This is a series on groin pain. Part 10 is about self-treatment. The previous post gives tips for treating the gracilis and sartorius. If you missed the beginning of the series, go back to Part 1. For positioning and landmarks go back to Part 10a.

Treat the adductor magnus: Under the gracilis muscle toward the chairseat and filling up the inner thigh is the adductor magnus. It attaches deep in the crotch between the pubic bone and the bone you sit on (ischium) and has bands that go diagonally to your thigh bone (femur) all the way to your knee.

To treat it you can squeeze the muscle anywhere in that inner thigh space from your ischium down toward your knee, or press it between the fingers of each hand behind the gracilis cord by pulling up the large belly of the muscle with the fingers of one hand and pressing into it with the fingers of the opposite hand. You can also press inward toward your thigh bone with supported fingers. (Press with the fingers of one hand and assist by pressing on top with your other hand.) This is a large muscle, so in whatever way you are able to get pressure, search for places that hurt.

When you find a tender spot, stay there and gently increase pressure. Hold for 8-12 seconds or until you feel the muscle relax a bit or the pain begins to subside. You can hold up to 20 seconds if you don’t feel a release, then either keep your fingers in the same spot, release the pressure, then press in again or go on to another tender location.

Helpful tools: You can use a Theracane (see my Amazon store in the right side bar) to reach up under and into those spots near your ischium. Sitting on something hard like a high-bounce ball, Knobble, or the knob on a bedpost can be very effective.

If you feel radiating sensations, that indicates the referral of a Trigger Point, a hyperactive and supersensitive spot in your muscle that is very important to treat. Rather than avoiding it, go into it carefully.

After treatment you may feel a little sore, but icing, movement, gentle Active Isolated Stretching (holding for only 2 seconds, repeating 10 times), a warm Epsom salts bath and vitamin C will help.