How to Perform Pulled Groin Stretches

If you're looking to prevent or treat a pulled groin, stretches are a great place to start. When you mix tightness in the inner thigh and quick moving sports or activities you have a much higher risk of pulling your groin muscles. Routine stretching will loosen those muscles decreasing the likelihood of groin injury or reinjury. Check out the video above from physical therapist, Dr. David Lee for helpful stretches and exercises or keep scrolling to learn the best pulled groin stretches.

Static Stretches

Static stretches require you to hold a stretch. These require less movement than a dynamic stretch. Check out these three static stretches and how they can help you ease groin pain.

Standing Groin Stretch with a Chair

Grab a standard sized chair and place it next to you on a firm surface. Place one foot up onto the chair with the heel firmly planted and toes off of the seat. Slowly lower yourself a few inches bringing your bottom back. You should feel a stretch on your leg that is on the chair along the inside of your thigh. To deepen the stretch bend your knee that is on the ground.

Hold this stretch for one minute and relax. Repeat on the other leg.

Deep Squat Stretch

This deep squat stretch works the muscle groups that make up the inner thigh. Start by standing behind a sturdy chair with your feet hip width or slightly farther apart. Lower your bottom down keeping your knees wide and holding onto the seat of the chair. While in the squat maintain your chest up, stomach tight, and your knees turned out. This stretch is also a great way to work the hip flexors and exercise the glutes and thigh muscles.

Hold this stretch for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Slowly stand up and shake out your legs.

Groin Stretch with Strap

This is a gentle stretch that requires a stretch strap for you to get the most out of the movement. Begin by laying down on the floor with one knee bent and foot flat on the floor. With the other leg, loop the strap around the arch of your foot and lift your leg up and straighten your leg. Holding onto the strap, slowly lower your leg out to your side. When you feel a groin stretch hold the position.

Hold the stretch for one minute then return to the starting position. Repeat three to four times.

Dynamic Stretches

Dynamic stretches are stretching exercises that use movement to work the muscles. Think of them as a warm up that follows some of the same movements as the activities you participate in. Below we cover three dynamic stretches for people who have had a groin strain or are looking to prevent one from even occurring.

Side Lunge

Side lunges are both a stretching exercise and strengthening exercise. Begin by standing pushing out the affected leg to the side. Bring your bottom back and slightly down and keep the affected leg tight and knee straight. Your other leg should be bent at the knee. To come out of the stretch pull the affected leg back to your body and stand up.

Hold this stretch for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat on the opposite leg.

Effective groin strain exercises

Rocking Groin Stretch

The rocking groin stretch is a dynamic stretch that will work your groin area and stretch the adductor muscles. Start off by positioning yourself on the ground on all fours. Bring out the leg you’d like to stretch to the side. Slowly rock yourself back so that your bottom is closer to the ground. Feel the stretch along your inner thigh. Bring your body back to the starting position and continue rocking back and forth. For a modification, bend the knee of the leg you positioned out to the side.

Dynamic Adductor Stretch

This adductor stretch works the muscles on the inside of the thigh. Start off with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Bend one knee, moving your body weight to the bent leg, feeling the stretch along that inner thigh. Come back up to the starting position and then bend the opposite leg, feeling the stretch on that leg. Continue moving back and forth between the legs to get a nice deep stretch for your groin muscles.

Hold the stretch for one to two seconds on each side before you move onto the other leg.

Yoga Stretches

Yoga uses gentle stretching techniques paired with controlled breathing movements to bring awareness and healing to the body. Try these yoga stretches to manage groin pain and prevent injury.

Frog Stretch

The frog stretch starts off with you on all fours. The hands should be under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Rock your bottom back towards the ground, almost in a seated position. You should feel a stretch along both inner thighs. If you would like a deeper stretch, slide your knees outward. Keep your chest up and stomach tight as you push your bottom as low as you can comfortably go.

Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat three to four times.

Butterfly Stretch

Start off in a seated position with your legs stretched out straight in front of you. Bend your knees, bring the soles of your feet together, and your heels close to your hips. The outside of your feet should be touching the ground. Let your knees slowly drop towards the ground. Make sure to sit up straight and keep your gaze towards the ground. Take slow deep breaths. If you are comfortable, fold forward to deepen the stretch.

Single Leg Inner Thigh Stretch

This is one of the most simple, yet effective of all the groin stretches. Start off in a seated position with one leg bent and the sole of that foot on the inner thigh of the opposite leg. With your other leg, straighten it and position it slightly off to the side. Place your hands on either side of your straight leg and walk them forward towards your foot, hinging at your hips. Slowly fold over your leg.

Benefits of Stretching

A pulled groin can cause swelling, muscle tightness, and stiffness. This can affect how you move and which activities you can participate in. Here is our list of the benefits of stretching the groin muscles.

• Loosen tight muscles making movement easier
• Increase blood flow
• Decrease the risk of future injury
• Reduce pain
• Increase range of motion

More Pulled Groin Treatment Options.

Safe & Effective Stretching

A pulled groin muscle can be painful and interfere with physical activity and everyday movement. Stretching is an effective and safe treatment that will loosen tight muscles and prevent re-injury. Before you begin stretching talk to your doctor or physical therapist to make sure that you are safe to begin a treatment plan that involves stretching.