Sports hernia, also known as hockey groin or athletic pubalgia, describes a condition characterized by unilateral persistent groin pain, often in an athlete, without a true hernia. It was described initially in Europe, and has become a common diagnosis in high intensity sports, especially in youths and collegiate athletes.
Sports hernia results from chronic, overuse and repetitive trauma to the muscles and tendons in the groin, lower abdomen and upper thigh, and typically develop in an insidious fashion, never suddenly. It is common in men, and commonly in sports such as hockey, soccer, rugby and football, in which the athletes bend and lean forward (athletic stance), with high speed twisting, turning, and torquing all contributing to the condition.
There are several indicators used to diagnose sports hernia. It can be apparent in any athlete who participates in high intensity sports and has unilateral groin pain that is exacerbated by sudden increases in intra-abdominal pressure such as coughing, sneezing or straining with no evidence of true hernia or other common injuries. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and Ultrasound may reveal abnormalities in the muscles or tendons of the groin area or upper thigh, and may show small hernia that could be missed clinically during the initial exam. Similar groin pain can also be caused by a true hernia; inflammation of the muscles, tendons and bone in the groin area.Your surgeon will able to differentiate these conditions from sports hernia before proceeding with treatment.
Various treatments have been recommended for sports hernia, including:
Rest is the most simple and important part of initial treatment but usually not practical for young patients who typically insist on continuing athletic endeavors.
Ice the area off and on, frequently each day.
Medications such as Ibuprofen,Advil or Motrin may help with the pain.
However, it is common to find these simple interventions don’t provide long term relief, and typically patients experience a recurrence of the pain once they go back to their sport activities. Surgery remains the mainstay of effective treatment, and can be done via an open or laparoscopic (small incision) approach with a success rate of more than 90 percent.Anyone considering surgery should discuss with their surgeon the procedure and its side effects.
Dr.Wageeh W.Azer is board certified in general and laparoscopic surgery and is affiliated with The Surgery Center at Old Bridge, located in 2 Hospital Plaza, Raritan Bay Medical Center. Dr.Azer’s office is located at 579 Cranbury Road, Suite G, East Brunswick.To make an appointment, call 1-800-DOCTORS.