The so-called "soft groin" has long been known as a typical soccer and tennis player injury. But more and more triathletes and marathon runners are also affected by the pain in the groin area. "Soft groin" actually describes a weakness or even a small injury to the abdominal wall or the inguinal canal. Nerve irritation or inflammation in this region then causes the pain. This "athlete's groin" is also seen as a preliminary stage of the hernia and should therefore receive the necessary attention.
Complex network of causes
The term "soft groin" often functions more as a collective term for pain in the groin region. The exact diagnosis is very difficult, since many causes are close together. For example, cartilage problems and "normal" muscle fiber tears can also cause similar pain. The aforementioned structural weakness in the abdominal muscles or in the inguinal canal can also have many causes: On the one hand, this can
be congenital, on the other hand, an undertrained abdominal musculature and a shortened hip flexor can be the reason. Unfortunately, abdominal muscles that are trained too strongly (and one-sidedly) can also lead to complaints. Furthermore, other muscular imbalances, a difference in leg length, incorrect footwear and changing the running surface are reasons for irritation and pain in this area. What they all have in common is that the problems arise or are aggravated by very heavy physical exertion. Therefore, groin problems often coexist with overtraining syndrome.
Symptoms of overload also in endurance sports
This explains why endurance athletes are also affected. In percentage terms, footballers have had to struggle with this injury significantly more in the past. Your training includes many short peak loads with changes in direction. There are also shots with externally rotated legs. The strain on the groin area, especially the inguinal canal, is very great. However, since more and more amateur athletes have been training with great effort for marathons, triathlons and a washboard abs, there are also more and more symptoms of overload in these otherwise "healthy" sports. Overall, significantly more men than women are affected for anatomical reasons.
symptoms and diagnosis
The pain is usually felt in the lower abdomen, in the inguinal ligaments and on the inside of the thighs on one or both sides. It is characteristic that the pain is particularly severe when coughing and sneezing. The symptoms develop slowly and get progressively worse. The athlete can often continue training for months because the pain is not severe and only occurs during exertion.
The fact is: If the symptoms are ignored, it can even become life-threatening. If there is a sudden hernia, organs can escape from the abdomen and thus no longer work properly. Furthermore, the sensible view of training with pain applies: If you have to grit your teeth for weeks and months and do not eliminate the causes, you cannot really increase your performance in the long term.
A soft groin is diagnosed based on the anamnesis, careful scanning of the region and an ultrasound examination or magnetic resonance imaging. If the groin weakness is already very advanced, even small protrusions can be seen in the abdominal area.
Treatment and looking to the future
First, the doctor will prescribe a break from training. Often there is also a direct referral to the orthopedist, who very often suggests an operation to forestall the possible hernia. The operation is 90% successful and eliminates the symptoms. You can start training again after just a few weeks.
However, this does not always eliminate all problems for the future. It is important to research and eliminate the causes: muscular deficits and imbalances can be remedied through targeted training and physiotherapy. Targeted massages can also help. The footwear and the training plan should be studied carefully and adapted to personal needs and possibilities. With well-planned training, even genetic weaknesses in the groin area hardly cause problems.
