Groin pain can feel like a life sentence for your athletic career, but it doesn't have to be. Whether you are dealing with a sharp adductor twinge or a nagging hip flexor ache, the solution isn't rest—it’s progressive loading.
In the clinical world, we move beyond the "ice and rest" myth. We use exercise as a natural painkiller. Think of your body like a solar panel: it uses the "sunlight" of movement to generate the energy needed to build new, stronger tissue. You just have to find the right intensity.
The Science of The Fizzi Sweet Spot
Infographic showing to build strength safely when rehabbing an injury, use The Pain Scale and Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) to balance pain and effort for optimal results.
To fix a groin strain without surgery or heavy drugs, you must hit the clinical "Sweet Spot." This is the intersection of tissue remodelling and pain management. We measure this using two scales:
The Pain Scale (1-4/10): You should feel some sensation and pain, but it must stay below a 4. If it's a 0, you aren't challenging the tissue; if it's an 8, you're risking further damage.
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE 7-9/10): Your muscles should feel like they are working hard. An RPE of 7 means you could do about 4 more repetitions of that exercise for your current set.
The 3-Level Groin Strength Protocol
Checklist of the 5 rules for the Fizzi Rehab Groin Strain Protocol. 1) Clear with your doctor. 2) 25 repetitions of each exercise per week, 3 exercises for 5 sets of 5. 3) Pain range of 1-4 throughout. 4) RPE of 7-9 for every set of 5. 5) Track your pain and RPE for every set.
The 3-Level Groin Strength Protocol
This program focuses on the three pillars of hip and groin health: Flexion, Abduction, and Adduction.
The 25-Rep Rule: For every exercise below, perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions (25 total) once per week.
This low-volume, high-intensity approach is designed to build "Easy Strength" without over-sensitising the nerve endings.
Movement 1: Hip Flexion (The March)
Targeting the iliopsoas.
Level 1 (Foundation): Stand with a light resistance band anchored behind you. Slowly march your knee toward your chest. Hold for 3 seconds at the peak.
Level 2 (Building): Switch to a heavy resistance band. The movement remains the same, but the eccentric (lowering) phase must be even slower to maximise muscle fibre recruitment.
Level 3 (Performance): Perform the march while standing on a step, using a kettlebell hooked over your foot. This adds a significant vertical load that mimics the demands of running.
Image showing the 3 exercises for the hip flexors. Level 1, 2 and 3
Movement 2: Hip Abduction (The Side Lift)
Targeting the Gluteus Medius and Lateral Hip.
Level 1 (Foundation): Side-lying leg lifts. Ensure your pelvis stays forward. Lift for 5 seconds, hold for 5, and lower for 5.
Level 2 (Building): Add a resistance band around your ankles while performing the side-lying lift. This introduces lateral tension throughout the entire range of motion.
Level 3 (Performance): Standing on a step with a band around your ankles. Lift the affected leg out to the side while maintaining total body stability.
Image showing the 3 exercises for the hip abduction. Level 1, 2 and 3
Movement 3: Hip Adduction (The Copenhagen Plank)
Targeting the Adductor Longus, Brevis, and Magnus.
Level 1 (Foundation): Copenhagen Isometrics. Place your top knee (bent) on a bench or step. Lift your hips into a side plank and hold the bottom leg off the ground for 10 seconds.
Level 2 (Building): Copenhagen Repetitions (Knee Bent). From the same plank position, lower your bottom leg to the floor and pull it back up to the midline 5 times.
Level 3 (Performance): Full Copenhagen Plank. Move further away from the bench so your leg is straight on the top. This increases the lever arm, placing maximum demand on the adductor group.
Image showing the 3 exercises for the hip adduction. Level 1, 2 and 3
Follow Along On Youtube to See How to Perform Each Exercise
Why This Works: From "Fragile" to "Resilient"
When you have a groin strain, the tissue becomes weak. By following the Fizzi Sweet Spot, you are telling your nervous system that it is safe to load these muscles again.
As a Licensed UK Physiotherapist (MSc), I’ve seen this protocol work where rest has failed. We aren't just stretching the area—we are making the "solar panels" of your muscles more efficient at handling load.
Get the Full Programme
If you want to track your RPE, pain levels, and progress through these levels with a detailed PDF and video guides on your phone, you can access the full £10 Groin Pain Protocol through the Rehab Guru app here: groinpain.fizzirehab.com
Clinical References
Current Clinical Concepts: Exercise and Load Management of Adductor Strains. (2023). PMC10569248.
Stretching for Recovery from Groin Pain: A Systematic Review. (2021). PMC8482255.
Validity of a Rehab Program Following Adductor Longus Injury in Professional Soccer. (2021). La Liga Study.
Hip Muscle Strength Ratios Predicting Groin Injury (Machine Learning Study). (2024). PMC12225289.
About the Author: > Paul Carson is a Licensed UK Physiotherapist (HCPC/CSP) with an MSc in Human Physiology. Through Fizzi Rehab, he helps patients move from "fragile" to "resilient" using evidence-based strength protocols.
This post was based on the groin rehab strength protocol shared on my YouTube