7°c Clear
19°c Sunny
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Sports hernia: A pain in the gut
WHEN you think of a sport injury, what kind of problem comes to mind? You might consider an ankle sprain from twisting your foot hiking. Or perhaps a sore shoulder from playing volleyball, or a knee injury from planting your foot and twisting your leg in soccer. Even though abdominal injuries are not as common in sport as those mentioned above, they are not unusual. In fact, abdominal injuries can be quite painful and can last a long time.
Muscle strain
A muscle-strain injury is a familiar occurrence. The most common abdominal muscle injured is the rectus abdominus, the one that can produce the "six pack" appearance in avid body builders. The most common way to injure it is by over-working the muscle in weightlifting or abdominal crunches. The resulting pain can be made worse by movements that pull or stretch the muscle, or by doing sit-ups.
The treatment for a strain to the rectus abdominus includes an initial rest from aggravating activities, with optional use of an anti-inflammatory medication, ice or heat. Once pain is reduced, a rehab program that includes stretching and eventual strengthening exercises is a good idea. This is not a very easy injury to play through, as the pain can be very uncomfortable. Some patients find that wearing pelvic-compression shorts is helpful. If there is some tear to the muscle, it can take six to eight weeks before a return to sport can be considered.
Sports hernia
In sports that involve quick twisting and turning, such as ultimate frisbee, soccer and hockey, a strain or tissue disruption to the lower part of the abdominal wall can occur. This injury is known as a sports hernia. This is a different injury than the common types of hernias that create a noticeable bulge in the groin area. In fact, some sport medicine experts feel that sports hernias should not be labelled as hernias because they do not cause the same bulge that a true hernia does. The area of injury in a sports hernia is located where the abdomen meets the groin. A tear can occur involving the transverse abdominus, internal oblique or external oblique muscles. Fatigue and abdominal-wall weakness are thought to contribute to the development of sports hernias, with the adductor muscles of the hip out-powering the abdominal oblique muscles.
The onset of discomfort is usually gradual rather than a sudden event. Pain is made worse by stretching the leg backwards, or by doing sit-ups or twisting movements. Attempting to run or skate is usually uncomfortable. Sports hernia is a difficult diagnosis to make, since there is no test that can be ordered to prove that is does exist. A clinical examination is very important, and can reveal tenderness or a defect in the abdominal muscle tissue. Your physician needs to rule out other causes of abdominal and groin pain before arriving at a diagnosis of sports hernia. Conservative treatment is preferable, especially when no tear defect can be found. However, some patients require surgical intervention.
The anatomy is complicated in the groin and lower abdomen. Therefore, there are many possible injuries and medical conditions that can occur in this area. Unfortunately, many of the bone and muscle problems in this area are very slow to resolve. Try to get your diagnosis sorted out early so that you are not disappointed by the duration of your injury. If you are experiencing enough discomfort that you are having difficulty playing a sport, then it is time to get some medical and rehab assistance.
Dr. Maureen Kennedy MD, CCFP, FCFP, MSc, PhD(c) Kinesiology, Dip. Sport Med., is a sport and exercise medicine physician at Sport for Life Centre, www.sportmedicinecentre.ca
Readers are welcome to ask Dr. Kennedy questions, but due to the volume of requests, replies are not guaranteed.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 6, 2012 C1
More Your Health
- Back to Top
- Return to Your Health
More Your Health
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
American Cancer Society, born at a time when cancer was a lesser threat, marks 100 years
2:15 AM 0NEW YORK, N.Y. - The American Cancer Society — one of the nation's best known and influential health advocacy groups ...
Poll
Most Popular Your Health
- New Brunswick discouraging new family doctors from practising: medical residents
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Drug users in Abbotsford, B.C., sue over bylaw that bans clean needle exchange
- Measles outbreaks flourish in UK years after discredited research tied measles shot to autism
- Portland, Ore., mayor concedes that residents have rejected water fluoridation
- Baker's cyst A sign of something else
- Avoid herpes -- make love like a porcupine
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Family members want RCMP to do more for officers with post-traumatic stress
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Measles outbreaks flourish in UK years after discredited research tied measles shot to autism
- New Brunswick discouraging new family doctors from practising: medical residents
- Three companies recall antipsychotic drug quetiapine: Health Canada says
- Baker's cyst A sign of something else
- Avoid herpes -- make love like a porcupine
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Opposition wants inquest into death of woman who left Winnipeg hospital ER
- Drug users in Abbotsford, B.C., sue over bylaw that bans clean needle exchange
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Baby delivery: safe haven baby drop-off sites open in Edmonton hospitals
- Boston Marathon bombing victims face huge medical bills; tens of millions in donations pour in
- Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy: Q&A
- Pharmacy assistant who found diluted cancer drugs says label raised questions
- Auditor general takes aim at residential schools, diabetes prevention
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Hockey commentator Kelly Hrudey shares daughter's struggle with mental illness
- Biomedical engineer designs exercises, tests to battle Alzheimer's
- Baker's cyst A sign of something else
- No evidence cycle helmet laws reduce head injuries: study
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Canadian dies with aid of doctor in Zurich; wished it could have been in Canada
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Canadian dies with aid of doctor in Zurich; wished it could have been in Canada
- Ontario Nurses Association seeks moratorium on cuts to registered nursing jobs
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Avoid herpes -- make love like a porcupine
- Three companies recall antipsychotic drug quetiapine: Health Canada says
- Measles outbreaks flourish in UK years after discredited research tied measles shot to autism
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Biomedical engineer designs exercises, tests to battle Alzheimer's
- AGING AMERICA: Poll finds people in denial about the need for long-term care as they get older
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Kidney problems price we pay for progress
- Natural medicine best for lowering cholesterol
- Hockey commentator Kelly Hrudey shares daughter's struggle with mental illness
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Knee repair? Study finds physical therapy as good as surgery for torn cartilage, arthritis
- Federal Court tells Ottawa to reimburse First Nation for disabled child's costs
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.