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Core Muscle Injury

Core Muscle Injury

What is a Core Muscle Injury?

The muscles of the core consist of all muscles from the chest to the mid-thigh. They include the front and side abdominal muscles and the thigh muscles. Core muscle injuries are tears or a series of micro-tears that occur in these muscle groups. The muscles that attach to your pubic bone are the most commonly injured core muscles.

Core Muscle Injury

What are the Causes of Core Muscle Injury?

A core muscle injury can happen gradually or suddenly. Overstretching abdominal muscles by extending at the waist, overstretching inner thigh muscles while doing a split, swinging a golf club repeatedly, jogging, or any type of activity that involves the core muscles, whether it's sports, work-related, or recreational activity can result in a core muscle injury.

Core Muscle Injury

What are the Symptoms of Core Muscle Injury?

Some common symptoms for a core muscle injury may include:

  • Abdominal pain or groin pain following an acute injury
  • Abdominal pain or groin pain that gets worse over weeks, months, or years
  • Chest or rib pain
  • Increased abdominal or groin pain during and after activity
  • Unilateral or bilateral pain in the abdomen or groin area
  • Fleeting pain on one or two sides
  • Pain that seems to move from the abdomen to groin or thigh
  • Increased abdominal or groin pain or discomfort with exertion such as sprints, kicks, lifts
  • Increased abdominal pain when coughing, sneezing, or turning over in bed
  • Inability to perform daily activities due to abdominal or groin pain
Core Muscle Injury

Diagnosis of Core Muscle Injury

Your doctor will review your medical history and symptoms and based on this a physical examination will be performed. Your doctor may also recommend the following diagnostic tests:

  • X-rays: This study uses electromagnetic beams to produce images of the bones and can detect fractures or injuries.
  • MRI Scan: This is an imaging study that uses a large magnetic field and radio waves to detect any damage to the soft tissues.
  • Ultrasound: This study uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the tissues.
Core Muscle Injury

What are the Treatments for Core Muscle Injury?

For core muscle injuries, conservative treatments include:

  • Application of ice to the painful area
  • Activity modification
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Physical therapy for core stability
  • Therapeutic injections and procedures
  • Acupuncture
  • Massage therapy
Core Muscle Injury

Surgical Treatments

Depending on the type and severity of the core muscle injury, various surgical options may include:

  • Suturing the muscle attachments to the bones and neighboring ligaments in order to provide stability to the pubic joint
  • Reattachment of rectus abdominis muscles to the pubic bone in an open surgical operation to reconstruct the pelvic floor
  • An adductor compartmental decompression or repair for adductor muscle injuries