Groin Trigger Points
A complex area of the body, the groin is made up of muscles, tendons, fasciae, ligaments,
and nerves. The structure and function of the hip and pelvis are interwoven with that of the
groin.
Everyone has been in this situation: you're running and your legs are burning. You're
concentrating on making the most of each step and trying to keep up with your friends when
all of a sudden, something doesn't feel right. You look down and realize your pants are
starting to ride up. "Oh no," you think. "I'm about to have a panty show." But wait—that's not
what's happening at all! Your pants are actually shifting around because you've got groin
trigger points.
What are Groin Trigger Points
Groin pain is common in men and women, but it’s often overlooked as an issue. Groin
discomfort may not always be at the top of the list of things to investigate because there are
so many other painful conditions that can arise in the body. But if you experience this kind of
pain, you shouldn't ignore it. Groin pain can actually come from a variety of sources and
trigger points are one of them. So, what are groin trigger points?
They are tender places in the groin muscles that feel like they are being pulled in various
directions. They can be quite small and difficult to find, but once you have them, they have a
powerful impact. Usually, they generate tingling and shooting pains all over your body, letting
you know exactly where they are and how bad they ache! They frequently happen when you
sit or remain still for extended periods of time or perform any kind of hard lifting over time.
Groin muscle anatomy
The groin is made up of three muscle groups: The abductors, which are responsible for
moving our leg away from our body, the adductors, which will pull the leg back into our body,
and the hamstrings-the long muscles on either side of our pelvis.
Adductor muscles of the Hip
The adductors are a group of muscles located on the medial (inner) side of your thighs and 6
different muscles are included in this group: Adductor longus, adductor Magnus, adductor
brevis, obturator externus, gracilis, and pectineus muscles-each of these muscles can cause
a variety of pains. Let’s see the pain patterns and symptoms of these muscles at glance.
Adductor Magnus pain patterns
Trigger Points extend deeper into the pelvis and are located in the groin and inner thigh.
These more severe aches are typically classified as internal pelvic pain. However, they can
also apply to the pubic bone, vagina, or rectum. Patients have even occasionally mentioned
bladder pain.
Pain patterns of the adductor longus and adductor brevis
There is localized sensitivity of pressure in the inner thigh due to trigger points in the
adductor longus and brevis, but a pain in other locations is also possible.
● Shin pain
● Groin pain
The gracilis's pain patterns
The medial side of the thigh may experience pain from gracilis trigger points. Most people
who experience this muscle pain describe it as hot and stabbing.
Pectineus pain patterns
Similar to the short adductors, the pectineus refers to discomfort mostly deep into the groin
and below the inguinal ligament. The hip joint itself may appear to be the source of the pain.
Abductor muscles of the Hip
Leg displacement away from the body's midline is referred to as hip abduction. Hip abductor
muscles are found on the lateral thigh and consist of the following muscles primarily:
● Gluteus medius
● Gluteus minimus
● Tensor fasciae latae
Let’s have a look at the first two muscles since they are common sources of pain.
Gluteus medius
The gluteus medius is the main muscle involved in hip joint abduction. It is situated beneath
the iliac crest on the lateral edge of the upper buttock.
There are three main trigger point locations in the muscle that typically refer discomfort to
the lower back, across the ilium, to the sacrum, and the lateral/posterior buttock.
Pain patterns: You may have pain when walking or sleeping on your side if the gluteus
medius is overly tight or contains trigger points. Additionally, the piriformis, gluteus minimus,
or gluteus maximus may develop secondary or "satellite" trigger points as a result of gluteus
medius trigger points.
Gluteus minimus
The gluteus minimus, as the name suggests, is the smallest of the gluteal muscles and thus
belongs to the buttock muscles. It, like all the other muscles on this site, can become
overloaded, tense, and develop trigger points.
Pain Patterns: When the gluteus minimus is tense, it is sensitive to pressure and painful
locally. That means that pushing into the muscle will cause pain right there. If the muscle
contains trigger points, the pain may radiate to other areas. In this case, to the affected
side's leg. The pain zones differ depending on the location of the trigger points.
Hamstring muscles
The hamstrings, which can cause pain in your thighs, knees, and calves, are situated in the
back of your thighs. These aches are frequently brought on by trigger points, shortened
muscles, and tension.
Three muscles make up the hamstrings:
● Biceps femoris
● Semimembranosus
● Semitendinosus
Final take away: Groin trigger points
Trigger points in the groin are frequent but rarely discussed. This is largely due to the fact
that talking about them can be awkward. However, don't let that deter you from continuing to
read because the material is crucial to your rehabilitation and overall wellbeing.
