

The Highlander

Hurt Bradley wrote:
Jonny and Matt, thanks for your responses.

See, this is the thing I am confused about if it is a sports hernia - I have no agonizing or severe pain, certainly nothing that has impeded normal "functioning." While running, it gets pretty painful - I usually have to stop after a while, but at no point would I ever describe my pain as "severe" "agonizing" or "11/10." I can walk around all day, feel some irritation (this may change after I stop the anti-inflammatories), but nothing too painful and nothing that keeps me from functioning. I could cross train with relatively little pain, but am not doing much of that because I want it to heal faster and feel this might be hindering me. Also, like I said, my abdonimal pain has been minimal so far.

SO I'm wondering whether it's just a much less severe case of sports hernia or something else: a bad adductor strain, stress fracture (I think this too would be more severe), osteitis pubis, a nerve problem, I really don't know what....Or maybe my pain is less severe because I stopped training immediately when I noticed and did not try to run or train hard (and have not since I got the injury.)

The one thing that's sure is I am not getting any better. It seems like seeing most doctors or even sports medicine doctors is pointless with these injuries. I have a phone call appt. with Dr. Meyers on Wed. though.

I read this and you described my situation exactly. Unlike most of the people on this thread who have waited years with an acute pain, I knew almost straight away that I needed to see an expert.

After a 3 week layoff between track and xcountry seasons I started to get a dull pain in my groin after 20mins of running. The next day absolutely no pain, did the same, 20mins later it starts to hurt again. Saw the physios and they had no clue, they made sure everything around the groin was fine (adductors, psiosus muscle etc) but couldn't figure out why I was still feeling pain.

I got some deep tissue massage done on it which was extremely painful but within a week I was running for 30mins painfree until the onset came again. Using one of my contacts I managed to skip a 6 week waiting list with Mark Buckingham and saw him that week (get friends in high places it helps lol). For those who don't know, Buckingham is considered to be one of the best physios in England and I found him worthy of his reputation. After getting a second opinion from the England rugby physio they both concluded it was a sports hernia (my GP, physios and masseur never knew this... sometimes you have to spend the money and go see the best).

I tried the nhs route but the waiting lists are too long, so I'm spending £2000 to get this Gilmore's Groin fixed privately by another very well qualified individual at Three Shires Hospital. Had the consultation today and we're going for a laparoscopic correction, which gives me a much quicker recovery than the traditional way. I've heard of athletes putting in 100 mile weeks a week after this op, it's generally a very fast recovery.

I'm getting this done in 2 weeks time and still putting in 40 mile weeks. You're allowed to run so long as you don't feel any acute pain and I still do weights and conditioning. Just because you have this condition does not mean to sit down and do nothing- keep active so long as there is no real pain (discomfort is fine generally).

My advice would be go see an expert asap because you can see 5 or 6 guys for a groin injury and come out no better off. It's worth the money and the time. Good luck :)

