Groin and abdominal muscle strain injuries have sidelined many hockey stars in recent years. It is difficult to diagnose and generally requires surgery for definitive treatment. A hernia occurs when an organ or body part protrudes through the structure meant to contain it. The most common hernia is the inguinal, or groin, hernia. The pathway for an inguinal hernia is a remnant from fetal development known as the inguinal canal.
Hernias can occur at any age in both males and females.
There is no protrusion of an organ through its usual confines. The sports hernia is a relatively new medical concept and not all physicians embrace it. The sports hernia is a disruption of the groin or lower abdomen characterized by weakening of the posterior, or inner, wall of the inguinal canal, which leads to unilateral groin or lower abdominal pain. Sports hernias may occur due to leg adductor action, or bringing the leg toward the middle of the body, during activity. Adduction creates shearing forces across the pubic symphysis, stressing the posterior inguinal wall.