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Gilmore’s groin, or sportsman’s hernia, causes unilateral and persistent groin pain in athletes, particularly males in sports like hockey and soccer. Diagnosis involves examining the patient and identifying a dilated superficial inguinal ring and pain around the pubic tubercle. Treatment may involve muscle-strengthening exercises or surgery followed by rehabilitation. Most patients can resume sporting activities about ten weeks after surgery.
Gilmore’s groin, also known as sportsman’s hernia, was first described in 1980 by a surgeon named OJ Gilmore. The name sportsman’s hernia is misleading because there is no true hernia associated with the condition. Patients with Gilmore’s groin have unilateral and persistent groin pain. The exact cause of the condition is unknown, and some doctors think there could be several causes. Surgery can offer effective treatment and is typically followed by an intensive rehabilitation program.
Players in sports like hockey and soccer, who put strain on the groin through running, turning, twisting, and kicking, are more likely to develop Gilmore’s groin. Male athletes are more commonly affected by the condition than females. Once it has developed, the groin pain associated with the disorder is also made worse by continued vigorous activity. Typically, patients experience pain and stiffness in the evening after a sporting event and during the following morning. In two-thirds of cases, Gilmore’s groin pain develops gradually, while one-third of patients notice it starting suddenly.
Diagnosing Gilmore’s groin involves examining the patient first. Usually, a structure known as the superficial inguinal ring is dilated. The superficial inguinal ring is an opening in the external oblique muscle in your lower abdomen, and your doctor can feel this opening through your skin. It widens when tears develop in both the external oblique muscle and the band of tissue it joins, known as the conjoint tendon.
When examining a patient, the area around part of the pubic bone, known as the pubic tubercle, is often painful to the touch. This can be another major sign of Gilmore’s groin. Some patients have obvious muscle weakness that interferes with a movement of the hip joint known as adduction, where the leg moves inward. This can result from torn adductor muscles, which are found in about 40% of cases.
Treatment of Gilmore’s groin may initially involve a program of muscle-strengthening exercises, but if these fail to help the condition, surgery becomes necessary. During the surgery, all layers of the torn abdominal muscle are repaired. Patients then take part in an approximately four to six week rehabilitation program, completing four phases of exercises. The outlook for those treated surgically for Gilmore’s groin is positive. Most patients are able to resume sporting activities about ten weeks after surgery, and the condition rarely recurs.
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