Pain in groin & adductor muscle that PT says is a strain

[lisagirl1965]

I have had 3 back surgeries and been going to a pain management dr for yrs due to failed back.  I went to see my dr a couple months ago and told him that i was having pain in my left groin and he said i need to go to PT.  I decided to wait it out and then it started in the groin and went down to my knee and decided to do the PT he wanted me to do.  The therapists say i have Iliopsoas strain with some adductor involvement.  I have had three sessions with heat, ultrasound & e stim and then massaging the area involved along with learning how to stretch my muscles out..  They tell me i am so tight and i have shortened my muscles so much and i was wondering if anyone knows how long this injury takes to heal or has something similar?  Today i cant even raise my leg if it is rotated externally ....so I am getting frustrated and more worried that it might have something to do with my back. Appreciate anyones feedback or stories.

[lisagirl1965]

Thanks for your response S. Kaul MD!  I am a disabled registered nurse after my 3 back surgeries and would have never guessed that I have been doing more damage than good to my body by the way i walk. The first comment my PT said to me was about the way i walk hunched over and how tight my muscles were.  He said my thigh had a giant knot in it.......To add a little more to my story.....I originally had bilateral congenital spinal stenosis and had a successful 1st surgery but was rear ended 6 wks postop and it brought back all the pain I was having and more. My anesthesiologist that I worked with in my hospital tried to help by doing steroid injections, facet blocks, and epidural lysis of adhesions.  The last one he did i woke up and couldnt move my right leg from my hip down. After almost a yr i was able to regain almost all of the function of my leg but was left with foot drop and the pain. So I went from hospital bed to walker to cane to just afo brace and very grateful to be walking..........BUT now this.  I have so much pain in my lower abdomen, groin, and down the medial side of my thigh that the ms contin, percocet, & valium dont even touch.  My muscles just twitch and jump like crazy after therapy especially.  I did ask the PT how long it would take for this to heal and was pretty much told everyone is different but a normal groin strain would take 4-6 wks but they would guess it would be a minimum of 2 months to heal with the way my muscles have shortened.  I do have an appointment with my pain management dr on wednesday so my therapist told me to ask for a muscle relaxer because it would probably help more than pain meds.  I do take the valium but it isnt helping and I have been trying to do the stretches when i am not in as much pain at home. I really hope this does heal because i already have daily back pain with sciatica in my right leg which is the side i have foot drop on.  So now i have the pain in the left leg so i really feel as if i dont have a good leg anymore....and because my left thigh left hurts so much i am using my right leg more that it makes my sciatica even worse.  Anyway, i appreciate your input and if anyone else has ever had this muscle strain i would love to hear from you.

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, treatment response is usually individualistic, depending on the severity of the issue and individual response. Physiotherapy usually takes sometime to take effect (atleast a few weeks-months). At this stage it is best advised to continue with the physiotherapy, as suggested by your doctor. It is also advisable to continue the exercises suggested by your physiotherapist, in between sessions.
Hopefully things would get better with time.

Take care!