Groin attack

A groin attack is a deliberate strike to the groin of one's opponent. The technique can be quickly debilitating due to the sensitivity of the groin and genitalia, and is sometimes used as a self-defense technique. It is often banned in sports. Groin attacks are popularized as comedy in various media.

In sports

A low blow in professional wrestling

See also: Below the belt

An attack to the groin in sports is considered to be a "low blow", not only in the literal sense, but is the origin of the metaphor as well. In a playful attack, or attack in the framework of a sport, a low blow is seen as unfair or improper and is often considered dishonorable.

Strikes to the groin have been forbidden in boxing as far back as the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, and they are almost universally forbidden in martial arts competitions including kickboxing, and mixed martial arts.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) rules dictate that a groin strike is a foul in both male and female matches, with the competitor who has received such a strike given up to five minutes to recover. The rules require male competitors to wear groin protection, but female competitors are forbidden to do so.

Groin attacks were allowed until the 1980s in international Muay Thai boxing and are still permitted in Thailand itself, though male boxers wear athletic cups to lessen the impact.

Direct strikes to the groin are generally considered illegal in professional wrestling as well, and unofficial rings may consider it shameful. However, in certain "hardcore" matches the rules are relaxed, and such attacks are allowed by mutual consent. It is a common tactic used by heels (fighters performing as "bad guys") either while the referee is not looking to gain an illegal advantage, or to be deliberately disqualified such as to avoid certain defeat by a stronger opponent or in protest of the match or a storyline element. They were most notably utilised by Ric Flair.

In self-defense

Groin attacks are a common technique taught in self-defense classes.

Groin strikes are taught in some self-defense systems as attacks against a vulnerable area. They can include kicks or knee strikes, as well as grabbing or other forms of pressure to the groin.

Groin strikes are also included in some women's self-defense and sexual-assault-resistance programs. Some programs use padded instructors or protective equipment so that participants can practice more realistically. These programs generally teach physical resistance as part of a broader set of strategies alongside verbal resistance, boundary-setting and escape strategies.

When directed at a male assailant, a groin strike may cause severe testicular pain and is intended to briefly interrupt the assault, creating an opportunity to escape.

In BDSM

Consensual pain or impact to the groin can form part of erotic play. In men, this may include cock and ball torture (CBT), which can involve painful stimulation of the penis or testicles. Impact-focused forms are called ballbusting, during which the testicles are deliberately struck or otherwise subjected to pain. Similar practices involving pain to the female genitalia have also been reported in studies of BDSM communities. Although such activities are consensual, impacts or pressure to the genitals can still cause injury.

In popular culture

Groin attacks against men are a recurring form of physical comedy in film and television and have also been used in advertising. The humor often relies on surprise, humiliation and exaggerated reactions.

Accidental groin injuries are also a recurring feature of humorous home and online videos. America's Funniest Home Videos became particularly associated with such clips. Such incidents, which may involve accidental falls or impacts with objects, are sometimes informally described as "nutshots".

Groin injuries are also a recurring feature of the Jackass franchise, whose participants perform painful and humiliating stunts for entertainment.

Effects

Further information: Genital trauma and Testicular trauma

A blow to the groin usually causes immediate pain and tenderness.

In males, the testes are especially vulnerable because they lie outside. Testicular pain is also felt in the lower abdomen because testicles share nerve pathways with surrounding areas. More serious injuries can result in lasting pain or shrinkage of the affected testis. Severe injuries can testicular torsion or testicular rupture, which occurs when a testis is compressed against the pelvis. Testicular injuries may also affect fertility or testosterone production.

In females, a blow to the groin can injure the vulva, including the labia and clitoris, causing pain, bruising, swelling or bleeding. The clitoris is densely supplied with sensory nerves, and the clitoris and labia are among the external genital structures most exposed. A strong impact can also cause a vulvar hematoma, in which blood collects within the vulvar tissues.

See also

• Below the belt
• Cock and ball torture
• Krav Maga § Techniques
• Professional wrestling attacks § Testicular claw