Caution: this post touches on a very sensitive injury and may cause grown men to double over in sympathy pain.  It may also cause grown women to channel their inner Beavis & Butthead in writing a blog post about it...

Tony Ugoh, LT
Date of Injury: September 14, 2008
Nature of Injury: Unspecified groin injury
Typical Rehab Process/Duration: Depends on nature and severity of injury, but for lower grade injuries typically RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.  Recovery ranges from a few weeks for grade 1 injuires, to 3 months for grade 3.
Players who have suffered similar injuries:  LaDainian Tomlinson, Terence Newman, the entire New Orleans Saints' kicking squad 

 
via www.colts.com

Against Minnesota in Game 2, Tony Ugoh suffered what was later reported as a groin injury.  He was helped off the field at the end of the first half of the game, and did not return to play in the second half.  He didn't play in the next game (against Jacksonville), and the following week was a bye.  He played on special teams and as a reserve in the next 3 games, but did not start until the October 27 game against Tennessee, 6 weeks after his injury.

My research surfaced two types of acute groin injury:  (1) resulting from direct trauma common in contact sports; and (2) muscle strain in which there is a "forceful adduction of the hips…" i.e., closing your legs really fast (something that apparently accounts for 10% of ice hockey-related injuries).
 
Until looking at this case a little more closely, I used to think that a groin injury was simply a strained or torn muscle on the inner thigh up near the hoohoo.  Or that it was the vanity name for when baseball players are hit in the giblets by a line drive.  In fact these are but two examples of several possible injuries classified as a groin injury.  The groin consists of the area where the abdomen meets the legs and includes the structures of the perineum.  Basically, that means all those muscles between the pubic arch and the tailbone, inside and between the legs.  Think of it as the area covered by someone's tighty whities.  Seriously, think about it.  Folks, there are a lot of muscles down there, and more importantly there are a lot of muscles you don't want to strain, tear or otherwise injure… look up "perineum" on Wikipedia to get an idea (caution: probably not work friendly unless you work in a hospital or clinic).
 
As wild as our imagination might let us get, it is most likely that, based on his position and role in the offense, Ugoh was injured in an aggressive slide over to protect Manning from an oncoming defender.  Further, based on the speed with which he returned to the field, it is probably safe to classify the injury as no higher than severity grade 2, characterized by moderate discomfort and limited ability to run and jump.  That's not to diminish the pain he was probably experiencing, but had the injury been a complete rupture, he may have required surgery, and rehab would have probably taken months, not weeks.

In looking for information on recovery from groin injuries, I did find some nifty rehab aids with such names as the "McDavid Groin Strap" and my personal favorite, the "Vulkan Warm Pants" (a Best Seller!).  I hope I am never in a position to require such a device...

Given that Ugoh returned to the starting lineup after 6 weeks, and given that he's had a few months' rest, I am optimistic that he will be ready for game 1.

Dr. Blue's Prognosis - Likelihood of Game 1 Appearance: Very High