What is a sports hernia?
A sports hernia, also called athletic pubalgia, occurs where there is a weakening, weakening, or tearing of the lower abdominal muscles. This muscle, known as the inguinal canal, lies under the abdomen and just above the groin. A tear in the abdomen can pull the muscles away from the bones, resulting in pain. The internal viscera, especially the intestines, can also cause pain against the muscle wall.
Sports hernias are understood as one of all sports injuries. A sports hernia is not a true hernia in the sense that there is no pouch or actual hernia that can be felt, and there are no holes in the abdominal wall. Another similar condition is inguinal hernia, which also occurs due to weakness of the lower abdominal wall. In this case, there is enough damage to the abdominal wall that an actual hernia, or pouch, can be felt.
What causes a sports hernia?
Sports hernias are caused by an injury or repeated trauma to the groin. Athletes are more prone to sports hernias due to the fact that they bend over during high impact, weight bearing activities and often put stress on their bones and muscles. The most common sports that involve hernias include tennis, basketball, hockey, distance running, football, soccer, and gymnastics. and every other sport requires the bending and twisting of the body.
Symptoms of Sports Hernias
A common complaint of gym hernia is abdominal pain which is localized to the lower abdominal region or to only one part of the abdomen. There can also be pain in the groin. In males also the pain extends to the testicles.
The pain is described by some as feeling deep and beginning gradually. It can be sharp and violent, and is usually aggravated by sudden movement. Sneezing or coughing can also make the pain worse. If the sports hernia cannot heal properly, over time it will prevent not only activities of the gym type, but also normal activities, activities of daily life.
How is a sports hernia treated?
The most important parts of healing in a sports hernia are rest and stopping sports that are high impact and will make the hernia worse. This is not to say that these toys cannot be played again, just that they should be put on hold until the body has had a chance to recover. Abdominal muscles need rest to heal. Physical therapy has also been shown to be useful in treating sports hernias. Therapy usually focuses on the pelvic and abdominal areas. In severe cases, where the body cannot heal itself and physical therapy is not successful, surgery is an option to be sought.
As a nationally certified Medical Assistant, I have had the opportunity to work in several different medical fields. , including podiatry and sports medicine. Sports hernias are not as common as other sports injuries, but they do occur during high-impact sports and can be very painful. They are usually treated, successfully, with rest and physical therapy.
Sources
Gotlin, Robert. Sports Injuries Guidebook. Champaign, IL: Human Balance; 1st Edition, 2007.
Seidenberg, Peter, and Jimmy D. Bowen. Hip and Pelvis in Sports Medicine and Primary Care. New York, NY : Springer Publishing; 1st Edition, 2010.
