Hernia
1st doctor says I have a strained hip flexor with some strain to the adductors. 2nd doctor says I have a hernia. 3rd doctor says I have a hernia, but not bad enough to be causing me this much pain. 4th doctors says I don’t have a hernia at all, but doesn’t know what I have. Physical Therapist says I have a muscle, but to the lower abdomen not to the hip flexor/addoctors, but that I could have a hernia, she doesn’t really know.
I am a marthoner runner. I cut way back on my training (for about 1.5)when the pain first set in. It only got worse. After a month of no running at all and PT I tried a couple short run/walks and was just as bad off as I was prior to PT/Rest.
I have been reading about something called a sports hernia (aka sportma’s hernia, athletic pubalgia, Gilmore’s groin) and what I am rwading sounds all to familiar. Anyone know anything about this?
TIA
wkp
4 comments
Anonymous
I’ve been through the exact problem described. Been in a lot of pain for about 5 years now, progressively worsened over this time. I played hockey for 17 years, then ran 5 miles a day for about 3 years. DStarted with occasional groin pain after moving furniture/heavy lifting, now it is fairly constant abdominal/groin pain, especially worse in the evenings. I had bilateral laproscopic hernia repair last year and it did nothing(Dr said I had bilateral inguinal hernias, but there was no bulge, only a weakening in the wall). Pain with cough, sneeze, ab work/resisted ab work, etc. I’ve come to the conclusion that it is Athletic Pubalgia, a.k.a. “sports Hernia”. I suggest reading up on Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia. I plan on having him perform my surgery. He is one of only a few that can fix this for you. He handles all the pro and olympic athletes.
matty2000
After the first occurence in 1996 I resumed playing football after 2 months but post match I had pain for about 3 days after. This gradually reduced to no pain after about 10 months.
My physio has just started ultrasound on my latest strain. I am able to cycle, x train and even jog a little pain free but anything involving bringing one leg in front of the other, forget it! The prospect of 8 months inactivity is daunting.
wkp
Your symptoms sound almost identical to mine. I do seem to have gotten out of that acute stage through PT and finding the point where I can cross train without pushing it into the acute stage. I can still feel though even as I sit here and type.
I have talked with several people who have been diagnosed with a sports hernia or that have had similar mystery groin injuries. They basicly got frustrated with the doctors and sat back and just waited out. After a year give or take, they have all returned to running with no reoccurance. That is pretty much the point where I am at. I am still seeing doctors, but until someone can come up with a better idea I am just sitting it, cross training as I can. I have been running 5-8 minutes or so a few days a week.
Best wishes to you in your recovery. Keep in touch. Let me know how it goes.
matty2000
I am thinking along the same lines as you.
My symptoms are:
1) It cannot be attributed to any specific incident, it just got worse over time
2) It is aggravated by sharp movements
3) Sore the day after exercise, difficulty getting in and out of car and pain when coughing or sneezing
4)Pain with sit ups
5) No sign of hernia bulge
My physio says it may be a hernia along with a soft tissue injury. My GP says it is not a hernia just a strain. I have had it for 10 weeks now. My research off through the internet all points to Gilmore’s groin.
The intersting thing is I had a similar injury in 1996 and it took 10 months to recover fully. The general consensus is that the surgery is the only option. Having said that mine did recurr but if I knew then what I knew now I would have done preventative strenthening exercises beforehand. Whether these would have worked is open to question ofcourse.