Background: Surgery has a recognised role in the treatment of 'sportsman's groin'. This study hypothesises that elite athletes have a superior advantage in both pre- and post-op rehabilitation and therefore will present and resume sporting activities quicker.
Methods: A retrospective analysis on a secure database of athletes presenting with groin pain that underwent surgery for 'inguinal disruption'. All data were explored via appropriate descriptive statistics and comparisons made between elite and amateur athletes.
Results: All patients were male (n = 144). The median age 33 years (range 14-72). The median return to sporting activity was 4.5 weeks (range 2.0-16.0) with one amateur athlete being unable to return to sporting activity. Using the mean of both sides, a comparison of VAS pain scores at pre-operative and 1 month post-operative time points showed a significant reduction (p < 0.001). Comparing 'elite' versus 'amateur' athletes, significant differences were seen in patient age (median 26 vs 40 years; p < 0.001), lead time to clinic presentation (median 62.0 vs 111.5 days; p = 0.004), and time to return to sporting activity (4 vs 5 weeks; p = 0.019). Additional MRI findings within the groin girdle were found in 89 patients (66.4%) and 34 patients (23.6%) had an MRI finding within the adductor tendon.
Conclusion: The Manchester Groin Rrepair is an effective surgical management for 'inguinal disruption'. Elite athletes present quicker and return to sport sooner. Given the prevalence of other findings, a multidisciplinary approach to the 'sportsman's groin' is required.
Keywords: Athletic pubalgia; Inguinal disruption; Sportsman’s groin; Totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair.