Groin pain

Groin pain is a very common injury resulting from physical activity, including sports. Most common is adductor-related, iliopsoas-related, inguinal-related, and hip-joint-related groin pain.

Intra-articular pathology of the hip joint presents itself as groin pain in most cases. Referred pain from other sources is not uncommon.

Signs and symptoms typically include activity-related pain, pain with movement of the hip, and antalgic gait.

The first-line imaging test for most conditions is a set of standard radiographs. More advanced imaging modalities, such as computed tomography, ultrasound, and MRI, should be used with discretion when clinically indicated.

Establishing the correct diagnosis is the first step to instituting appropriate treatment. Treatment may vary widely depending on the disease entity present.

In select cases, such as stress fracture, failure to recognize and obtain timely surgical consultation can lead to significant morbidity and complications for the patient.

Groin pain is a common presenting symptom for patients of widely varying ages in the primary care setting. Common causes include trauma and overuse injuries. It can also be due to referred pain from nonmusculoskeletal sources (e.g., urogenital, gastrointestinal, neurologic). This topic focuses on exercise- and activity-related issues.