Sports Hernias: What are they, and how do you fix them?

A lot of patients visit our office to discuss ‘sports hernias’. Fortunately, with the internet, patients are able to educate themselves about what sports hernias are, and how they are treated. Unfortunately, there isn’t always a comprehensive source for up to date information for patients to learn from. In today’s post, I want to share some of the landmark research which has been published in regards to sports hernias, and provide summaries of those articles for you. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it is a good starting point for any patient with chronic groin pain. The first article is written by Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia PA. He is one of the leading experts in sports hernias and has summarized some of the anatomy involved with developing chronic groin pain.  Anatomic Basis for Evaluation of Abdominal and Groin Pain in Athletes This second article is similar to the first article in that is walks patients through the different etiologies for chronic groin pain. There are many causes, some of which are best treated with rest, rehab, and medications. While others won’t heal on their own. Groin Pain Dr Garvey in Australia has one of the largest patient populations for sports hernias and published an excellent article on the different treatment options.  It does discuss laparoscopic repair of sports hernias which I do not recommend. On page 165 of this article, he points out that Dr. Meyers also does not offer laparoscopic surgery. Garvey Sports Hernias Australia The last article that I’ve included is another one by Dr. Meyes in Philadelphia. He summarizes some of the causes of pain and the options for repair. Most of this information is covered in his first article, or in Dr. Garvey’s article above. Operative techniques Understanding Sports Hernia Most important to athletes is the evaluation by a surgeon who understands sports hernias and can decide on the best treatment. We have photos of patients on our website during sports hernia repairs: /types-sports.html to help you understand the disease process.  I hope that the above information helps you in determining whether you have a sports hernia, and what can be done to get you back on the field, court, or water.