Question:
As an athlete, I suffered a groin injury long ago that still bothers me. Why did Michelle Kwan have to withdraw from the 2006 Olympics because of a groin injury, but she is on “Dancing With The Stars” with no apparent affects? – Berkley

Answer:
The groin injury that caused Kwan to withdrawal from the Olympics in 2006 is also a very common injury for amateur athletes and everyday Americans. The best way to prevent the injury is also the best way to get back on your feet after the injury: a properly established exercise program.

A groin injury is a strain to the soft tissue in the depression between your thigh and trunk, also known as the inguinal region. Groin injuries result when tissue is weakened by unfamiliar or excessive forces being place upon the region or by its overuse.

One key factor to preventing a groin injury is proper training techniques. Often, an athlete or trainer can neglect training the muscles of the pelvic region from multiple angles. In sports it is easy for an athlete to get their hips or back into an awkward position. Although this position may only last a split second, it can place a great deal of unfamiliar stress on the groin. If an athlete trains using a variety of angles the muscle is better able to handle unfamiliar stress.
 
The advanced training techniques used by top trainers can reduce the occurrence of all injuries, but it is a double-edged sword. Aggressive or improper training techniques in addition to the sporting activity itself can lead to over-training, which can breakdown tissue and lead to injury. It’s a balancing act that an experienced trainer can handle, but as seen with Kwan, even the elite athlete is not immune to injury.

Another aspect of injury prevention is proper warm-up and stretching. This aspect of injury prevention is more often overlooked in recreational athletes, but the more experienced athletes have often learned the “hard way” of the importance of these preventative measures.

The time invested in a well-established program of warm-ups, stretches and exercises is well worth it. A typical groin injury can last weeks, or even months if continued activity repeatedly aggravates it. The pain from the injury can easily hinder an athlete’s performance to the point where they miss the season, or in Kwan’s case, miss what is possibly the last chance to pursue Olympic gold.

Doug Gibson
		About the author:
		Doug Gibson is a columnist for Cincy Chic and President of Sensible Fitness Personal Training Center in Blue Ash, Ohio, which specializes in women’s fitness programs. E-mail him at doug@sensiblefitness.com.
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Last update: 27-05-2008 04:44

Published in : Magazine Items, Health