According to ACC Sports Science, 5 percent of athletes develop chronic groin pain. A sports hernia, a type of inguinal hernia, is one possible cause of chronic groin pain. In a sports hernia, the lower abdominal wall weakens. In some cases, the patient or a doctor might be able to feel a bulge of intestines protruding through the weak spot.
Symptoms
Athletes whose sports involve forcible twisting motions---such as football, soccer and ice hockey players---are most susceptible to sports hernias, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. ACC Sports Science describes how the symptoms of a sports hernia progress from chronic pain in the groin during athletics to chronic groin pain with minor stresses such as running or even bending over or coughing. At the time of the original injury, the athlete might feel a tearing sensation in the groin. ACC Sports Science says that up to 30 percent of men with a sports hernia feel pain in the testicles as well.
Cause
Men are more susceptible than women to inguinal hernia because of the way their lower abdominal wall forms during embryonic development, says the Mayo Clinic. ACC Sports Science speculates that previous injury or an imbalance in the relative strengths of the various pelvic muscles can weaken the abdominal wall on one side, predisposing an athlete to a sports hernia.
Diagnosis
With a sports hernia, a doctor might or might not be able to feel a bulge on intestines through the weakened abdominal wall. If the hernia is not palpable, then other causes for the chronic groin pain, such as a stress fracture or adductor muscle strain can be ruled out by X-ray or MRI respectively. If those tests do not turn up a cause, the doctor might recommend a laparoscopic surgery to definitively diagnose the hernia, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Treatment
Conservative treatment consists of rest and sports-specific rehabilitation. ACC Sports Science says that a typical time frame encompasses from 3 to 8 weeks of rest followed by 3 to 4 months of physical rehabilitation. For cases requiring surgery, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends a laparoscopic approach because it is minimally invasive and patients can leave the hospital in only 3 to 4 hours after the procedure and can usually return to "normal athletic activities" within about 6 weeks. ACC Sports Science references a longer time-line of 6 to 12 weeks. They also cite sports hernia surgical success rates---with success defined as returning to the level of activity before the injury-- between 63 to 95 percent.
Rehabilitation
ACC Sports says that after sports hernia surgery, athletes should rest for a week. Within 10 to 14 days, they can begin running or using an elliptical trainer. They recommend that rehabilitation include exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles, the hip adductors and flexors and pelvic muscles.
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