Here’s what to do if you get a groin injury from basketball or soccer

Q. I am a 20-year-old competitive basketball player who developed a groin pull playing last week. This is the third time I sustained a groin pull within the past year . The last two episodes took about a month to recover. I’m concerned about this recurring injury and wonder what I can do to prevent it from happening again.

A. Groin pulls are very common particularly in soccer, basketball and hockey. They often happen in an adductor muscle, near where it attaches to your pelvic bone. This muscle helps you cross your legs or close your legs together.

Acute injuries are treated with rest and rehab. The severity of the strain/ tear determines the length of time the athlete needs to recover. After recovery, a program including proper warm-up prior to play, stretching and flexibility training is important in preventing re-injury. Other possible causes of recurring groin pain can include inflammation of the pubic bones or a sports hernia.

I recommend you see an orthopedic surgeon to get an accurate diagnosis. An MRI scan or ultrasound may be necessary to evaluate the muscles, tendons and bones in the affected region. Once the exact diagnosis is determined, then a plan to get you better and keep you healthy going forward can be instituted.

Dr. Harlan Selesnick is team physician of the Miami Heat and director of Miami Sports Medicine Fellowship, Doctors Hospital. Send your questions to HarlanS@baptisthealth.net