Groin Strain

[Scott Mahn]

Coach,

Got any advice for rehabbing or training through a groin strain?

I don't know if it's a result of training. It seemed to come on spontaneously a day or two after my last workout, which was squat, press, power cleans. I feel it mostly when I walk. Relief while walking is felt by turning my foot out. Turning the foot inward adds pain.

It started out feeling like if I could just twist my thigh right, and get a "pop" where the femur meets the hip, it would release some tension on a nerve and all would be right. But that position was never found and it's getting worse with no training other than a beginning Tae Kwon Do class (thinking some stretching and blood flow might do it some good).

I'm hoping to do SS workout B tomorrow. Body weight squats don't bother it, but I've yet to test it with weights.

Any general do's and don'ts for groin strains?

Thanks

[Mark Rippetoe]

As usual, without having your groin right here, I can't pinpoint the injury. But since we know that the squat works the adductors pretty well, we don't really need to be too specific, we just need to squat. Use the injury protocol in the sticky, starting with air squats for your first set and the bar for sets 2 and 3. Then proceed as you would normally.

And it might be better to rethink the Tae Kwon Do for a couple of weeks until this heals.

[Scott Mahn]

OK, thanks.

When you say proceed as I normally would, you mean adding 10 lbs per workout for 10 days, then add weight and drop to 15 reps, etc?

Also, if one does no heavy lifting for 2-3 weeks while rehabbing, how much strength should they expect to lose in the other lifts? IOW, how much weight should they shave off their worksets, if any, when they resume the other lifts?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Normally is as described in the sticky. The other lifts will suffer a bit, and it varies with the individual. The price you pay for an injury, eh? That's why we try to avoid them. But knowing how to manage them is critical for athletic progress.