Assessment & Diagnosis of Groin Strain
Assessment of a suspected groin strain will involve questions about the injury and medical history, as well as a physical examination of the area.
Observation and palpation
The therapist will have a close look at the injured area, observing for swelling and bruising in particular. They should also observe the patient in standing and walking, looking for postural abnormalities.
The therapist will also feel the area for muscle tension, pain and in severe cases, discontinuation of the muscle (a gap where the muscle should be).
Range of motion
Testing the range of motion available at the hip joint, into abduction (moving the leg out to the side) and adduction (moving the leg in) is useful to the therapist as it will provide information about the tightness of the muscles in question, and also if stretching the muscle causes pain.
Resisted muscle tests
The groin muscles are responsible for adduction (moving the leg inwards to meet the other leg). Performing this movement against resistance (provided by the therapist) causes the muscle to contract, which in most groin strains, will be painful. In more severe cases, this movement may be considerably weaker than on the uninjured side and so both sides should always be compared.
