Adductor pain from squatting

[jmz34]

Hey Rip,

Ok I try not to start new threads very often, I can usually answer my own questions eventually with a bit of searching around- but I think its time now that I ask you about this.

Around 7 weeks ago I developed some groin pain in my right leg whilst squatting. This was at around only 190lbs, and it was only a slight strain to begin with. But being the idiot that I am, I wasn't going to let this pain stop me from getting to a respectable squat and carried on squatting after initially taking a week off. Sure enough the pain was back again, and unsuprisingly; gradually getting worse. After a couple more weeks of this I tried Starr's rehab protocol, but the pain would not subside enough for me to carry on with it. I know, I'm probably not as exception and this method has worked on countless numbers of people- but I can't seem to implement it without having to take a shit load of time off.

Anyway, about 2-3 weeks ago the pain has gotten alot worse and has sort of spread to more muscles in my thigh. I've not taken a week and a half off, but I still feel alot of strain moving around. I tend to feel the strain most when at the bottom of the squat.


Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Standard inflammatory situation now, and the standard misinterpretation of the rehab protocol. I guess I need to take the sticky down and then eventually maybe everybody will forget I ever wrote this. This is a mechanical problem that results from a technique error. You didn't mention how the injury happened, and have thus provided incomplete information.

[jmz34]

I didn't feel the pain all of a sudden, it was a gradual process- and to start with I could only feel the pain when right at the bottom of the movement.

I think, after referring to SS that it was something to do with not pushing my knees out enough at the bottom?

[elVarouza]

The sticky is a great thing to have up I think. I used it sucessfully awhile ago with some sort of torn whatever in my shoulder.

As for the "adductor" pain, the only pain I've gotten around that area from squatting has been the typical hip flexor pain due to the knees coming forward that's discussed in the book. The hip flexor pain has been on the top of my thigh in the middle (where the hip flexors are, presumably), whereas anything I feel in my adductors (e.g. soreness) is more on the back part of the leg near the crotch (where the adductors are).

[eddie]

Standard inflammatory situation now, and the standard misinterpretation of the rehab protocol. I guess I need to take the sticky down and then eventually maybe everybody will forget I ever wrote this. This is a mechanical problem that results from a technique error. You didn't mention how the injury happened, and have thus provided incomplete information.

The same thing has happened to me Rip (except its getting better not worse)

I posted a video a few weeks ago and you advised me to narrow my stance and shove my knees out.

I did that, but it hurt just as much and my groin hasn't fully healed and its been over a month!

I've resorted to front squatting, and i feel 0 pain when i do this.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Interesting that you've found a way to front squat without your adductors. What is your stance compared to your back squat?

[Patrick L.]

For what its worth, Rip. You are very clear in the sticky what condition the Starr rehab protocol is for. Would suggest you don't take it down as well...it is very informative.

[eddie]

Interesting that you've found a way to front squat without your adductors. What is your stance compared to your back squat?

I tried the front squat because i was sick and tired of the pain i was getting from my groin, and i wanted to work on my legs. So i just front squatted without reading up on how to actually do it! (at half the weight i do on the back squat)

my feet were nearly vertical, my knees didn't go out at all, and I didn't feel any pain.

but to day I did some reading and watched a few videos, and did them properly and straight away my groin was hurting

What would you advise I do,

let my groin heal fully?

do the front squat, but at low weight?

is there another exercise that i can do and wait until my groin fully heals?

[Dastardly]

I have the same problem too, not just in adductor but the both ends of my right hamstring. I have a fairly wide squat stance and was doing some sloppy/greedy forced reps at the end of last year. I was also squatting in flat shoes.

My squat was very adductor & hamstring dominant, and the soreness/inflammation got worse and worse till the symptoms were much greater than that of simple tendinitis.

It was getting worse and worse and I was getting fearful of deteriorating the tissue till something tore. In addition to this I was getting bad chrondomalacia type issues in my knees. Things were getting to the point where I felt squats were doing me a lot more harm than good, and I was nearly ready to give up on the "dream" of getting really strong through squats.

But you know what saved the day? Lifting Shoes! This is something I have to be greatful to the book (you & Kilgore) for. Shoes made a dramatic difference to my technique, allowing me to get my knees forward and far out to the side. The proper 'hip drive' as it were. The improvement in technique took off unbalanced strain on adductors and hamstrings and allowed me to keep training the squat. In addition my long term (and increasingly worse) knee problems were dramatically improved.

So to JMZ34 and other people in similar situations, I would recommend (just like rip inferred) trying to get technique as good as possible, it is likely you will need lifting shoes for this.

Also if your inflammation is really bad, do give it some rest and comfort. Ice, compression, ibuprofen etc. Continually loading something like this maximally will prevent it from healing. A break, then a coming back with a big reset (with improved technique) is probably the best bet.

Front squats will not help that much if its an adductor issue unless as Rip (again) inferred, you use a much narrower stance for some reason. You may feel an illusion of it being better simply because you are lifting less weight.

You will need shoes for good front squats anyhow.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I tried the front squat because i was sick and tired of the pain i was getting from my groin, and i wanted to work on my legs. So i just front squatted without reading up on how to actually do it! (at half the weight i do on the back squat)

my feet were nearly vertical, my knees didn't go out at all, and I didn't feel any pain.

but to day I did some reading and watched a few videos, and did them properly and straight away my groin was hurting

So the pain went away when you pointed your toes forward, pointed your knees forward, thus taking the adductors out of the movement. A thing you could have done with your back squats, and which is covered in the book.