Groin/Abductor pain

[z00]

I have been having pain/tightness on left side groin/abductor pain. It's worst if I lay on my back raise knees to my chest, try to squeeze a ball/pillow.
It gets worse after playing, if I put pressure, do some PT it gets better, then I play again, it comes back.
I'm fit, flexible, 175lbs, 6', 40's.

Any idea what causes it and how to prevent it? I'm thinking on direction change pivot not done properly or foot work, but not sure exactly what.
I only warmed up before about 3-5min, now 10min.

My warm up before playing 2-3h:
Jump rope singles 100-150 jumps
knee to chest, 10 each side
step up on a bench, 10 each side
deep squats pauses, 3-5
Lateral squats, 5 each side
Hit at service line for 10-15min before moving to baseline.

 

[socallefty]

Did you fall and hurt your hip? Some hip injuries manifest as pain in the groin area.

 

[z00]

No falls. Pain is strictly from playing tennis.

 

[yossarian]

Your groin and abductors are on opposite sides

Anyway the adductors are probably one of the least trained areas. If it’s recurrent you probably need to work on strengthening

Look into Copenhagen planks and variations

 

[z00]

Your groin and abductors are on opposite sides

Anyway the adductors are probably one of the least trained areas. If it’s recurrent you probably need to work on strengthening

Look into Copenhagen planks and variations

It seems like it's a strength problem.
Do you think it's ok to play low intensity tennis while strengthening the abductors?

Why does it happen only on left side? Could it be more likely caused by FH or BH so I can pay more attention to stance/coil/uncoil? I'm right handed, play with a semi open stance FH, OHBH.

 

[Rosstour]

It seems like it's a strength problem.
Do you think it's ok to play low intensity tennis while strengthening the abductors?

Why does it happen only on left side? Could it be more likely caused by FH or BH so I can pay more attention to stance/coil/uncoil? I'm right handed, play with a semi open stance FH, OHBH.

Everyone has some kind of pelvic tilt/asymmetry unless you've done work to correct it. You are at the age where these things start to have cascade effects.

I have pain in my right knee, weakness in the right glute, and pain in the right calf, all caused by a fallen arch which was caused by an ingrown big toe that I just learned to live with. So I walk "fine" unless you're a chiropractor and then you'll see the tilt and the asymmetry in the gait. I'm putting off remedying it, don't be me

The ortho said I have one hip that likes to rotate inwards and one that likes to rotate outwards. The inward rotating hip is the one I like to kick/jump with, and the left is the one I like to plant with, so this makes sense. I'm betting something similar is the case for you

I also had severe left hip pain for a while after playing and then just changed one thing in my serve windup and it went away. So look in places you don't expect

 

[z00]

Everyone has some kind of pelvic tilt/asymmetry unless you've done work to correct it. You are at the age where these things start to have cascade effects.

I have pain in my right knee, weakness in the right glute, and pain in the right calf, all caused by a fallen arch which was caused by an ingrown big toe that I just learned to live with. So I walk "fine" unless you're a chiropractor and then you'll see the tilt and the asymmetry in the gait. I'm putting off remedying it, don't be me

The ortho said I have one hip that likes to rotate inwards and one that likes to rotate outwards. The inward rotating hip is the one I like to kick/jump with, and the left is the one I like to plant with, so this makes sense. I'm betting something similar is the case for you

I also had severe left hip pain for a while after playing and then just changed one thing in my serve windup and it went away. So look in places you don't expect

My left leg is .4" longer than the right. I definitely have some pelvic asymmetry, I wear custom insoles while playing tennis, not much else can be done about asymmetry.
I'll add more small/stabilizing muscle strengthening lower body exercises to my routine.

How do I find those place you are referring to? What exactly did you change in your serve so I can look for similarities?

 

[Rosstour]

My left leg is .4" longer than the right. I definitely have some pelvic asymmetry, I wear custom insoles while playing tennis, not much else can be done about asymmetry.
I'll add more small/stabilizing muscle strengthening lower body exercises to my routine.

How do I find those place you are referring to? What exactly did you change in your serve so I can look for similarities?

Well there we go. lol

Re the serve, I had tried to copy Sampras when I was younger and by the time I was in my 30s it was an unrecognizable mess. I was doing that front heel rock/racquet **** thing he does, but doing it wrong and putting pressure on that hip with the leg straight and the toe pointed up.

 

[z00]

Update: Copenhagen plank helps, I can put more weight on left leg.
It has been 6 weeks since groin pain started, but I continue to play 4-5 times a week. The pain is slowly getting better.

Thanks @yossarian ! You were right about strengthening.

 

[yossarian]

Update: Copenhagen plank helps, I can put more weight on left leg.
It has been 6 weeks since groin pain started, but I continue to play 4-5 times a week. The pain is slowly getting better.

Thanks @yossarian ! You were about strengthening.

You would also probably benefit from some eccentric loading to increase tissue tolerance to a lengthened position, as that is likely the pattern that you’re performing when aggravating it

So you could do Copenhagen planks through a range of motion or some other adductor exercise progressions like this

 

[z00]

You would also probably benefit from some eccentric loading to increase tissue tolerance to a lengthened position, as that is likely the pattern that you’re performing when aggravating it

I feel the pain double mainly when I sprint and/or pivot change direction. Also, it's the worst when knee is closer to chest (hamstring stretched), and any force pushing knee to the outside while raised (load on adductor).
I have been doing static holds with ball between legs to keep muscles under tension long but it does not seem to help.

 

[norcal]

Did you fall and hurt your hip? Some hip injuries manifest as pain in the groin area.

My hip problems exhibited exclusively in groin pain.

OP if your groin pain does not get better have your hips checked.

Simple Groin Strain? Nope, Two Hip Surgeries Inbound - FAI

I've had groin strain problems on and off for many many years. Always got better with rest, ice, ibuprofen etc. Re-injured it in early 2016 and it did not respond to the usual couple weeks off. So I went to the Dr who proscribed PT which I have done religiously. Been 10 months since I've...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

 

[z00]

My hip problems exhibited exclusively in groin pain.

OP if your groin pain does not get better have your hips checked.

Simple Groin Strain? Nope, Two Hip Surgeries Inbound - FAI

I've had groin strain problems on and off for many many years. Always got better with rest, ice, ibuprofen etc. Re-injured it in early 2016 and it did not respond to the usual couple weeks off. So I went to the Dr who proscribed PT which I have done religiously. Been 10 months since I've...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

I never had adductor pain/issue until I started playing tennis. I do have slight hip asymmetry (one higher than the other).
I read through your post, glad the surgery helped. But not sure how it helps my adductor issue. I already had an orthopedic surgeon analyze my hips/knees (before adductor pain). He did not recommend any surgeries, just strengthening and mobility exercises, wearing right shoes for the sport, proper warm up.

Unfortunately, I still have adductor pain, it worsens after playing tennis. But it gets better if I take few days break and do Copenhagen planks. So far I'm stuck in this cycle. I continue to play tennis but I minimize any sudden moves, pivots, fast starts/stops.
Not sure if there is anything else to do.

 

[z00]

Update in case it helps others:

I have been playing as usual 6-8h/week singles. This adductor injury made me very aware of any pivoting or fast direction change, I slowed down my sudden movements a bit. I avoid open stance, use mostly semi open on FH/BH with more knee bend (close to 115-100degress). Also, leg raises, cossak squats, static lateral slides (without band/disk, just use shoe friction to engage adductor) during warm-up. The pain is reduced greatly now to 20-30% from 70-90%.

When should I go back to 100% sprinting speed or fast lateral change? Or just simply avoid it at all in the future?