ongoing groin problem

[mabbo]

Hello,

I am a physically fit 26 year old male but have had a problem with my right groin for a couple of years now, and the doctor and physio dont seem to know what the problem is.

My groin is fine untill I exercise. The only exercise I do is running and football. I have hardly played the last 2 football seasons because of my groin problems, and it is really getting me down.

Sometimes when I exercise I dont get any pain, but most of the time I do. I find if I wear support shorts it helps. The pain seems to get worse as Im playing a game, usually I am OK untill around 30 to 45 mins and then my groin starts to ache. I can play on but it is uncomfortable to lift my leg when I sprint, but I can jog OK. At this point the pain is more of an ache, but if I try to play the full 90 mins the pain is sharp as I lift my leg.

Depending on how it felt in the game, for days after it hurts to walk, lift my leg up and walk up stairs. If I lay flat on my back and try to hold my foot 6 inches off the ground, I can do this with my left leg, but my right leg hurts.

Last year I thought I had found the problem as I was diagnosed with a hernia after I spotted a lump after one game. The surgeon said the hernia had prob being causing the pain over the last couple of years and thought I would be OK after the operation. I had my operation and all went well, and after resting for over 10 weeks I started to play football again. I played the last 2 games of the season and it all felt OK, just a little sore around where they operated, not my groin.

I have just started pre-season training again now after a couple of month brake. The pain in my groin is back. It is right inside my groin/hip and feels like a sharp pain as it did before, but I dont think it is quite as bad as it was before, but I have took it steady in training. I spend much longer than the other players warming up and stretching my groin, but still get the problems.

Now, I am starting to think that it is not a muscle problem at all, and maybe something to do with my joint.

Over the past couple of years I have been to see the doctor, and to see a physio, but they dont seem to find anything. About a week after the game, everything feels fine again. Rest dont seem to help at all.

I really am clueless and would be greatfull if any of you have any suggestions on what I can do to stop the pain?

Thanks,

Neil

[Heidi]

Hi

Have you had any further investigations into this? We have had a few previous posts which seem quite similar to yours, so its worth having a read of these if you haven't already.

By investigations, I mean scans such as MRI etc? Of course the obvious thought is adductor (groin) tendinopathy (tendonitis). But if physio has been no help then there may be something else.

Some of the less common injuries surrounding this area include osteitis pubis:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/frontthigh/ostitispubis.htm

and gilmores groin:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/frontthigh/gilmores_groin.htm

In cases such as this, strengthening the core muscles is often advised. This is because the groinmuscles attach on to the pelvis. In order provide a stable base for their attachment, the core muscles need to be strong. So this is definately something worth looking into.

[mabbo]

Hello Heidi, thanks for the reply.

I have read through the messages on here, but it seems a lot of people have a rough idea what their problem is, whereas I am clueles.

I have seen 2 physios, the first said my groin had been compensating for a bad knee I had a couple of years ago, but I wasnt convinced. The second physio I seen was a Sports Physio who massaged the top of my leg and gave me some exercises to strengthen the area. I think they helped but didnt completely fix the problem. The exercises were to sit on the floor with my knees pushed against my elbows, and to fix a big elastic band type thing he gave me around the base of a bed post and use it as resistance to move my foot in a kicking motion.

When you suggest I strengthen the 'core' muscles, sorry to sound stupid, but which ones do you mean?

Thanks,
Neil

[Heidi]

Hi

The core muscles are the deeper abdominal muscles. The most commonly talked about one of these is Transversus abdominus:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/muscles/transversus_abdominus.php

However, the core as a whole, also includes Multifidus (a group of of deep spinal muscles), the pelvic floor muscles and the diaphragm. These form a 'box' shape, which when all are fully functioning, is designed to stabilise the Lumbar spine and pelvis.

We have some example exercises in this section:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/corestability-training1.php

These exercises are very gentle with little movement. They are more about learning how to contract these muscles and hold the contraction with increases in movement.

The exercises your physio gave you previously are also the kind of thing I would recommend, and if you found these useful, start them again - at a very low level initially and make sure they are pain free.

[touralie]

hey Neil and Heidi,

Mate you have seen doctor and 2 physios and your pain is still there. As you said, you had your op, rested, played two games of footy and were a little sore around your op site, but not your groin. you then rested again.

Assuming that you have been assessed correctly and that you have given treatment protocols a fair go I would be curious about any scare tissue or damage that may have been caused to your old hernia site after your two game return to footy.

could investigation via Ultrasound or MRI be a worthwhile first step. see you gp.

good luck.

Touralie