A sportsman’s hernia is a painful, soft tissue injury that occurs in the groin area. The reason why it is defined as sportsman’s hernia is that it was originally seen in sportsmen. However, it may also develop in people who do not do sports. It most often occurs during sports that require sudden changes of direction or intense twisting movements. Although a sportsman’s hernia may lead to a traditional, abdominal hernia, it is a different injury. It is a strain or tear of any soft tissue (muscle, tendon, ligament) in the lower abdomen or groin area.
Because different tissues may be affected and a traditional hernia may not exist, the term “athletic pubalgia” may also refer to this type of injury.
Sports activities that involve planting the feet and twisting with maximum exertion can cause a tear in the soft tissue of the lower abdomen or groin. Sports hernias occur mainly in vigorous sports such as ice hockey, soccer, wrestling, and football.
A sportsman’s hernia will usually cause severe pain in the groin area at the time of the injury. The pain typically gets better with rest, but comes back when you return to sports activity, especially with twisting movements. A sports hernia does not cause a visible bulge in the groin, like the more common, inguinal hernia does. Over time, a sports hernia may lead to an inguinal hernia, and abdominal organs may press against the weakened soft tissues to form a visible bulge.
Without treatment, this injury can result in chronic, disabling pain that prevents you from resuming sports activities.
In spite of the symptoms and signs being typical, the first treatment plan should be conservative treatment and surgery should be performed when conservative treatment is not successful.
Surgical treatment options are laparoscopic (TEP or TAPP) and open (with or without mesh) inguinal hernia repairs. It has been reported that all surgical treatment methods yield good very results. Surgical treatment should aim at overcoming the abnormal pressure on the inguinal canal and weakness on the posterior wall via repair with or without a mesh.
It has been reported that 90% of sportsmen undergoing laparoscopic surgery are able to return to sports successfully within 1-3 months.