Did Groin Pain End Your Pickleball Fun?

If you are a “pickler,” you are one of the nearly 5 million pickleball players in the United States. Pickleball, which is often described as a combination of tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong, has been named the fastest-growing sport in America. It represents a fun, low-key activity that likely began its debut as a pandemic pastime. According to the New York Times, participation in the sport of pickleball experienced a 40% growth rate between 2019 and 2021.

With such an increase in the number of pickleball players (and many being over the age of 55), it is not surprising that there has also been a rise in the amount of pickleball injuries. Groin strains, unfortunately, are at the top of this injury list.

Why are Groin Injuries Common in Pickleball?

Pickleball is an easy, non-contact sport to pick up, even for older adults. It can be played indoors or outdoors, and doesn’t require a great deal of equipment, strength or physical endurance. Still, pickleball is a sport that requires dexterity, coordination and whole-body movement. These can often be quick movements that elicit a variety of anatomical locations around the body. While strains in the ankle, hamstring or shoulder are commonly seen in pickleball players, the groin is one of the most popular areas of injury due to the fast cutting motions from side to side that is typically needed to return the ball and score a point.

The groin refers to a group of muscles inside the thigh that connects the upper thigh to the abdomen. This region can often be complex to diagnose and treat due to the delicate intersection of nerves, bone, muscles and tissues that are also so close to the reproductive organs. Both male and females can experience groin pain, and it can be a very disruptive injury when it is overstretched (sprain) or damaged (strain).

Signs You’ve Pulled Your Groin

Most people know immediately when they have “pulled their groin.” You may even feel a snap or pop on the pickleball court after making a sudden movement. These injuries can be especially prevalent in players who have not stretched or warmed-up properly, a common mistake for older adults or those that are not regularly exercising or training in other sports.

If you’ve pulled your groin, you will likely experience the following:

• pain and tenderness that gets worse when you squeeze your legs together
• pain when you raise your knee of injured side
• possible swelling and bruising on inner thigh
• difficulty walking without a limp

While many groin injuries can be treated at home with ice, compression, rest and anti-inflammatories, if your groin pain doesn’t get better with conservative treatment, you may need to see a trained physician.

Groin Pain Treatment in NYC

At Core Surgical, we specialize in groin pain treatment. Not only do our experts have the knowledge and experience it takes to properly diagnose groin pain, but we can also help speed your healing and recovery as well as provide more aggressive treatment if necessary. We understand your discomfort as well as your desire to get back on the pickleball court with your friends and teammates. Call our NYC groin pain specialists today to book your appointment.