This is a series on groin pain. Part 10 is about self-treatment. The previous post gave tips for treating the iliopsoas. For positioning and landmarks go back to Part 10a. These are tips I give groin pain patients in my Boston area Neuromuscular Therapy center. If you missed the beginning of the groin series, go back to Part 1.

Treatment protocol: Hold pressure for 8-12 seconds or until you feel a little less pain or a softening of the muscle. If you don’t feel a change, you can hold up to 20 seconds. If your muscle can’t let go by then, keep your fingers in the same place and let up pressure for a few seconds, then go in again in the same place. Your muscles need blood to release. Letting up pressure allows a fresh supply to flow in.

Locate the quadriceps: The name means “four heads” and they are located in the front half of your thigh. Three are below the hip joint. If you straighten your limb at the knee you can feel them contract. The three on the inner front quarter have Trigger Points that refer pain to the inner thigh near or at the groin.

Treat the quadriceps: The rectus femoris is the only head of the quads that crosses the hip. It attaches just below the sartorius attachment (see Part 10 b) on the “anterior inferior iliac spine” (AIIS) just below the bony angle at the front of your hip bone. In a seated position, press with supported fingers (press with one hand and add pressure with your other hand on top) into the tendon at this attachment and then half way down the top and inner side of the thigh bone (femur) to treat the bellies of the rectus, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius. You can use a rolling pin or the Omni Roller ball to glide along the length of the muscles, our use a Knobble or your elbow searching for specific tender points, following the treatment protocol above wherever you find them.

Here ends the self-treatment tip section of this series on groin pain. The next part will be about stretches for these muscles.