Treatment of a Sports Hernia

Treating a sports hernia can be challenging, because there are no tests or x-rays that will prove its diagnosis. As a result, it is often misdiagnosed and treated initially as a pull or strain, which involves a conservative treatment approach. Often a sports hernia will not heal on its own, even with conservative treatments. Therefore, surgery is often used to fix the injury and permit you to return to your daily routine and sports activities. Your doctor will consider your activity level, your age, the location and severity of your groin pain, as well as how long you have had it, the symptoms you experience and any other associated groin injuries when determining the best treatment for you.

During your recovery, you will probably have to modify and/or eliminate the activities that cause tenderness or discomfort in your groin area until your pain and inflammation settle. Scar tissue can often develop with a sports hernia, where the soft tissue has pulled away from the bone. As your damaged groin tissues heal this dead, fibrotic tissue will be produced instead of forming brand new healthy tissue. This tissue adheres to your muscle fibers, tendons, ligaments, fascia, nerves, and joints causing pain and preventing them from moving properly (this limits your range of motion, flexibility and strength).

Rest is vital for a sports hernia to heal, if you continue to energetically participate in activities that cause pain, the discomfort and degree of damage can worsen and last for a longer period of time. You will often notice groin improvement after 3-4 weeks of conservative treatments (before and/or after surgery). The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results.