How are groin strains treated?

A pulled muscle in your groin can make you wonder what to do first and what it will cost. The simplest answer is below, with the source named.

Start with rest and ice

Cleveland Clinic says you can treat most groin strains at home using the RICE method. The first two steps need nothing more than a break from activity and an ice pack.

How rest and ice work at home

Cleveland Clinic advises you to stop the physical activity that caused the strain so you avoid further damaging your muscle. It then says to apply an ice pack or cold compress for 10 to 15 minutes every hour for the first day after your injury. After one day, you can apply ice every three to four hours. Cleveland Clinic also says not to apply ice directly to your skin, and to wrap the ice pack in a towel or washcloth.

If you want to read the full list of steps, the Cleveland Clinic groin strain guide covers causes, symptoms and tests as well as treatment.

Reading further and booking a visit

Start with the rest and ice steps above and keep the plan simple. The NHS page on hip pain in adults is a useful second read if the pain sits closer to the hip than the groin. The MedlinePlus overview of strains and sprains explains the wider family of injuries this belongs to.

If you live around Woodland Park and home care is not settling the pain, book a visit so a clinician can examine it.

When home care is not enough

If you stopped the activity and iced on schedule and the pain still limits you, that is the point to book a visit.