Neeraj Chopra battling with 6-year-long injury; is groin injury one of the most common injuries that affect athletes?

Neeraj Chopra, an Indian

javelin champion

, talked candidly about his continuous struggle with an injury that has hampered his game for the past six or more years. Last year, Chopra finished second at the Olympics in Paris, losing to Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan, who defeated the Indian for the first time to win gold. Long before the actual Olympics in Paris, there were rumors that Chopra was struggling with a

groin injury

that was preventing the Indian javelin star from reaching his full potential.
Chopra talked about it, acknowledging that the injury had placed limitations on him. However, the Indian accepted it as a normal part of being an athlete. “Our body and mind must be in harmony and in good health for us to succeed. The javelin star emphasized that it’s a crucial combination to get perfect to guarantee the finest outcomes.
“I had a minor issue before the Olympics in Paris. My groin pain had been bothering me for quite some time. As a result, I was unable to practice at my maximum capacity or compete at my best level. Since 2018, I have consistently believed that I am capable of producing even greater throws than I now do. However, I also recognized the discomfort and the constraints imposed by the niggling, and I had to adjust my work accordingly. That is the way with injuries in life,” said Neeraj Chopra.

What is a groin injury?

A groin injury is a strain or tear in the muscles of the inner thigh, or adductor muscles. Athletes are more prone to groin injury due to sudden stops and starts of the lower body while running and jumping in sports such as basketball, soccer and ice hockey, overworked owing to repetitive stress such as the impact of distance running and triathlon training; and abrupt trauma (such as getting tackled hard on a playing field in football or rugby).

Adductor strain

(groin strain or pull), avulsion fracture, stress fractures of the femoral neck and/or pubic ramus bone, osteitis pubis,Inguinal hernia, athletic pubalgia (

sports hernia

), hip labral tears, snapping hip syndrome, and physeal injuries ( known as growth plate injury) are the most common types of groin injury sustained by athletes during sports activity.

Symptoms of a groin injury

According to Dr. Anurag Aggarwal, Program Clinical Director-Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement Marengo Asia Hospitals, Faridabad, “People with groin injury may suffer from the most common symptoms such as pain in groin area or inner thigh, especially while squeezing legs together or raising the knee on the injured side, abdominal pain, swelling and bruising in the inner thigh. Difficulty in moving hip or leg, Muscle weakness Muscle spasms or tightness and walking with a limp. Don’t overlook the symptoms.”

Problems that arise from a groin injury

If groin injury is left untreated, it can lead to conditions like osteitis pubis, sports hernias, or adductor tears and tendinopathy, which are indicated by ongoing pain and can severely affect an individual’s ability to perform daily activities. Athletes may undergo a significant decrease in performance, and non-athletes may find their mobility and quality of life impacted. Over time, it can also raise the risk of further injury not only in the groin but also in other areas such as the hips, knees, and lower back.

Diagnosis and treatment of a groin injury

If you experience persistent or severe groin pain that doesn’t improve with home treatment within a few days, mild testicle pain that lasts longer than a few days, lumps or swelling in the groin area, and fever or nausea accompanying the groin, then you should seek medical attention for a diagnosis and treatment plan. To diagnose groin injury, patients are advised to undergo physical examination, imaging tests (X-ray or ultrasound, MRI) and blood tests.
Treatment for groin injury

is followed depending upon the type of injury and severity. For mild to moderate groin injuries, patients may be advised to take rest from playing sports to allow time for the affected tissue to heal on its own. People with groin injuries involving the strain of muscles and tendons are recommended to follow RICE protocol, i.e., Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Application of ice using a cloth-wrapped ice pack, use of compression bandages, and elevating the affected groin area help in lowering pain, swelling, and stabilizing the injured area. Many types of groin injuries may respond well to physical therapy. Surgery is considered for severe or chronic groin injuries.