Groin Pain: Common Causes and What Helps

Overview

Groin pain is common in sports that involve sprinting, kicking and changing direction — soccer, hockey, football, basketball and dance. It can come from the muscles in the area, the hip joint itself, or both.

The location and behavior of the pain matter: pain that starts during a sprint or kick often involves the muscles, while deep groin pain with clicking or stiffness points more toward the hip joint. Some groin pain also needs a different kind of attention — hernias and other non-muscle causes are possible.

What This Symptom Feels Like

Pain in the crease of the hip, inner thigh or front of the hip
Sharp pain with sprinting, kicking, changing direction or squatting
Deep ache with sitting, stairs or twisting
Clicking, catching or a feeling that the hip is not moving smoothly
Tenderness when pressing the area or when squeezing legs together

Common Causes

Hip flexor strain — front-of-hip or deep groin pain with kicking, sprinting or lifting the knee
Adductor (inner thigh) strain — pain along the inner thigh, often with sidesteps, kicks or sudden stops

Hip joint causes

Femoroacetabular impingement — pinching with deep squatting or rotation
Hip labral tear — clicking or catching with twisting
Hip osteoarthritis — gradual ache with stiffness, more common with age

Other causes to consider

A hernia — a bulge in the groin, worse with coughing, straining or lifting
Pain from the lower back or sacroiliac joint referring into the groin
In men, testicular or prostate-related pain; in women, gynecological sources — always worth an assessment when pain is persistent or unusual

Anatomy Usually Involved

Hip flexors — the iliopsoas and rectus femoris at the front of the hip
Adductor muscles — the inner-thigh muscles that pull the leg inward
Hip joint — the joint, labrum and cartilage

Questions to Ask Yourself

Did the pain start during a sprint, kick, sidestep or a specific event?
Is the pain deep in the joint or along the inner thigh?
Is there clicking, catching, locking or stiffness?
Is there a bulge, or pain with coughing or straining?
Any numbness, weakness, fever or urinary symptoms?

When It's Usually Minor

Groin pain that follows a known activity — a sprint, kick or sidestep — and improves as that activity settles is the typical pattern for a strain. Mild strains often recover well with load modification and progressive strengthening.

When To Seek Medical Care

A bulge in the groin, or pain that is worse with coughing or straining — possible hernia
Inability to bear weight or walk normally
Sudden severe pain, a pop, or visible deformity
Groin pain with fever, chills or unexplained weight loss
Pain with urinary symptoms, or testicular/labial pain or swelling
Pain that is not improving after a few weeks
Deep clicking or catching that is persistent

Self-Care Options

Reduce sprinting, kicking and sidesteps until the acute pain settles
Keep comfortable daily movement — complete rest is not recommended
Short-term pain relief if appropriate for you
Start gentle hip and core strengthening as pain settles — see hip loading principles
Return to sport gradually, guided by how the groin responds

Common Questions

Did I tear a muscle or hurt the joint?

Pain with sprinting or kicking often involves the muscles; deep groin pain with clicking, catching or stiffness more often involves the joint. The history and examination, and sometimes imaging, sort this out. Persistent deep pain deserves assessment.

How long does a groin strain take to heal?

Mild strains can settle in days to weeks, but returning to sprinting and kicking too early is the most common way they become lingering problems. Progress gradually and get advice if it keeps recurring.

Could groin pain be a hernia?

Yes. A bulge, or pain that is worse with coughing, straining or heavy lifting, should be assessed — it is a different problem from a muscle strain.

Adductor stretch — inner-thigh stretch
Hip flexor stretch — front-of-hip stretch
Piriformis stretch — deep buttock stretch

References

StatPearls. "Psoas Syndrome." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551701/
Petchprapa CN, et al. "Imaging of the acetabular labrum." Seminars in Musculoskeletal Radiology. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23787979/
AAOS OrthoInfo. "Femoroacetabular Impingement." https://www.orthoinfo.org/diseases--conditions/femoroacetabular-impingement/

This information is for education only and is not a medical diagnosis. InjuryAtlas does not replace an assessment by a qualified health professional. If you have severe pain, visible deformity, numbness, loss of function, or symptoms that are getting worse, seek medical care promptly.