Sydney Swan Alex Johnson has suffered a setback in his bid to return to senior football.

The 25-year-old, whose incredible journey back from five knee reconstructions saw him return to play in the reserves last season, had been experiencing hip and groin pain as he increased his training load over summer.

Johnson has undergone minor groin surgery, which will allow him to return to running in three to four weeks.

He has not played a senior AFL game since the 2012 grand final, having undergone five successive knee reconstructions since that match.

Last season Johnson played a competitive game of football for the first time in 1736 days, when he ran out for the Swans in a NEAFL match against the Canberra Demons at Manuka Oval.