Adductor Tendinopathy treatment & Physiotherapy Melbourne
By Jessie Couch, Physiotherapist
Definition
Adductor tendinopathy is pain that is driven from changes within the tendon that are closely associated with repetitive overload. Pain is not thought to be driven from inflammatory drivers but from collagen dysrepair processes. The adductor tendon attaches the adductor muscles to the groin. Therefore the pain is located just to the side of the groin. The adductor muscles are responsible for bringing the legs together, some adductor muscles also contribute to hip flexion.
Symptoms
Patients will often report unilateral upper adductor pain. It is usually of sudden onset and is closely related to altered loading. It is usually sore with warm up but as the sport/exercise progresses it gradually settles, until exercise is ceased then pain returns. Patients will report pain with activities that actively use the adductors, ie. Running, kicking and agility, some people will also report pain with sit ups, coughing and sneezing.
Treatment
Key treatment strategies include load management and strength and conditioning through physiotherapy. Prolonged rest will not help this population. If experiencing a flare up a week or two may be needed to settle this but rehab and re-introduction to activities should be started as soon as tolerated. Load management will be focused on finding a level of activity that the patient can handle. Full pain free activity is not expected immediately in this population, therefore some discomfort is ok, extreme pain is not. Strengthening will include working on hip flexors, adductors and balancing hip adductors to abductors. The condition is resolvable with the correct treatment and exercise management.
To make a booking to see your local Melbourne physiotherapist for treatment of your Adductor Tendinopathy, or adductor tear, please call either the Essendon or Blackburn physiotherapy clinics or book online.