Female Sports Hernias

Women Get Sports Hernias

Published June 3, 2019 By William Brown, MD

You are a woman and are suffering from inguinal and groin pain. Unfortunately, you have been told that women do not get sports hernias. To add to the problem, when you see your surgeon, he/she only talks with you for a few minutes and barely even examines you. You are told to rest. You are told to take some Advil. You are told to try physical therapy. In short, go away and do not bother me anymore. Then the doctor rushes off to see one of the male patients.

It is true that fewer women than men get sports hernias, but it is also true that women push their bodies just as hard as men. And women often suffer from Sports Hernia injuries. Over ten percent of the athletes that I take care of are women. And if a female athlete does not improve with conservative treatment then surgery is…

Addressing the Gender Gap in Sports Hernias

Published April 20, 2017 By William Brown, MD

Sports Hernia is an Equal Opportunity Injury

Sports injuries happen to the best, and most fit of us, from professional athletes to neighborhood softball league stars. Sometimes, they’re benign like a sprain or a pulled muscle. But other times, an injury is more complex, such as a sports hernia. Deep tissue tears resulting from sharp movements, diagnosed as sports hernias, affect athletes of all ages, sizes and skill levels. And sports hernias are gender neutral. They affect both men and women.

A sports hernia is less common than many other injuries, and even professionals have difficulty pinpointing one. In the simplest possible terms, a sports hernia happens when there is a tear in the abdominal muscles. It affects the groin and lower trunk area, which is part of the “core” that keeps us stable. Unlike a traditional hernia, it doesn’t cause a hole in the abdominal wall. However, this can also…

Because You Changed My Life

Published January 14, 2015 By William Brown, MD

Dear Dr. Brown,

Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me. ll-sportshernia-recovery-sm I wanted to take a minute to write a letter about my experience, because you changed my life.

I was a marathon runner getting close to qualifying for Boston, my dream. However, after running an ultra marathon last year, I had developed a strange injury in the groin/pelvis. After a few months of not running, the injury had gotten much worse to where it became extremely difficult to even walk, at 25 years old.

After visiting 19 doctors all over the state and undergoing endless tests that came up negative, you were the only one that could figure out what my injury was. You were honest and open about exactly what you thought I needed and precisely how the recovery would go. You were able to perform the 4 open surgeries within a…

Photos of Sports Hernia Surgery

Published October 7, 2014 By William Brown, MD

A Sports Hernia Repair Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

A sports hernia injury is a debilitating, painful injury. It occurs when the oblique muscles of the core are torn, usually through a twisting or lifting motion during activities like hockey and dance. A sports hernia differs from a regular hernia because there is no hole made through the inguinal wall, therefore it doesn’t produce a visible bulge. Unfortunately, this can make a diagnosis extremely difficult and treatment courses confusing for physicians with little experience.

Sometimes after suffering a sports hernia injury, it can feel hopeless that someday you might be able to compete at the same level as before. Today’s surgical techniques, however, make full recovery a reality. While surgery can seem like an extreme choice over say physical therapy, a sports hernia repair surgery is actually a fairly simple procedure when performed by an experienced surgeon who can…

Female Sports Hernia

Published March 26, 2014 By William Brown, MD

Sports Hernia Symptoms in Women

female sports hernia Another doctor’s office. Another specialist referral. And another explanation for your torso and groin pain. Yet with all of the visits and appointments, the pain still hurts, unexplained and present. There is one possible explanation for groin pain in women that you and your doctor may be missing: a sports hernia.

Female sports hernias are painful soft tissue injuries to the lower torso and groin area. More commonly occurring in men, these injuries often go undiagnosed in women. It’s important to be aware of sports hernia symptoms in women, especially if you think that you may be living with one.

Sports hernias are common after sharp, twisting movements of the hips, like those in basketball, soccer and even dancing. A sports hernia is the result of a tear in the abdominal wall due to tremendous pressure on the ligaments and muscles attached to the pelvic…

Dancer’s Can Get Sports Hernias

Published February 19, 2014 By William Brown, MD

The Dancer’s Guide to Sports Hernias

Ballerina sports hernia On the surface, one could not find two athletic polar opposites than ice hockey players and dancers. Looking closer however, they share several commonalities in the way they move and strain their torso and groin areas. These movements can cause inguinal disruptions (sports hernias), which is why both hockey players and dancers are prone to this debilitating injury. Indeed, dancers can get sports hernias, just like other athletic professionals.

The similarities don’t end there. Like other athletes, dancers often report that intense pain returns after a few days of rest. Pain is treated as a sprain. The cycle of rest, dance, pain, rest, dance, pain repeats, and the dancer eventually seeks a medical evaluation. Sports hernia dance patients report that the pain is deep and that it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact source. Applying pressure externally, and even coughing, does not recreate…