Sports hernias are caused by repetitive turning and twisting at high speeds, which results in overuse of groin muscles and stress on the inguinal wall.
This type of hernia occurs mainly in people who play soccer, tennis and ice hockey, but can affect other athletes as well.
A sports hernia can often be hard to diagnose because it may not present as a visible hernia. The primary symptom for a sports hernia is pain in the groin that may last for weeks or months.
Resting the groin muscles can sometimes solve the problem, but surgery is often needed to reinforce the inguinal wall. Elite athletes often prefer to have surgery immediately to resolve the problem quickly and return to competition.
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