The Classic Signs and Symptoms of a Sports Hernia

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it hundreds of times. Sports hernia injuries are difficult to pinpoint and diagnose. An athlete can visit many physicians before successfully diagnosing the true cause of his or her pain.

However, there are some key signs and symptoms that are characteristic of sports hernias in particular. Sometimes, these signs are the only ones that will be able to point you and your doctor toward the correct diagnosis, and then treatment can begin.

The first, and seemingly most obvious, classic sports hernia symptom, is pain in the lower abdominal and groin areas. A sports hernia injury occurs when there is a tear in the muscle of the abdominal wall, causing tension and instability throughout the affected area. Throughout the groin and lower abdominal area, pain can occur as an all-over aching sensation, or it can manifest as an acute feeling centered in a single area. Unfortunately, pain alone is non-specific and hard to diagnose as a sports hernia.

One particular type of chronic pain better indicates a sports hernia injury. With a sports hernia, everyday activities like lifting, twisting and running can become extremely painful. A hallmark of a sports hernia injury is that the pain can improve even with rest, but it returns with a vengeance once activity resumes.

Be sure to come back next week to read Part Two on this topic.