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Sportsmen’s Groin: Groin Pain: Always a Case for the Orthopedic Surgeon?

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Operative Hip Arthroscopy

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Abstract

The sportsmen’s groin is one of the most frequent sports injuries and represents a severe clinical problem, especially in athletes. It presents with acute or chronic groin pain exacerbated with physical activity. Various pathologic changes can result in groin pain (sportsmen’s groin, hip injuries, muscular strain, etc.). Thus, it may be difficult to distinguish the symptoms between different problems.

There are various attempts to explain the cause of the groin pain with sportsmen’s groin. We agree with the assumption that the genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve is compressed by a localized bulge due to a circumscribed weakness in the posterior wall of the inguinal canal during the Valsalva maneuver.

Based on this theory, we developed an innovative open-suture repair, which is performed under local anesthesia, especially to fit exactly the needs of professional athletes. With this, so-called “Minimal Repair” technique, the circumscribed weakness of the posterior wall of the inguinal canal is repaired, the compression on the genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve is abolished, and the cause of the pain is removed.

The Minimal Repair technique has the following advantages: (1) no insertion of prosthetic mesh, (2) no general anesthesia required, (3) less traumatization, and (4) lower risk of severe complications with (5) much faster convalescence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hernia Center Munich, Hernienzentrum Dr. Muschaweck, Arabellastrasse 17, Munich, Bavaria, 81925, Germany

    Ulrike Muschaweck M.D., Ph.D. (Surgical Chief)

  2. Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Ismaninger Str. 22, Munich, 81675, Bavaria, Germany

    Luise Berger M.D.

Authors
  1. Ulrike Muschaweck M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Luise Berger M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ulrike Muschaweck M.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Center, Baptist Medical Plaza I, Nashville Sports Medicine and, Church Street 2011, Nashville, 37203, Tennessee, USA

    J.W. Thomas Byrd

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Muschaweck, U., Berger, L. (2013). Sportsmen’s Groin: Groin Pain: Always a Case for the Orthopedic Surgeon?. In: Byrd, J. (eds) Operative Hip Arthroscopy. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7925-4_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7925-4_6

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