Pectineus Muscle Pain

Pectineus muscle pain is suggested when you have tingling, weakness, or numbness in the groin or leg along with groin or upper thigh pain.
The pop/snapping sound is also audible with this muscular soreness.

What is the pectineus muscle pain?

Pectineus Muscle Pain occurs due to strain, overuse, or sudden movements affecting the upper inner thigh. It can cause groin discomfort, stiffness, and restricted hip mobility, often impacting activities like running, cycling, or kicking. Proper rest, stretching, and strengthening exercises help in recovery.

• The flat, quadrangular pectineus muscle, which is situated in the center of the thigh, aids in flexing and moving the leg in the direction of the body.
• Excruciating injuries can result from strains and pulls on the pectineus muscle caused by activities like running, skating, kicking a soccer ball, playing basketball, and other activities that use fatigued muscles.
• The injury causes the patient’s legs to become weak and numb.
• The rice concept, physical therapy, and medication are utilized to relieve this problem.

Anatomy of the pectineus muscle?

• The pectineal line of the pubic bone, commonly referred to as the pectin pubis, is where the pectineus muscle begins.
• The pectineus muscle then integrates into the pectineal line of the thigh bone after continuing downhill and posterolaterally behind the side.
• One of the five major muscle groups in the medial (middle) thigh is the pectineus, a hip adductor muscle.The obturator nerve innervates the pectineus muscle.
• The pectineus muscle is responsible for flexion, adduction, and external rotation, which is the hip joint’s lateral movement.

Cause of the pectineus muscle pain?

• The pectineus muscle is harmed when one or both legs are overextended to the side and front of the body.
• Injury to the pectineus muscle is caused by quick motions and repetitive exercises like running and jumping.
• weak muscles in the adductors
• If you alter your course too rapidly while running
• when you spend too much time sitting with one leg crossed.
• in the event that a history of groin or hip injuries exists.

The effect of this pain is strain and pull in the groin:

There are three strain levels of this groin strain.

Grade 1 strain:

• Torn and overstretched muscles can cause damage to up to 5% of muscle fibers.
• This grade one strain does not create pain when walking, but it does when jumping, jogging, and stretching.

Grade 2 strain:

• The muscle fibers in this strain sustain more severe damage when the muscle tears.
• The patient experiences pain when walking.
• The patient needs crutches to walk at this grade.

Grade 3 strain:

• Due to the tearing of much or all of the muscle and tendon, this strain results in rapid, severe pain, swelling, and bruising.
• You can feel the gap where the muscle fibers have been ripped as a result of this serious injury.
• In this situation, it’s crucial to refrain from running or leaping as these activities could exacerbate the injury and to get medical help right once.

Symptoms of the pectineus muscle pain?

• The patient is in pain.
• There is redness in the skin.
• Where the pain is, there is also swelling.
• The hurting area has trigger points and some point soreness.
• Feel the stiffness in the muscle.
• A pop and snapping sound has also been heard by you.

Which disease requires you to call a doctor?

• if you get excruciating groin pain and edema.
• If the groin and upper thighs’ colors shift
• if you feel weak, tingly, or numb in the leg and groin region.
• if the leg is immobile.
• if the weight cannot be supported by the leg.

A diagnosis made by the physician:

• Since the symptoms of a groin strain are always identical to those of hip strain, bursitis, and stress fracture, the doctor suggests magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, to determine the extent of the muscle damage.
• The area and degree of the damage are assessed at regular intervals throughout the recuperation phase with the aid of musculoskeletal ultrasonography, which aids in further visualizing the muscles, ligaments, nerves, and tendon and bone attachment sites.

Treatment of pectineus muscle pain?

RICE principle:

The first phases of pain treatment involve the application of the RICE concept.

• R-rest = keep away of actions that could exacerbate pain and injury when it occurs. Therefore, either take a short break or limit activities that employ the pectineus muscle, such as jogging and walking.
• To alleviate pain and swelling, I-ice is applied to the affected area and left there for 20 minutes. Ice packs and frozen peas can also be used.
• C-compression = Apply C-compression to the compression bandage to reduce muscles and edema.
• E-elevation: The patient is elevated to the affected leg using a pillow in order to lessen edema.

Pain medication :

• NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as naproxen and ibuprofen, are among the treatments that patients might use when they have muscle pain.
• In addition, the patient can apply pain gel or patches to reduce pain in the affected area.

Groin strain treatment:

• The grade determines how to treat a groin strain.
• When groin strain pain first appears, it is usually treated with acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
• Pain management can also be approached using the RICE principle.
• It takes longer to heal from mild strains and requires three to six weeks of rest.
• A full tear denotes three degrees of strain, requiring surgery and up to three months of recovery time.

Heating therapy:

• After the patient has had muscle soreness for two to three days, use a heating pad and a warm water bottle to provide heat until the patient’s groin area is comfortable.
• But remember this all the time. Sleeping with a heating pad on your skin increases the risk of burns.

Physical therapy treatment for pectineus muscle pain?

The physical therapy treatment for muscle soreness includes electrotherapy, stretching, and exercise.

Electrotherapy for the pectineus muscle pain:

• This electrotherapy treatment includes the US machine, which lowers swelling and pain, TENS, IFT, and SWD.
• Ultrasound therapy: A US machine is utilized to target the trigger and tender sites in order to reduce edema.
• The affected area is subjected to short-wave diathermy, or SWD, to relieve muscle pain.
• The affected area is treated with TENS and IFT equipment to reduce pain and edema.

Stretching for the pectineus muscle pain:

Muscle soreness is caused by tension in the groin, which this stretching helps to relieve.

• Standing Groin Stretch
• Seated Groin Stretch
• Squatting Groin Stretch
• Hip Opener & Groin Stretch

Standing Groin Stretch:

• The patient is placed both legs wide apart as you stand.
• Next, move the weight to the left.
• To get the left knee over the left foot, let it bend.
• The patient’s right groin is feeling stretched.
• Surely Keep your feet planted firmly so that they face front.
• After that, stretch the other side as well.
• On each side, this stretching is done three times.

Seated Groin Stretch:

• The butterfly stretch is another name for this stretch.
• The stretch is performed while the patient is seated.
• Bring the soles of the feet together and bend the knee joint.
• Place your elbow joint on your knees and use your hands to hold your feet.
• Avoid slouching by allowing the knee joint to drop toward the floor while maintaining a straight back.
• Next, gently press on the knees with the elbow joint to apply pressure to the inner thigh.
• The patient experiences mild groin strain and tugging.
• Avoid bouncing and applying excessive pressure.
• For 20 to 30 seconds, hold the stretching position.
• Next, In a single session, release and repeat three times.
• To make the foot more flexible and closer to the groin.

Squatting Groin Stretch:

• The patient is Place your feet wide apart and point your toes outwards as you stand.
• Next, bend to a 90-degree angle and squat down gradually until the knee joints are directly above the ankles.
• To open the hip joint, place the hands on top of the inner thighs and gradually press outward.
• Both legs’ groin muscles are stretched, according to the patient.
• After holding this stretch for 20 to 30 seconds, release it and do it three times.

Hip Opener & Groin Stretch :

• Drop the left knee to the floor and begin in the forward lunge stance.
• On the inside of the right knee, position the elbow joint.
• Next, shift your torso to the left and gently press your right elbow against your right knee.
• Reach behind the left arm until the patient’s right groin and lower back begin to gently stretch.
• After holding this stretch for 20 to 30 seconds, let go and repeat with the other leg.

Exercises for the pectineus muscle pain:

You can strengthen your muscles and lessen your pain with this activity.

• Standing hip flexion exercise
• Lateral Lunges
• Side-Lying Hip Adduction

Standing hip flexion exercise:

• The patient faces a bench and other raised surfaces, such as a stable and fastened chair, while standing.
• Keep your distance from it at around the leg’s length.
• One foot should be placed on the bench and an elevated surface while the hands are on the hip joint.
• While maintaining a straight body, slowly bend the lifted leg until it lunges forward.
• Hold this stretching position for at least two seconds while pushing the hip joint slightly forward; as strength improves, the patient can hold it for longer.
• After completing ten repetitions on one leg, switch to the other leg to resume the workout.

Lateral Lunges:

• To begin, place your feet slightly less than shoulder-width apart while standing.
• To aid with balance, place the hands on the hip joint out to the side.
• Step out to the right and squat down on one side with your right foot.
• The patient Doesn’t go below the point where the thigh is parallel to the floor but goes as far down as is comfortable.
• The right foot should then be gently pushed back into the starting position to help you stand up again.
• Surely During this workout, the abdominal muscles were contracted to maintain the stability of the core muscle.
• As your strength increases, increase the number of repetitions and sets after performing these lateral lunge exercises four times on each side.

Side-Lying Hip Adduction:

• The mat and padded floor surface are used for this workout.
• The patient’s legs are straight and piled on top of one another while they are on their side.
• To liberate the bottom leg, slide the top leg slightly backward. Then, pull the bottom leg from the hip joint and raise it a few inches off the ground.
• To finish the leg repetitions, slowly lower yourself back to the floor and then repeat.

FAQs

References

• Ladva, V. (2023b, August 30). Pectineus muscle pain: Cause, Symptoms, Treatment, Exercise. Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic. https://samarpanphysioclinic.com/pectineus-muscle-pain/
• Valand, B. (2025, January 3). Pectineus muscle strain – Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic. Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic. https://samarpanphysioclinic.com/pectineus-muscle-strain/