Sportsmen's groin. Definition, differential diagnosis and treatment

Groin pain in athletes is acommon problem and can have extensive consequences for professional athletes. The anatomical and functional complexity of the groin as well as radiating pain from remote anatomical regions can make the differential diagnosis achallenge and requires special attention. As there are awide variety of possible causes for groin pain, amultidisciplinary approach is required. The treating orthopedic surgeon needs to pay special attention to pre-arthritic hip deformities to avoid irreversible damage of the hip joint. By ameticulous patient history and identification of the pain character, followed by clinical, sonographic and radiographic investigations, adifferential diagnosis can usually be achieved. Besides typical orthopedic causes, pathological findings particularly in the area of the groin need to be considered, clarified and adequately treated; therefore, aclear terminology of the different diseases is necessary. Sportsmen's groin is not ahernia but should be perceived as aseparate entity due to its typical pain character and detection of ameasurable protrusion of the posterior wall of the inguinal canal by ultrasound.