What Constitutes The Groin Area?
The groin area comprises the group of adductor muscles that are placed on the inner thigh, between the hamstrings on the back and the quadriceps on the front part of the leg. These are the muscles that form a part of the group – the adductor brevis, the adductor magnus, gracilis, adductor longus, and pectineus. The adductors provide stability to the legs. They hold the inner thigh together. These muscles hold the stability when you need to put one leg in or one leg out. They keep the legs from buckling outward while holding the full weight of the body.
The Most Common Reason For Groin Injuries
Groin injuries usually happen because of sudden changes in direction or quick start and stop motions, especially while playing a sport or running in the field.
How Does Yoga Help To Prevent Or Heal Groin Injuries
The groin is injured when an adductor muscle is stretched beyond its capable limits. When you stretch the groin muscles regularly, flexibility is increased, and you also minimize the risk of injury.
8 Amazing Asanas In Yoga For Groin Pain Relief
Yoga asanas can be an effective treatment for groin pain, offering both physical therapy and mindful exercise. By including stretching exercises and rehabilitation exercises, yoga can improve flexibility and strength in the groin muscles, reducing pain and promoting overall wellness.
1. Raja Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose)
The Rajakapotasana is one of the best yoga groin stretches. With regular practice, it will help you overcome groin pain. This asana enhances blood circulation in the lower body and improves both strength and flexibility. Practicing this asana will not only help with the groin pain but will also benefit your legs.
2. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
The tree pose instills energy and improves balance in the legs. It works on all the leg muscles including the adductors. Your groin area is compressed, and all the blocks are released with regular practice. To know more about this asana, click here: Vrikshasana
3. Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
This asana clears congestions and strengthens the lower part of your body. Space is created amidst the adductors and pain is reduced. The Camel Pose is a highly effective asana to treat groin injuries and relieve pain.
4. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
The Bridge Pose is another space creating pose that also clears blocks. It enhances the circulation of blood in the groin area. The muscles become more flexible, thereby relieving pain. To know more about this asana, click here: Setu Bandhasana
5. Supta Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose)
Strengthen and tone your legs by trying a yoga pose for the inner thigh, which can also improve flexibility in the lower body. This asana is an incredibly relaxing asana. It also opens up the muscles, making the adductors and the inner thighs more flexible. It not only minimizes the risk of a groin injury but also relieves the pain. It would be great if you could check out more yoga poses for the inner thigh to further enrich your yoga regimen. These added poses will not only help with your groin pain but also help tone and shape your legs.
6. Utkata Konasana (Goddess Pose)
This pose is an intense standing hip opener that stretches, strengthens, and opens the groin and inner thigh areas. It releases muscle tightness and helps improve the stability of the lower body. Doing this asana regularly may help ease the pain in the groin area, and improve the flexibility of the glutes, hips, and legs. Moreover, you can also incorporate yoga for hips and thighs into your practice. This cannot only help tone and strengthen these areas but also provide much-needed relief from groin tension, making you feel more comfortable and at ease.
7. Malasana (Garland Pose)
If you are aiming to improve your range of motion, these flexible yoga poses can enhance both flexibility and immunity. This asana opens up the hips, releases stress from them, and improves their flexibility. It stretches and strengthens the lower back, groin, and thigh muscles, and also helps tone the belly. It also eases the pain and stiffness in the hips and groin area caused by sitting for long periods. Understanding that flexibility is extremely crucial. If our limbs and muscles don’t move in their full range of motion, they rust and give rise to a chain of issues, pain being one of the first signs, such as Groin pain. Having a look at more flexibility yoga poses will help you understand the diverse options that you can try to find relief for your Groin issue.
8. Anjaneyasana (Crescent Moon Pose)
This pose provides a deep stretch to the hip flexors, quadriceps, and back muscles. It opens up the hips, easing stiffness in the groin area. This is also one of the poses in Suryanamaskar, and doing it daily can gradually improve your balance and flexibility. Timothy Keim, a fitness and lifestyle blogger, recounted his experience of treating his groin pain with yoga poses such as the warrior pose, child pose, camel pose, pigeon pose, and swan pose. He said, “As I have been exploring this sequence my pain is greatly reduced, I can sleep in whatever position like, my regular sitting meditation pose is comfortable again and I can get into the car without having to hold on the door like an invalid (i).” In addition, with regular practice, these yoga asanas and meditation may help improve symptoms of groin pain, promote fitness, a sense of relaxation and stress relief, and enhance mindfulness, holistic health, and well-being. You may further complement your recovery by adding some simple groin exercises to your schedule. These can help strengthen the muscles and prevent future strain. Is walking good for groin strain? It is better to take some rest to reduce groin pain. Especially if the pain is intense, avoid walking. Can massage help groin pain? No. Although a remedial massage may relax muscle spasms, it may not treat chronic groin pain effectively (1). How long does it take a groin muscle to heal? It may take about 3 weeks or more for the groin muscle to heal. However, the healing time can vary from person to person, and it will also depend on the intensity of the injury. Is deep heat good for groin strain? Once the inflammation and swelling subside, some people like to apply deep heat. It may relieve stiff muscles and increase the range of motion.
Illustration: Amazing Yoga Asanas That Will Treat Groin Pain
Struggling with tight hip adductors? Learn how to stretch and increase flexibility with this yoga video! Improve your inner thigh and groin flexibility today!
