Paper
Proposed algorithm for the management of athletes with athletic pubalgia (sports hernia): a case series.
Published Dec 1, 2008 · A. Kachingwe, S. Grech
The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy
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Abstract
STUDY DESIGN A case series of 6 athletes with a suspected sports hernia. BACKGROUND Groin pain in athletes is common, and 1 source of groin pain is athletic pubalgia, or a sports hernia. Description of this condition and its management is scarce in the physical therapy literature. The purpose of this case series is to describe a conservative approach to treating athletes with a likely sports hernia and to provide physical therapists with an algorithm for managing athletes with this dysfunction. CASE DESCRIPTION Six collegiate athletes (age range, 19-22 years; 4 males, 2 females) with a physician diagnosis of groin pain secondary to possible/probable sports hernia were referred to physical therapy. A method of evaluation was constructed and a cluster of 5 key findings indicative of a sports hernia is presented. The athletes were managed according to a proposed algorithm and received physical therapy consisting of soft tissue and joint mobilization/manipulation, neuromuscular re-education, manual stretching, and therapeutic exercise. OUTCOMES Three of the athletes received conservative intervention and were able to fully return to sport after a mean of 7.7 sessions of physical therapy. The other 3 athletes reached this outcome after surgical repair and a mean of 6.7 sessions of physical therapy. DISCUSSION Conservative management including manual therapy appears to be a viable option in the management of athletes with a sports hernia. Follow-up randomized clinical trials should be performed to further investigate the effectiveness of conservative rehabilitation compared to a homogeneous group of patients undergoing surgical repair for this condition. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapy, level 4.
Case Report
Highly CitedConservative management, including manual therapy, is a viable option for athletes with a sports hernia, potentially allowing them to return to sport without surgical repair.
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