Sports Injury & Rehabilitation for the Martial Artist

Over the coming months we will look at common injuries acute & chronic that most Martial Artists will encounter at some point whilst training and/or competing. From my experience one of the more common injuries I come across is a groin strain.

What Is a Groin Strain?

A groin strain is a tear or rupture to any of the adductor muscles. There are 5 main muscle primarily involved in adduction of the Femur. Adduction basically means taking ( in this case) the femur toward the mid-line. Abduction is the opposite of this. The prime movers in adduction of the femur are, the pectineus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, gracilis and adductor magnus.

What Are These Muscles Main Function?

There main function is to draw the legs together. We would also use these muscles for everyday functions -such as: brining second leg in and out of the car, sitting with knees pressed together It is very common for Martial Artist to rupture or tear one of these muscles whilst kicking an object such as an strike shield, kick bag, or training partner all of which offer a lot of resistance.

Signs & Symptoms of Groin Strain

Tightening in the upper inner thigh area that may not be noticeable until the next day. A sudden sharp pain in the inner thigh and/or groin area. Bruising or swelling. A lump in the affected area. Finding it difficult to contract the muscles such as squeezing a cushion between the knees. Over the last 4 years of treating sports injuries I have dealt with some severe cases and some minor injuries. We generally put these into different grades.

• Grade 1: This is a very minor strain. The client will often complain with a mild discomfort, tenderness in or around the affected area, but no swelling.
• Grade 2: This will be more painful, and swelling will be present. Very painful to touch, and there will be a very obvious reduction in range of motion
• Grade 3: This will be extremely painful, the area will be very swollen and the client would find it almost impossible to walk.

How Do We Treat This Injury?

We use R.I.C.E, and I don't mean run to the kitchen and start rubbing your groin with a bag of the white stuff :) What I mean is apply the R.I.C.E method.

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

How Do We Apply the R.I.C.E Method? (Acute injury)

• Rest - Immediately after injury. We must rest to prevent further injury to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. By resting we will use less energy, this is important to help speed up recovery. I always liken this healing process to a healing cut. Remember when you where a kid and you had a cut knee with lovely big scab that you would proudly show off to your mates and the more you picked it the longer it took to heal, well same problem with your groin strain. If you don't rest it won't heal. So take my advice and stay away from the Dojo until completely healed.
• Ice - Here we could use ice bags, cold packs, or even a bag of frozen peas. If you are going to use ice or frozen peas do not put it directly onto skin. Wrap it in a towel or t-shirt. Appling ice will provide short term pain relief and reduce blood flow to the injured area. Never leave ice pack on for more than 20 minutes and then leave off for another 20 minutes. If you leave it on longer you could damage skin and blood vessels.
• Compression - By applying compression we will limit swelling. Some clients often notice a reduction in pain when compression is applied... The best way to compress the area is with a top quality elasticated bandage. Make sure not to wrap to tight. The client should feel no throbbing when bandage is in place.
• Elevation - The injured area should be raised above heart level if possible. For example in this case have client lie on his/her back with knees raised and supported, it is also possible to place a pillow or cushion under the lower back and back-side.

Generally after about 2 days of R.I.C.E many strains and sprains will begin to heal. However if pain or swelling does not decrease it is vital that you make an appointment with a Sports Injury rehabilitation specialist.

How Do We Help to Prevent This Injury?

As with all physical activity we must do a complete warm up and cool down. Stretching pre & post event in vital, and should be done every day if possible. See diagrams below for a basic stretching programme for the legs. Aim to hold each stretch for 25-30 seconds

Next time we will look at another very common injury for Martial Artists, the rotator cuff group, and what you can do to prevent it. If you need any further information on any sports injury don't hesitate to contact me.
Until next time, stay safe, train hard.

Aidan Carroll

Aidan Carroll is Proprietor and Chief Instructor with Focus Fitness Personal Training & Self Defence Systems. He is a level 2 (N.C.E.F.) Personal trainer, strength & conditioning coach, Krav Maga Self Defence Instructor, Kickboxing Instructor and a Sports Injury rehabilitation therapist. Aidan can be contacted on 087- 974 2566 or email info@kravmaga.ie