The obliques are the muscles running down either side of the abdomen. Pain in these muscles often occurs due to a type of injury known as “side strain.”
There are two sets of oblique muscles: external and internal obliques. External obliques sit on the outer edge of the abdomen, and internal obliques sit directly next to them, closer to the core. These muscles work together when people twist or rotate their bodies at the core.
Gentle, controllable oblique muscle pain might be natural when performing exercises that target the obliques, such as bicycle crunches. However, injury to the internal obliques can also occur when performing certain throwing, twisting, or swinging motions that overextend the muscle and cause tears.