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Athletic pubalgia: definition and surgical treatment
Leonik A Ahumada1, Salman Ashruf, Antonio Espinosa-de-los-Monteros
1Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-3411, USA.
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|September 28, 2005
Summary
Athletic pubalgia, or sports hernia, affects athletes of all levels. Surgical repair with mesh reinforcement effectively alleviates inguinal pain and restores athletic function.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Athletic Injuries
Background:
- Athletic pubalgia (sports hernia) presents as inguinal pain in athletes, often mistaken for hernias.
- While common in professionals, it also affects recreational athletes, with diagnosis based on clinical presentation.
- Symptoms include pain exacerbated by activity and tenderness on hip adduction, with no palpable hernia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the outcomes of surgical repair for athletic pubalgia.
- To identify patient demographics, sports involved, and treatment efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 12 patients with athletic pubalgia undergoing operative repair (1998-2004).
- Data collected included patient characteristics, surgical findings, and follow-up outcomes.
- Surgical techniques involved open inguinal repair, with mesh reinforcement in most cases.
Main Results:
- The study included 12 patients (1 female, median age 25), with diverse sports participation.
- Most patients were recreational athletes presenting after a median of 9 months.
- Open repair with mesh yielded excellent (83.3%) or satisfactory (16.7%) results, with all patients returning to sport.
Conclusions:
- Athletic pubalgia diagnosis relies on clinical history and physical examination.
- Recreational athletes are also affected, and surgical intervention is effective.
- Open inguinal repair, particularly with mesh reinforcement, successfully resolves pain and restores athletic activity.