Power from the Middle: Building Resilient Groin Strength

At face value, the groin muscles have the simple function of pulling your leg back towards the midline of the body, but their function is much more complex than it may seem. This group of muscle stabilizes the pelvis during movement by drawing the hip into joint to pull the pelvis directly over the femur. They also stabilize the pelvis and transmit force through the core between the legs and the arms, which is extremely important for rotational sports requiring cutting and dodging. 

Adductor pain is most commonly experienced close to the groin along the muscle tendons. Because tendons have poor blood supply and the adductor tendons are close to the dense sensory nerve complex of the groin, adductor injuries can take time to heal and are typically very sensitive. Individuals with groin pain may also experience:

• Knee pain during squats

• Poor balance

• A tight groin

• Limited hip range of motion

• Trouble kicking a ball

• Poor power during sports shots

Sports like hockey, soccer, football, rugby and golf all depend on the adductors for proper lower limb function and force production. The rapid activation while lengthening required by cutting, dodging and running and rotational force production put high stress on these muscles and can lead to acute and chronic groin injuries, including:

• Adductor strains

• Osteitis pubis

• Sports hernia

If individuals overstress the tendons while healing or do not complete proper strengthening protocols, likelihood of reinjury is high. 

Strengthening the groin

Injury prevention and rehabilitation for the groin requires attention to movement patterns, muscle balance around the hip and core and the adductor muscles themselves.

Five Tips to Improve Groin Health

1. Restore proper spine and hip mobility

Our thoracic spine, midback, and hip internal rotators are important for generating proper rotational movement. If either area is stiff or has a movement deficit, the groin will pick up the slack and assist with rotation in addition to stabilizing the pelvis. When this occurs, the adductors are more likely to be overloaded, leading to groin injury and stiffness.

Pro tip: Some of our favorite mobility drills include half-kneeling wall thoracic rotations and adductor rocks.

2. Improve core stabilization

The adductors work with the external obliques to control rotation and transfer force through the core. If the core can't stabilize or transfer force properly, the adductors must work harder, increasing the stress they experience during rotational or powerful movements. This is particularly important for sports like lacrosse, hockey and golf, where shots are rotational and depend on coordination between the external oblique and adductors for power.

Pro tip: Don't forget to work core stability, like a dead-bug, and controlled rotation, like a cable lift, to fully work the core.

3. Strengthen the adductors

The adductors are often undertrained and they are also commonly injured, which increases the likelihood that they will not fire well compared to their neighboring hip stabilizers. If the adductors are not functioning properly, they can cause increased strain on the low back and other areas of the hip, increasing the likelihood of additional injury. Sports like soccer and ice hockey, which utilize the adductors extensively because of their kicking and skating demands, should include adductor work regularly into their weight room routines for best injury prevention. 

Pro tip: Include exercises that work the adductors eccentrically, isometrically and rotationally to prepare them best for the demands of sport.

4. Strengthen your hips

Our adductors don't work in isolation, they depend on proper pelvic positioning and hip stabilizer firing to work most effectively. When the hips are not moving well, the adductors can become tense, overfunctioning as a stabilizer and causing groin stiffness and trouble with rotation. Over time, the groin and hips can become stiff, making it more challenging to function rotationally both with activities like walking and sports.

Pro tip: Balance strong adductors with a strong iliopsoas, hip rotator group and glute medius for optimal hip function.

5. Don't neglect power

Incorporating power is critical for building adductor eccentric tolerance, especially for sport-specific movements. When the adductors are only trained for stabilization, it can become hard to effectively transfer dynamic force between limbs, such as during skater squats or a softball pitch. For athletes, the inability of the adductors to work eccentrically during power movements can cause diminished force production, trouble with cutting and dodging and increased injury risk. 

Pro tip: Lateral and rotational power drills that incorporate the lower and upper extremity train the body to move well as a unit.

Groin health is not just a matter of adductor strength, it requires a thorough evaluation to determine root cause and targeted work to address underlying mobility limitations, muscle imbalances and power deficits. If you’ve been stuck in the cycle of stretching and temporary relief, it might be time to rethink the approach.

Your groin doesn’t just need to be looser—it needs to be stronger, more powerful and better coordinated. Book an evaluation today to start your path towards a healthy groin.