Primary care of the sports hernia: recognizing an often-overlooked cause of pain

Abstract

Groin injury is common in sports that involve high-speed torsion of the trunk, especially soccer, as in this case of a 28-year-old goalie. The sports hernia, a syndrome of pain caused by disruption of the inguinal canal without a clinically detectable hernia, is often initially overlooked. Examination reveals maximal tenderness over the pubic tubercle and posterior inguinal canal. The diagnosis is clinical, but x-rays and bone scanning may help rule out a concurrent injury. The pain may be multifactorial, with coexisting hip or adductor muscle pathology complicating the clinical picture. Rehabilitation, particularly core strengthening with emphasis on the abdominal obliques, is the first line of treatment. If this is ineffective, surgery is usually successful, and most athletes return to a high level of sports participation 6 to 8 weeks postsurgery.