Athletic Groin Pain and Sports Hernia

Abstract

Groin injuries are common in sports, and sports hernia or athletic pubalgia is being increasingly recognized as a cause of chronic activity limiting groin pain. The diagnosis is based on a combination of appropriate history, physical examination, imaging with MRI, and exclusion of other diagnosis. A variety of surgical approaches to this problem have been described including open primary repairs, tension-free mesh repairs, and laparoscopic mesh repair. This chapter reviews the clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and surgical treatment options for sports hernia pubalgia. An integrated multidisciplinary approach that involves the sports orthopedist, athletic trainer, and hernia surgeon is fundamental to the diagnosis and patient management.