Those who practice physically demanding sports such as soccer, rugby or even tennis, are at a very high risk of developing sports hernia. Sports hernia, or Gilmore’s groin as some call it, is a very common type of hernia that affects the lower abdominal wall and can be encountered at those who practice sports.

Practicing the sports mentioned above weakens the muscles of the lower abdominal wall and causes the hernia to appear.
Inguinal hernia appears in the same place, when a part of the lower abdomen slips through a small tear that is created in the muscles of the abdominal wall because they are weakened, and creates a visible and palpable bulge that sticks out. Sports hernia is similar to inguinal hernia, and they both appear in the same location, but the difference between them is that at sports hernia there is no bulge or lump that sticks out.

Anyone that practices sports can get sports hernia, it doesn’t matter how strong their muscles are because sports hernia does not have anything to do with muscle strength, it appears because the muscular fiber from the abdominal wall is too thin.

The first symptoms of a sports hernia are light pain that appears in the abdominal region, followed by pain in the groin and sometimes at males pain in the testicles. The pain caused by sports hernia is worse when the patient sneezes, bends or coughs.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above then consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. There are no medical tests that can diagnose sports hernia. The doctors usually perform tests to eliminate the other conditions that may cause the same symptoms, and based on the patient’s medical history and on some physical examinations, the sports hernia diagnose is placed.

Once you get the sports hernia diagnose it is advised to begin the treatment soon before any complications can develop. Unfortunately, the only really effective way to cure a sports hernia is surgery. The first thing that doctors prescribe is a lot of rest. In some cases, if the hernia isn’t too advanced, several weeks of rest can heal it, especially if you use ibuprofen and other muscle-pain relieving medication, but in most cases rest is not enough and surgery is required.
Sports hernia surgery is a very simple operation that most doctors have done many times and are familiar with. Its goal is to reattach the abdominal muscles and fix any tearing that has occurred.

Sports hernia patients need to remember that they can’t return to their sporting activities until their hernia is cured, because if they do it the hernia can appear again. The recovery rate is different from one person to another, so you need to visit the doctor if you want to know when you are fully recovered and can start practicing sports again.

By: Groshan Fabiola