RECOVERING FROM A SPORTS HERNIA: A PT-FOCUSED REHAB GUIDE
Sports hernias (also called athletic pubalgia, inguinal disruption, or PLAC injuries) are a common but inconvenient and painful injury that many athletes must deal with at one point or another. Movements such as sprinting, twisting the body, kicking, and making a sudden directional change can lead to pain seemingly out of nowhere. When this occurs, the lower body can hurt for days or weeks, and performance on the field can be affected for even longer than that. Fortunately, physical therapy is well-equipped to treat a sports hernia, not only relieving pain and restoring full range of motion but also improving athletic performance and helping to prevent future injuries.
At JAG Physical Therapy, one of the leading local PT names across New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, our team has many years of experience effectively treating athletic injuries including sports hernias. We use an integrated approach focusing on strength, stability, and functional movement as well as patient education and gradual, individualized progression. Book an appointment with us now to get started or see more below on how PT care can help to properly heal a sports hernia.
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What Is a Sports Hernia and How Does It Affect Athletes?
Any tear or strain of the muscles, tendons, or connective tissue in the lower abdomen and groin can cause the characteristic symptoms of a sports hernia. Although various different muscles and their associated tissue can be the physical location of the injury, similar symptoms tend to arise. Pain in the groin area, often in the muscles of one or both inner thighs, is often the first sign of a sports hernia. The pain tends to become worse, with a sharp or tightening sensation, when making certain sport-related motions such as rapid turns or attempting a hurdle, and even from coughing or sneezing. This means that trying to play through the pain will likely make matters worse and lead to lowered levels of performance in terms of speed, agility, and reactions. The level of pain and restricted mobility can cause problems in daily life as well, making common movements like lifting large objects off the ground and climbing stairs difficult.
What Causes Sports Hernias?
Sports hernias can be caused by sudden force or trauma, or they can be repetitive strain injuries. Overcommitting to a sudden sidestep or juke on the basketball court or football field can cause groin muscles to tear, but repetitive lower body twisting, like a hockey player or dancer might perform, could also do so. Generally, muscle imbalances, insufficient core stability caused by poor conditioning, and previous injuries in the same area that have weakened the connective tissue are all risk factors.
Physical therapy relieves pain and restores strength after a sports hernia for a safe return to sport.
How Does Physical Therapy Support Sports Hernia Rehabilitation?
You may know that guided exercise is one of the main modalities used in physical therapy for many conditions. In the case of a sports hernia, proper forms of exercise both in the PT clinic and at home are key for getting the best possible recovery. The techniques typically used strengthen the core and hip muscles, improve the flexibility of the hips in general and particularly the adductor muscles of the thighs, and identify and correct muscle imbalances. The overall goal is to optimize the mechanics of the lower body in order to improve function to the highest possible extent, avoid later injuries to this same region, and thereby safely return to playing sports.
What Are the Phases of a Sports Hernia PT Program?
If you’ve hurt your thighs, groin, or another area of muscle in your lower body, you will likely want to move better with less pain in the short term while also properly healing and avoiding future problems in the long term. A physical therapy care routine for a sports hernia aims at all of these concerns.
Right after the injury, in the acute phase, a physical therapist will focus on pain management and gentle, aided mobility of the affected area as appropriate. Any exercises that are recommended will be mild and measures such as heat and cold therapy are typically used. Once the initial, sharp pain is dealt with, the strengthening phase progresses to much more involved and targeted exercises for core, hip, and pelvic stabilization, aiming to restore the basics of functional movement and build a foundation of injury prevention. Finally, in the last phase of sport-specific rehabilitation, the therapist will design customized exercises for the patient allowing them to gradually return to the field by rebuilding the ability to safely run, twist, kick, jump, and suddenly redirect.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Physical Therapy for Sports Hernia Rehabilitation?
Sports hernia PT isn’t just for “serious” athletes who practice or play on a daily basis. If you have an injury or concern in the lower body, regardless of your age, lifestyle, or level of activity, this form of rehabilitation could be right for you. Anyone who has been diagnosed by a physician with athletic pubalgia or a general groin injury would benefit from sports hernia PT, as could those recovering from a surgery for this type of injury. In fact, at JAG PT, one of our top specializations is pre- and post-operative physical therapy. Athletes who currently have mild to moderate pain in the lower abdomen or thighs may be able to heal much more effectively thanks to sports hernia PT as well as pelvic floor PT. Physically active adults who want a minimally-invasive approach to preventing reinjury tend to find good results from physical therapy as well.
What Can Patients Expect During a Sports Hernia PT Evaluation?
All of our patients at JAG PT receive individualized care, and since sports hernias can occur in different ways to people who have various levels of physical activity, lifestyles, athletic pursuits, and health conditions, PT for this type of injury must be especially personalized. At a patient’s initial evaluation at one of our clinics after suffering a sports hernia, medical history review and movement assessment will come first. The therapist will note symptoms, inquire about the patient’s rehabilitation goals including what sports they may play, and conduct functional testing for the lower body. We always prioritize comfort and personal privacy, and we can collaborate as needed with outside providers such as orthopedic surgeons in cases of serious injury requiring an operation.
Why Choose JAG Physical Therapy for Sports Hernia Rehabilitation?
At our more than 160 clinic locations throughout New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, the skilled and empathetic therapists at JAG PT help patients recover from sports hernias, restore movement with reduced pain, and head back to the playing field every day. We always offer personalized and patient-centered care as part of our integrated approach that combines sports medicine with many other specialized PT methods. Schedule your appointment today to get both short- and long-term relief from sports hernia pain and take the first steps to playing at your best again.
Visit JAG Physical Therapy for more details or simply contact us. You can book an appointment for an evaluation here.
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