What Is Important to Know About Sportsman Hernia and Athletes Pubalgia

Sportsman Hernia (SH) and Athletes Pubalgia (AP) is a new complex pathology involving two different medical fields: Sport Injury and Inguinal Hernia (IH). SH is different from IH and must be diagnosed as such because the treatment and surgery are different. SH is traumatic athletic damage to the groin wall leading to weakness of the area and pain. The injury expands as the athlete continues the athletic activity to the Pubic Bones, AP. The diagnosis is based on a clinical history and physical examination when the US and MRI imaging aren't always diagnostic. SH has a typical Chronic pattern of groin pain in sports activities and continues to everyday activities. Pain over 3 months not responding to conservative treatment, is a surgery indication. Nowadays most patients are sports activities amateurs and not professionals. The surgery is by Bilateral TEP approach but is different from a standard IH surgery. The surgery is complete with a dedicated Athletics Muscle Rehabilitation Program (AMRP) that is 5–12 weeks long depending on the severity. Since 2016 we have operated on 468 athletes, 353 has also another hernia and the majority returned to sporting activity. Treatment of SH requires surgeon with unique expertise in the diagnosis and surgery, but also having a follow-up system for performing the AMRP. A general surgeon should know how to differentiate SH from IH. The presence of chronic pain must light a red lamp, performing surgery like IH and not the specific SH procedure, the chronic pain will continue after the surgery!