both knees to bend
- Make sure to step far enough backwards so that your front knee stays behind the toes
- Use mostly your front leg muscles to push yourself back up to the starting position
Intermediate: Weighted Reverse Lunge Slide
- Place a weight on a towel (for hardwood) or furniture slider (for carpet and turf) with your toes positioned inside the middle hole of the plate
- Slide your legs straight back into the lunge position described above
- Use mostly your front leg muscles to push yourself back up to the starting position while pulling forward with the toes in the weight
Advanced: Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
- With a chair or bench positioned behind you, reach back with 1 leg so that the ankle is resting on the edge of the chair or bench
- Sit slightly backward and downward allowing your rear knee to bend so you lower yourself into the lunge position; it helps to keep your torso leaning forward a bit
- Use mostly your front leg muscles to push yourself back up to the starting position while pushing your rear foot downward into the chair or bench
Hip Adductor Strength (perform on both legs)
Beginner: Groin Whip
- Lay on your back with your knees and hips bent
- Raise 1 leg straight up in the air and slowly extend it straight to the side until tension is felt in the groin then slowly pull the leg back to the starting position
Intermediate: Diagonal and Lateral Slide Lunge
- Place a weight on a towel (for hardwood) or furniture slider (for carpet and turf) with your toes positioned inside the middle hole of the plate
- Slide your leg out on a backward diagonal to mimic your ice skating stride
- Once all repetitions are complete, continue straight into the lateral slide lunge where the leg slides straight out to the side
- Use mostly your front leg muscles to push yourself back up to the starting position while pulling forward with the toes in the weight
Advanced: Sumo Deadlift (using a bar or free weights)
- Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width and your toes pointed outward about 30°
- Push your hips backward while letting your knees bend slightly as if you were going to sit in a chair behind you
- Make sure to keep your entire spine in one straight line from head to toe (not bent over and not arched)
- Clench your buttocks muscles and think about pushing your feet through the floor to stand back up.
For more information, contact your closest SportsCare Physical Therapy Location, or to Find the Closest Location Fast Text your Zip Code to 1-844-700-0013. To request an appointment, follow this link.
