Physical therapy for
groin pain

Does physical therapy help for groin pain?

Yes, in many cases physical therapy can help, especially when groin pain is coming from muscles, tendons, the hip joint, or the abdominal and pelvic region working harder than they can handle right now. Groin pain is a symptom, not one single diagnosis, so a good plan starts by figuring out which area is most irritated, then matching exercise to that driver. One widely used framework is the Doha classification, which helps group groin pain into categories like adductor-related, iliopsoas-related, inguinal-related, pubic-related, and hip-related pain.¹

Physical therapy supports recovery by improving:

• Strength, especially around the hips, inner thigh, and trunk
• Mobility, so the hip can move without “pinching” or compensating
• Motor control, so your pelvis and hip stay steady during walking, stairs, running, or sport movements
• Pain regulation, by building confidence and tolerance through gradual exposure to activity¹

It is often a first-line approach because many people can start with education, activity changes, and progressive exercise before imaging or invasive procedures are needed, depending on the suspected cause. For example, for typical hip osteoarthritis symptoms, guidelines recommend starting with education and exercise rather than imaging as the first step.³

Physical therapy is also different from passive treatments because it targets the “why” behind the symptoms, like strength gaps, load spikes, or movement patterns, instead of only trying to temporarily reduce discomfort. For long-standing adductor-related groin pain in athletes, an active training approach has outperformed passive treatment in a randomized trial.⁴

Goals of physical therapy for groin pain

Physical therapy goals depend on what is driving your pain, your daily demands, and whether you are trying to return to sport, work, or simply move comfortably again.¹

Common short-term goals include:

• Calming down flare-ups by adjusting the biggest triggers, like sprinting, kicking, cutting, heavy lifting, or hill walking, while keeping you active in safe ways¹
• Restoring comfortable hip and groin movement for basics like walking, getting in and out of a car, and sleeping positions¹
• Reducing fear and guarding, which can make muscles stay tense and sensitive over time¹

Common longer-term goals include:

• Building hip and inner-thigh strength so activities like stairs, running, skating, or direction changes feel stable again¹
• Improving trunk and pelvic control so the groin is not doing “extra work” to make up for weak links elsewhere¹
• Returning to sport or higher activity with a step-by-step plan, including strength, speed, and sport-specific drills when appropriate¹

Programs vary. Someone with adductor-related pain often needs a different progression than someone with hip-related pain or osteoarthritis, even if the pain feels similar at first.¹

What results can I expect with physical therapy?

Most people improve, but timelines depend on the cause, how long symptoms have been present, and what loads your groin and hip need to handle.

• Adductor-related groin pain (common in cutting and kicking sports): In long-standing cases, return-to-sport level rehab often takes at least 8 to 12 weeks of progressive strengthening and re-loading before higher-speed testing is appropriate.⁴
• Hip-related pain such as femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: Structured, high-quality physiotherapy and activity modification can improve pain and function for many people. In a large trial, both surgery and physiotherapy improved outcomes, with surgery showing a modest average advantage in selected patients, but both groups improved.⁶
• Hip osteoarthritis: Education and exercise are recommended starting points, and many people can begin care without imaging when symptoms fit a typical pattern.³

Across categories, the big wins people often notice are:

• Moving more comfortably and confidently
• Better tolerance for walking, stairs, and daily tasks
• Less pain during or after activity, as capacity improves¹

Recovery is not identical for everyone. Some people feel meaningful change in weeks, while others need a longer build, especially if the pain has been present for months or if multiple areas are involved.¹

Sword's approach

Sword Health helps people manage pain and movement issues with expert-guided AI care you can use from home. Our model combines clinical support with modern technology, designed to work around your life.

Sword makes recovery easier and more accessible. You get high-quality care at home, guided by clinicians and supported by smart technology.

• Care that adapts to your progress in real time
• Licensed experts guiding every step
• Simple, non-invasive, evidence-based programs
• Proven results for pain relief, movement, and satisfaction

Clinical insight

If your groin pain is coming from hip osteoarthritis symptoms that fit a typical pattern, guidelines say you often do not need imaging to begin care. The starting point is usually education, exercise, and support with healthy weight if needed, because imaging rarely changes early management.³