For our first in season injury prevention block we will be looking at the adductors (groin). It’s another group of muscles that are susceptible to tears, strains and tendon issues and also form part of a troublesome triad that includes adductor issues, hernias and Osteitis Pubis (pain at the bottom of the pelvis between the joint the joints the two halves of the pelvis together anteriorly. Needless to say, weak, poorly functioning adductors can predispose us to a number of troublesome injuries that can keep us off the field and keep reoccurring unless they are dealt with properly. This injury prevention block will give you some tools to mobilise, activate and strengthen the adductor group whilst working the core at the same time. The adductors don’t function in isolation; they are constantly working with the trunk above it, especially the obliques and they form a functional unit that stabilizes the body during accelerations, decelerations, lateral and rotational movements – all key movements on the rugby field.

The adductors are made up of a group of muscles in the inner thigh. The longest is the gracilis, the largest that acts both as an adductor and a hamstring is the adductor magnus which is located towards the back of the thigh. Then follows the adductor longus, the adductor brevis and the pectineus, these muscles reduce in size and are positioned closer to the front of the hip as you work down the list. This can all be seen in the diagram here.