Gilmores Groin (Sports Hernia

SPORTS HERNIA (ATHLETIC PUBALGIA – also known as Gilmore’s groin)

 Sports hernia is a strain to the soft tissue in area where the lower abdominal muscles meet the adductors. It may affect muscle, tendons, ligaments or nerves.

 RISK FACTORS:-

 - Players of vigorous sports that involve sudden movements eg. ice hockey, football, wrestling, rugby

 - professional athletes

 - sports hernias generally affect males

 - potentially core muscles that are weaker than thigh muscles could increase the impact on the torso during sudden twisting movements 

CAUSES:-

 - sudden planting of the feet and/or twisting of the body eg.in football or hockey - may be gradual or due to a sudden trauma

SYMPTOMS :-

 - Sudden/ severe groin pain at the time of injury 

- One sided groin pain that is worse when playing sport or twisting, but improves with rest

 - bruising in the upper thigh and/or lower abdomen

 - pain increases with exercises that use the abdominal muscles eg. crunches 

TREATMENT:- 

- REST - 4 - 6 weeks away from sport

 - ANTI INFLAMMATORIES - eg. ibuprofen to help relieve pain & inflammation

 - PHYSICAL THERAPY - strengthening the abdominal & leg muscles after the rest period through therapeutic massage & stretches. 

- STEROID INJECTIONS & NERVE BLOCKS – to relieve pain

 - SURGERY