Sportsmans's groin/hernia

[put-it-up]

Well lads I'm hoping some of you have heard of this condition (I wouldn't wish it on anyone) because I am looking to gain some knowlege on it.

For the past two years or more I have suffered with constant discomfort as a result of football. The pain has only ever once meant I have had to stop playing mid-game but the days afterwards are a struggle to say the least.

My pain started roughly two years ago in my right quad (my kicking leg), and nobody ever properly diagnosed what was causing the pain. I have had MRI's, Ultrasounds, Laser Surgery, various strength programmes, an injection for osteitis pubis, long spells of rest and nothing has helped. I have seen many specialists and doctors from this country but to be brutally honest none of them have ever solved my problem.

Nowim worse than i've ever been. I still get a horrible nerve type feeling deep in my quad post-games and I have constart discomfort in the area from my right hip down into my man parts . Although it doesn't cause much severe pain, it does make me feel like a have restriced motion and have to force my leg to kick the ball during sport, which is a problem kicking it out.

All doctors seem to do is ask me to cough and then tell them there is no way I have a hernia because they can't feel anything. When I asked one Doctor about a Sportsman''s hernia he gave me a comic look and said there was no such thing.

I suffer from severe lower back discomfort and if I rotate my right hip I get an uncomfortable/clicking popping noise everytime. Lately as I have returned to sport, my lower stomach muscles feel as if someone is trying to pull the lower half of my body away from the top.

Having been mismanaged over the past two years, I began researching on-line to try to discover any similar cases because any doctor I spoke to seemed to think I was from another planet. I found an on-line USA forum talking about sportsman's groin and similarity with my symptoms and other posters were remarkable. I couldn't believe that after two years of feeling like I was the only person in the world with this injury there were many others out there although Irish experts don't seem to recognise the condition because there is no detectible hernia.

Have any of you through county club or management ever heard of a sport's groin condition? I see there is a surgeon in Germany that specialises in it but I'm hoping to find out more information closer to home.

And I have been to the sports surgery clinic in Santry about ten times. Nobody there has picked up on it.

[The Claw]

Can I ask if you were diagnosed as having osteitis pubis? I was diagnosed in the Santry sports clinic with OP 3 years ago. I went through about 7 months and appeared to be cured, but couldn't really tell because I didn't really have much prolonged training due to hamstring difficulties. This year, with the full pre-season of training the same pain has returned. I am now taking difene to get through matches and I wouldn't be able to do anything without it. I am fairly sure my injury is OP, (my symptoms do not sounds like yours - I don't get any pain in quad or hips. ) but would you be able to post a link to the information on sports hernia just so I can make sure it is not.

PS I really sympathise with you having this injury, I know how frustrating it is and would wish it on no player.

[Logan]

Get an appointment with Gerry McEntee

[Aerlik]

Your comment about pain and discomfort from the hip to the "bits" would suggest you have injured your psoas muscle, a large deep muscle which is crucial for general core strength, torso stability and which is overlaid with the upper thigh muscles.  I strained mine last year and it took quite a while to get back to running and kicking a ball. 
Swimming, walking and cycling have been great helps.  Also, I now do between 7 and 10 sets of 20 crunches on a gymball as I find that the extra muscular activity in keeping the arse on the ball, really helps.

Take yourself off to an ultrasonographer and explain what has happened and see if they can find the point of the tear.  It worked for me.

[johnneycool]

Is this sportmans groin you talk about also called the Gilmores groin?

If it is, I had one and was only remedied by surgery where the tear was stitched and a mesh sown into the sheath of whatever ligaments or muscle I'd torn. I was very sore for a week or two after that, but I believe the German surgery is less evasive as its pin hole surgery rather than the opencast mining type surgery I had to endure.

You will feel a pain when you cough but there's no bulge like with a normal hernia and that's why a lot of doctors don't call it a hernia.


http://www.physioroom.com/injuries/groin_and_pelvis/sports_hernia_full.php

[Logan]

Go and see a specialist.

Getting detailed diagnosis advice on a forum is not the wisest course of action.

[The Claw]

Go and see a specialist.

Getting detailed diagnosis advice on a forum is not the wisest course of action.

Did you not read his post, he has been to many specialists and none could cure him. If you name a specific specialist that he hasn't seen before it might be of some help.

[hectorsheroes]

I've had this for 18 months, all from a groin strain, was diagnoosed about a month ago as Osteitis Pubis with a small hernia. I just had the cortisone injection last week - had to go private for the injection and diagnoses. I have been told complete rest for three weeks then get a follow up appointment. After this I was told Pilates, stretching and swimming and no football etc for 6 months so this season is over.

This injury is a nightmare - a complete nightmare - affects everything and no matter what ya tell people they dont listen - break an arm or leg and its obvious - this is very much less so and people assume your moaning. I havve learned just to be completely patient and hope to God this long rehab works. Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast has a few specialists and you'd be better go private.

Hope things clear up

[Logan]

Go and see a specialist.

Getting detailed diagnosis advice on a forum is not the wisest course of action.

Did you not read his post, he has been to many specialists and none could cure him. If you name a specific specialist that he hasn't seen before it might be of some help.

Did you not read mine?

[INDIANA]

Go and see a specialist.

Getting detailed diagnosis advice on a forum is not the wisest course of action.

Did you not read his post, he has been to many specialists and none could cure him. If you name a specific specialist that he hasn't seen before it might be of some help.

Have you gone to Mc Entee?

[Olly]

Unbelieveable, there's a man who might be dying here and you lads start arguing over seeing McEntee whoever he is. Have a bit of consideration for the invalids.

[winsamsoon]

Lads this is a classic case of Gilmores groin. Had this a few years back and played through a hole season with it but ended up breaking down in the last 5 mins of a county final. Got an appointment with Alan Kelly in Dublin who told me straight away it was Gilmores. There is no lumps or anything just started as a dull ache in my lower abdomen and over the course of the year the pain travelled around. Sometimes i would completely lose the power in one leg for a split second as if i had nipped a nerve or something. As a result of letting it go on so long i began to pick up hamstring injuries and lower back problems as time progressed. Sleeping at night was a nightmare as the twisting motion was painful at the hips. Anyway I was going to Alan Kelly (well renowned professional) for a couple of months and he was getting me through the pain until the county final was over . Voltarol was getting me through the games but we had been training savagely hard that year and i was missing a few sessions. After the county Final Alan Got me straight away booked into The mater clinic in Dublin (Bon secours) with the surgeon Gerry Mc Entee (Ex Meath footballer) . Was down the next week and operated on. Got out that night and for about two to three weeks after it i was pretty sore i tell ya. Mc Entee gave me a recovery programme which involved aqua jogging and basic straight line running. I was back playing football within 6-7 weeks. Went for one more consultant appointment with Gerry and that did the job. I still get a few niggles down the same side and the odd time i would get a bit of pain around the site where the mess was sown in but nothing like what it was. Hope this helps you lad but i would  definetly reccommend Mc Entee and Alan Kelly. The Great AK was a complete gentleman.

[put-it-up]

Well lads, all the feedback is greatly appreciated.

I suggested going to see McEntee but was advised not to waste my money because nothing showed up on the MRI. They tried to pass it off as osteitis pubis and I got the injection for that, but to be honest it done F all to help me.

Obviously I'm not naming anyone that I have seen and don't want to effect anyone's reputation.

Orginally the pain started in my quad, and I have done so many core, quad and hamstring programmes over the past two years and they haven't helped in the slightest.

The last sports doctor I seen suggested going to a Urologist, and although he wants me to have an operation to fix the swelling down there, I honestly don't think that is the source of the problem. More a knock-on effect of something else in the inguinal channell so am reluctant to fork out the cash to get that done. I've been doin a lot of research myself lately and this thread http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=559820&page=0 has been very helpful.

Put it this way, I'm still not in my 20's and take my football pretty seriously and I'm just at the end of my tether with it all. It's at the stage where I'm thinking of taking out a loan and going to Germany to see what the woman out there makes of it. The GAA changed their whole insurance scheme this year so a lot of things that were previously covered aren't anymore. The fact I have to pay myself for anything I get done now, I'm thinking of just going to Germany and taking a change. Although even though I was told McEntee would be a waste of time, I might give him a try..

[Logan]

Gilmores Groin/Sportsman's Hernia surgery with was never covered under the insurance previously so it makes no difference.

Check your pm Put-it-up 

[winsamsoon]

Wrong Logan because mine was done under the very scheme.  Like all things there is always a way and your insurance is bound to cover it in some way. There's a young lad at our club at the moment who is barely 20 he has it  and will b going through the op at the end of the year. The only change in the policy is that you must now go to dublin to have it done by specific doctors (I think) in the north here the ulster clinic would have done it almost 700 quid cheaper. Good luck to u n e way  but I would go down the drastic route