Athletic Pubalgia & Sports Hernia

Sports hernia is actually just a less formal name for athletic pubalgia. This condition causes pain to the groin and the lower abdominal area. It is a problem that is difficult to treat and even extended periods of rest seem not to help alleviate symptoms. It is primarily a concern of the professional, serious or elite athlete.

What is a Sports Hernia or Atheletic Pubalgia

• Sport hernia has become a catch-all phrase related to pain in the groin, lower abdomen, the area of the pubis symphysis (pubic bone), the thigh adductors (the muscles that press your thighs together) and the hip flexors (muscles that move your hips). A hernia occurs when an organ bulges through the protective muscle around it. It is an injury that was not recognized until the 1990s and even today there is some ambiguity as to what it is.

A History of the Term

• Since the 1960s, athletes have complained of these symptoms and several had to end promising careers because of them. Around 1990, sports medicine specialists began to define the symptoms of athletic pubalgia. They preferred this term to sports hernia since the symptoms were at times not those of a hernia. As a matter of fact, there were several different complaints which fell under the umbrella of the term sports hernia. By the early 2000s, doctors using ultrasound and MRIs were better understanding the condition.

Who Suffers from Atheletic Pubalgia

• Athletic pubalgia or sports hernia can affect any athlete but is especially prevalent in sports that require quick turns and changes of direction. Soccer, basketball, football and hockey all have caused this condition in their serious players.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

• Symptoms include pain in the groin, hip area and upper thigh, and can move around to cause a burning in the anal area. Coughing and sneezing can exacerbate the pain. These symptoms will not go away even with extended periods of rest. Doctors in 2010 use ultrasound and MRIs to try to analyze the problem. There are cases, however,, when exploratory surgery is necessary to pinpoint the problem.

Treatment

• Surgery is the most common treatment

  The least invasive treatment is a regimen of physical therapy. Unfortunately, there has not been a lot of success with this noninvasive treatment. If this is the case, you will need surgery to correct the problem. Since a wide variety of things can be causing your problem, each surgery has to be tailored to the individual case. However, in general, the surgeon will open the lower abdominal area and reattach the rectus abdominis mucscle to the pubis. From this point, he must decide if you have other problems with the thighs or hips and treat them appropriately.

Recovery and Rehabilitation

• Recovery should begin with a four week period of rest with no athletic activities. After this period, you should begin a period of rehabilitation under the supervision of your trainer or physical therapist.

Prognosis and Warning

• Most athletes can return to their sport within eight to 10 weeks after the surgery. Nonetheless, in about 15 to 20 percent of cases there can be lasting effects which will hamper your performance. Laproscopic surgery has been tried and is certainly less invasive than open surgery. Orthopedic surgeons in 2010 advise you not to accept this option as they have had to repeat this procedure with open surgery.