Groin & Hip Injuries

Why groin strains keep coming back: adductor loading that prevents recurrence

Groin strains keep coming back mainly because the adductor muscles were never rebuilt to the strength and capacity the sport demands, so they fail again under load. Low adductor strength, and a poor balance between the adductors and other hip muscles, are associated with groin problems in athletes. The way to reduce recurrence is progressive adductor loading: strengthening the inner-thigh muscles specifically, building from isometric holds up to demanding exercises such as the Copenhagen adduction, so the muscle can tolerate the loads of sprinting, kicking and changing direction. Rebuilding adductor capacity, not just resting until pain settles, is what stops the cycle.

For many athletes, a groin strain is not a single event but a recurring theme, pulled in pre-season, settles, comes back a few weeks later, settles again, and so on. That cycle is frustrating and avoidable, and it almost always has the same root cause: the adductors, the muscles that failed, were never properly rebuilt. Pain was managed, but strength and capacity were not restored, so the muscle went again at the first hard demand.

This guide explains why groin strains recur, why adductor strength specifically is so central, and how progressive adductor loading, including exercises such as the Copenhagen adduction, breaks the cycle. It focuses on the adductors and groin, which is where recurrent groin strains are won or lost.

Recurrence is a strength problem, not bad luck

When a groin strain returns again and again, it is tempting to blame bad luck or a fragile body. In reality, the pattern usually reflects a gap left in rehabilitation. After the first strain, the pain settled and the athlete returned, but the adductor muscles were never restored to the strength and load tolerance their sport requires. A muscle that has been torn and then only rested is weaker than it was before, and returning to full sport on that weakened muscle is an invitation for it to fail again. Each recurrence on incompletely rebuilt tissue makes the next one more likely.

Why the adductors specifically matter

The adductors, the muscles of the inner thigh that draw the legs together, take enormous load in sports involving sprinting, kicking and rapid changes of direction. Research in athletic populations has consistently linked low adductor strength, and a poor ratio between the adductor and abductor (outer hip) muscles, with a higher risk of groin problems. In plain terms: adductors that are not strong enough for the demands placed on them are adductors that tend to get injured, and re-injured. That is why building genuine adductor strength is the centre of preventing recurrence, rather than general fitness or stretching alone.

Progressive adductor loading

The solution is to load the adductors progressively, building their strength and capacity in stages so they can meet the demands of the sport. A typical progression moves from gentle to demanding as the muscle tolerates more:

• 1
  Isometric adductor work: holds that build strength and tolerance with little movement, useful early and for calming an irritable groin.
• 2
  Through-range strengthening: adductor exercises that build strength across the muscle's working range as it settles.
• 3
  Copenhagen adduction and advanced loading: the Copenhagen adduction is a well-regarded exercise that heavily loads the adductors, and progressions of it are widely used to build the high-end strength that sport demands.
• 4
  Sport-specific loading: reintroducing the sprinting, kicking and change-of-direction loads the athlete actually needs, once the strength base is there.

Getting a programme that fits you

How quickly to progress, and which exercises and loads suit your stage, depends on your injury, your sport and your starting strength, which is where individualised guidance matters. A chartered physiotherapist can assess your adductor strength, build a progressive loading programme, and set the return criteria that keep you from going back too soon. Somerton Physiotherapy runs a sports injury clinic in Dublin treating recurrent groin and adductor problems. See the sports injuries we treat, and call (01) 9069566 to arrange an assessment.

Frequently asked questions

• Why do my groin strains keep coming back?

  Usually because the adductor muscles were never rebuilt to the strength and capacity your sport demands. Pain was managed and you returned, but the weakened muscle failed again under load. Low adductor strength and a poor balance between hip muscles are linked with recurring groin problems, and each recurrence on incompletely healed tissue makes the next more likely.
• How do I stop recurrent groin strains?

  By progressively loading the adductors to rebuild genuine strength and capacity before returning to sport, rather than just resting until pain settles. A programme typically builds from isometric holds through range-of-motion strengthening to demanding exercises such as the Copenhagen adduction and then sport-specific loads, guided by return criteria.
• What is the Copenhagen adduction exercise?

  It is a well-regarded strengthening exercise that heavily loads the adductor muscles of the inner thigh, and progressions of it are widely used to build the high-end adductor strength that sports involving sprinting, kicking and change of direction require. It is usually introduced later in a staged programme once the groin tolerates it.
• Is stretching enough to prevent groin strains?

  No. Recurrent groin strains are primarily a strength and capacity problem, so stretching or general fitness alone does not address the underlying cause. Progressive adductor strengthening, building the muscle to tolerate the loads of the sport, is what the evidence and practice point to for reducing recurrence.

For the role of chartered physiotherapists, see the ISCP, chartered physiotherapy in Ireland.

Reviewed by a Chartered Physiotherapist
Reviewed by a Chartered Physiotherapist (MISCP, CORU registered) at Somerton Physiotherapy on 20 September 2026. This article is general information, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Every injury is different and should be assessed in person by a chartered physiotherapist or doctor.