A Sports Hernia Specialist Ends the Frustration of Misdiagnosis and Recovery

You wouldn’t see a heart specialist for a broken bone. So why do many professional and amateur athletes schedule appointments with their general practitioners when they need a specialist to accurately diagnosis pain associated with a Sports Hernia?

Pain that radiates from the muscles, tendons and ligaments in the pelvic area should be evaluated for a Sports Hernia diagnosis – especially when rest and ice help pain subside, but immediately returns when activity resumes. Though possible in circumstances as benign as lifting groceries out of a cart, your trunk muscles (your core) are far more prone to injury when playing hockey, soccer, football, basketball, etc., which involve twisting and suddenly changing directions. These movements can cause tears in muscles in the abdomen and groin area – a Sports Hernia.

Though a Sports Hernia shares the same name as a hernia, they are different injuries. A hernia is easier to diagnosis because intestines are pushed through tears in the muscle and can be physically felt during an exam. However, there are no intestines poking through the tears in the case of a Sports Hernia. There is an intense level of pain felt when the area is touched, bent or moved.

Without finding a bulge, most doctors will treat a Sports Hernias are treated with rest, ice, OTC anti-inflammatories and possibly physical therapy eventually. However, these treatments simply don’t work on a Sports Hernia. 

General physicians without expertise in Sports Hernias misdiagnose and mistreat them. Athletes, ranging from high school age to college and pros, are sidelined when the pain returns and frustrated when they can’t play their sport.

In the case of a Sports Hernia (inguinal disruption), an MRI scan is the most reliable way to make an accurate diagnosis. Once confirmed, Sports Hernia repair surgery can be performed.

Dr. William Brown is one of the foremost Sports Hernia experts in the U.S. He has been performing Sports Hernia surgeries and providing specialized rehabilitation programs since 1999. Athletes from the San Jose Sharks, San Jose Sabercats and the San Jose Earthquakes sports teams as well as athletes from the NFL, AFL, NBA, NBL and the United States Soccer League, as well as patients from across the country and 15 foreign countries have turned to Dr. Brown to get them back up to speed.

Dr. Brown has long advocated and used the open repair procedure when surgically correcting Sports Hernias. Even though using mesh in Sports Hernia repair surgeries is prevalent still, more information is surfacing and mesh is becoming less accepted in the medical community.

It’s ironic that such a common injury among athletes is so often misdiagnosed, leading people to seek information on websites like this. The earlier you can determine the cause of your pain, the sooner it can be repaired and you can begin your recovery. Contact Dr. Brown with your questions. He will review your information and respond accordingly.