MH Residency - Sports Hernia

BACKGROUND: Athletic pubalgia is a complex injury that results in loss of play in competitive athletes, especially hockey players. The number of reported sports hernias has been increasing, and the importance of their management is vital. There are no studies reporting whether athletes can return to play at preinjury levels. PURPOSE: The focus of this study was to evaluate the productivity of professional hockey players before an established athletic pubalgia diagnosis contrasted with the productivity after sports hernia repair...

Athletic pubalgia or sports hernia is a syndrome of chronic lower abdomen and groin pain that may occur in athletes and nonathletes. Because the differential diagnosis of chronic lower abdomen and groin pain is so broad, only a small number of patients with chronic lower abdomen and groin pain fulfill the diagnostic criteria of athletic pubalgia (sports hernia). The literature published to date regarding the cause, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of sports hernias is confusing. This article summarizes the current information and our present approach to this chronic lower abdomen and groin pain syndrome...

This review summarises the existing knowledge about pathogenesis, differential diagnosis, conservative treatment, surgery and post-surgical rehabilitation of sports hernias. Sports hernias occur more often in men, usually during athletic activities that involve cutting, pivoting, kicking and sharp turns, such as those that occur during soccer, ice hockey or football. Sports hernias generally present an insidious onset, but with focused questioning a specific inciting incident may be identified. The likely causative factor is posterior inguinal wall weakening from excessive or high repetition shear forces applied through the pelvic attachments of poorly balanced hip adductor and abdominal muscle activation...