Sports hernia - anyone had it?

[Jimmy Stang]

I'm getting pretty fed up with my achy groin, so I am turning to the internet for self-diagnosis. Truthfully though, I'm booking an appointment tomorrow to try and get to the bottom of this. As a fairly frequent lurker here, I know that we've got quite the cross-section of people here.

So a while back I started noticing that my groin was kind of sore after playing soccer. It went away and I didn't think much of it.

Then I started to get dull ache in my nuts. It wasn't painful, but it was a little annoying. But being in the netheregion, so to speak, I didn't want to take any chances. Went to the doctor, got an ultrasound, etc. and the boys got the clean bill of health. After a few weeks the nut ache subsided and hasn't returned.

Over the course of the past year, my groin has been very achy after playing sports. Sometimes it is so bad that it is difficult to walk the following day.

I have been to physiotherapy and it didn't do a whole lot. The therapist said that there was likely some scar tissue in the area and suggested massaging and then icing/anti-inflammatories to break down the scar tissue and allow it to rebuild properly. So now I regularly lay on my back and give myself a rubdown after a game, much to the delight of my teammates and passers by. Then pop a few advils. This definitely helps my mobility the next day, but it simply manages the problem.

I have also been experiencing lower back pain, hip pain, etc.

I skeptically booked myself a few active release massage appointments on the recommendation of a friend. The thought of another guy rubbing my groin for 60 minutes, 3 times a week isn't m,y idea of fun, but I was desperate. Surprisingly, he spent most of the time on my lower abdomen area, despite the fact that he knew that my groin, back, hips, etc. were bugging me. And amazingly, it gave me the most relief from my groin problems for a short period of time. But, of course, it all came back again.

It is at the point now where I have stopped playing soccer for the summer, and I probably won't play this winter either.

So that leads me to my question: have you ever had sports hernia? Does it sound anything like what I'm experiencing? What was your outcome? And finally, do you know of any sports hernia specialists in Calgary?

And, as I mentioned earlier, I'll be seeing a doctor again. I'm just curious to hear what others have experienced. I also fully expect this thread to generate some jokes about nut aches, groin massages, and happy endings. let's have it.

[Peanut]

Hmm... my husband had a sports hernia but it was in his abdomen, more around his belly-button area. So it doesn't really sound anything like what you're experiencing.

Not to say it's not a hernia but, have you tried yoga at all?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Hmm... my husband had a sports hernia but it was in his abdomen, more around his belly-button area.

My brother just had an operation for the same thing. Now he can't lift anything above a certain weight until it heals.

[hah]

Yes

PM your questions.

[Nage Waza]

I have been through that, nothing seems to have worked. Including active release. They even injected me with that isotope then scanned me, and could not find the source of my pain. The pain was less in my 'sack' and more in the area just outside. After any running (soccer, jog, training, martial arts) I could not lift my legs into the bed. It was really bad. Only a lot of time healing works, possibly, 6, 12, 18 or even more months is what it takes.

[NuclearFart]

Before you visit your doctor, figure out where your pain is actually the worst, and determine whether this truly is a diffuse (hips+groin+back) pain or focal pain +/- some outwards radiation. An MRI will certainly be of benefit, but they'll only be able to image one area of interest at a time so you need to get this sorted out beforehand.

Also, check your ultrasound report to make sure that there werent any varicoceoles.

[PIMking]

I thought I had SH and went to the doctor and it hurt like a somabitch to skate. After a while I got tired of it and went to the doctor and they swore up and down that I didn't have it until they found out that I tore my abdomen muscle at work lifting a semi tire into a back of a pickup truck.

It wasn't bad enough for surgery but I had it wrapped for about 3 months and had a streching routine that I had to do and eventully the pain started going away.

I have been hurt alot the last couple of years during hockey seasons. from tearing my muniscus to spraining my elbow, to the abdomen, to a back and shoulder.

I finally got into a little extra non hockey stuff at the rink were I laid a guy out for boarding me and got suspended but that helped me to get back healthy.

It feels soooooooo good to wake up with only knee pain now. I'm 24 years old and my doctor says my joints are as bad as a 40 year olds from playing hockey. I played highschool local teams to travel highschool and 3 seperate leagues all at the same time with another travel adult league ontop of that.

hockey has been good to me but it has beat me up. I have 4 years of college hockey to go at UA and I am going to hang up the skates maybe coach.
Here is a list of injuries I have had from hockey

Blown right knee (tore the acl and mcl)
Tore Muniscus in left knee
broken foot
broken hand
broken fingers
fractured jaw
numerous stiches in the face
dislocated shoulder
broken wrist
back issues
black eyes
broken nose
3 concussions
cracked ribs
pulled groins
pulled hammys
I was borded in a game and taken out on a strecher.

remember I'm 24 years old I have played on alot of injuries but the right knee set me back a year and the left only got me for 3 months.

Never ask any info over the net your canadian go to a doctor. its not going to cost you 10k to rebuild your knees.

Good luck.

[Bill Bumface]

Lots of sympathy pain after re-aggravating my groin tonight at hockey. It first happened a couple years ago, and is kind of an off and on thing. Is that likely just a groin that is susceptible to injury, or is something like this a possibility? When I don't play hockey it's fine, and for some periods I experience zero pain playing hockey.

[Nufy]

I had that and the big "V" procedure done at the same time.

A weekend on Percocet and 6 weeks till I could play sports again.

(Probably due to the Big V rather then the hernia....)

Mine was a laproscopic procedure done at the Rockyview.

[Jimmy Stang]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

Peanut: I have never tried yoga, and I have always found myself to be less flexible than average for as long as I can remember. My wife is doing yoga this fall, so maybe I should surprise her and show up at her first class!

Hulkrogan: It is definitely something that I aggravate by playing sports. After the one or two day period after each aggravation goes away, it feels pretty normal. I took this season off from "real" soccer but I was still playing on a recreational team and tried to take it easy, but even that seems to flare it up. It sounds like I need to stop paying entirely for a couple of months.

Everyone else: many thanks. It is nice to know that others have experienced. I'll see what the doc says and take it from there.

[Incogneto]

I think I am suffering from one right now. I have a Dr's appt this Wednesday where I am hoping he will tell me otherwise, but the symptoms I am suffering from are pretty bang on.

Stiff groin after physical activity (more hockey than running), discomfort in the lower ab/upper groin region on one side. It hurts like hell to squeeze my legs together. When I cough/Sneeze, I almost have to keel over in pain.

Not sure where to go to from here, but I am in the same boat as you, Jimmy. I hope I can get it better without surgery, but at the same time, I really really really would have to have to give up hockey/floor hockey/dodgeball/running, etc.

[Galakanokis]

I have one now. Had since Feb of last year. More of an annoyance than an pain most times. Mine you can feel in the groin right up to my lower abdomen. I tore the abdomen about ten years ago so it was weak to begin with. I doesn't bother me too too much with activities but a certain movement that I am never quite able to reproduce if I try will send shooting pain into my gut.

Aside from surgery there is no fast way to heal these damn things. I have already had two surgeries this year with another one planned in the next 5 months so I have to hold off on this for now.

The best thing I have found and I highly recommend them for anyone with groin problems is the core shorts. They are the first thing I have found in the last 5/6 months that really help. I have a pair of the pros and I wear them for hockey and ball.

http://www.kinesiologists.ca/core-shorts.shtml

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Galakanokis

The best thing I have found and I highly recommend them for anyone with groin problems is the core shorts. They are the first thing I have found in the last 5/6 months that really help. I have a pair of the pros and I wear them for hockey and ball.

I never thought I'd be gung-ho about spending $80 on a pair of underwear.

Thanks for the link - it might be worth a try, regardless of what the final outcome might be. I can't imagine that they'd make it any worse, and even a slight improvement would make it worthwhile.

[Mike Oxlong]

I had a hernia a few years ago but seems it was different from what you are describing. With mine there was no question it was a hernia.

I had a tear in my abdomen wall about 2 inches up and an inch right of my wang. It got to the point when I would stand up it looked like a golf ball was protuding through my abdomen.

If was somewhat painful but almost more of an annoyance like someone else said. I was still able to do most things but had to be careful lifting anything too heavy.

The worst part was I went to my doctor for diagnosis and she had to send me to a specialist. That took about 5 months to get in to see him. He took one look at it and said yep it's a hernia and booked me for surgery, that took about 5 months as well. Just to get it all fixed took almost a year, so I would reccomend getting into a doctor right away if you want to get it taken care of.

After the surgery things were fine within a couple weeks.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Mike Oxlong

I had a hernia a few years ago but seems it was different from what you are describing. With mine there was no question it was a hernia.

From what I have read, "sports hernia" is actually a bit of a misnomer as it isn't actually a true hernia.

What you're describing is a real hernia where you've got the bulge and the whole bit. Sports hernia seems to be a muscular issue in the same area, but without the actual bulge.

Either way, though, I think that you're right about the doctor-specialist-doctor chain... I have an appointment booked for 3 weeks from now (quickest I could get in), and I fully expect to get bounced around for the next few months, unfortunately.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by PIMking

Here is a list of injuries I have had from hockey

Blown right knee (tore the acl and mcl)
Tore Muniscus in left knee
broken foot
broken hand
broken fingers
fractured jaw
numerous stiches in the face
dislocated shoulder
broken wrist
back issues
black eyes
broken nose
3 concussions
cracked ribs
pulled groins
pulled hammys
I was borded in a game and taken out on a strecher.

Thats a lot of hurt!

[The Special One]

I've had an inguenial hernia, is it the same thing? Your symptoms definitely do not indicate a hernia of any kind, more like torn mucles in your thigh. Abductor maybe?

[Jimmy Stang]

So I picked up a pair of those "Core Shorts" tonight, and they feel pretty good just walking around the house. They definitely feel like a wrap around your hips.

Like a fool, I'll be out playing on Sunday in the cold giving them a try.

If anyone is looking for the same thing, you can order them at that link that Galakanokis provided, or I picked mine up at Kicks Sporting Goods in Varsity.

I figured that, since my appointment is 3 weeks away, that I'd try as much as possible on my own in terms of pushing, stretching, strengthening, etc. and see if I can provide as much information as possible to the doc...

Thanks again everyone for the info and conversation.

[NuclearFart]

Originally Posted by The Special One

I've had an inguenial hernia, is it the same thing? Your symptoms definitely do not indicate a hernia of any kind, more like torn mucles in your thigh. Abductor maybe?

It's not the same thing as a true inguinal hernia, but inflammation/tears from the adductor muscle insertions (at the groin) can migrate superiorly along the muscles surrounding the inguinal region. This is why a "sports hernia" is erronously called a hernia: in this setting any increased abdominal pressure can elicit inguinal hernia-like pain, despite not actually having anything herniate through.