Hernias...

[livingminimal]

Ok folks.
Hadn't been climbing much on rides, went out two weeks ago, climbed my balls off, and since I have had some numb, dull pain in my lower back/waist area into my groin.

I have my 40th b-day physical today, so I should get some answers on what it is, but I am preparing for the worst...so, a couple of questions...

Have you had a sports hernia?
Did you need surgery to repair?
How long was recovery?

Final Jeopardy Question: Is there any hope for me that it is just a pulled muscle of some kind?

Thanks all.

[guido]

I'm no expert so I'll hold off on the diagnosis... Just experience with mine...

I had the mesh style repair done almost 10 years ago. I was pretty active and on the trainer in a week or so and at 4 was as good as new...

Good luck! I hope it goes well!

[johnniecakes]

I had 2 bulges on the left side just above the recreation area. I had no pain or discomfort. The doctor referred me to a specialist that repaired it using screen. He inserted it through a small incision in the navel and 2 tiny incisions in the abdomen. Went back to work two days later. (in sweat pants). Off the bike 4 weeks. This was in January and so far no problems

[donevwil]

No experience with a sports hernia, but did have surgery to repair a double hernia last year. Procedure and recovery were just as johnniecakes shared. Requested the operation be on a Thursday, took Friday off, back to work on Monday (in sweat pants as well). Back on the bike in four weeks, but abdomen didn't feel "normal" for a few months.

[Black Dog]

This is likely a Hip Flexor issue by the sounds of your symptoms, not a hernia. Hernias often have a sore spot and that will be on the front of your body. Hip flexors go from the back of your pelvis (Lower Back) through to the front lower part of your pelvis (Groin). Non the less, if it gets worse or does not resolve itself up within 6 weeks you will need to seek some non-internet help.

[kevinvc]

I had an umbilical hernia surgery in January with the expectation that I would be back in action in a couple of weeks. That was overly optimistic. I was in a lot of pain pretty much non-stop for almost a week. After that, it was more of a distraction unless I lifted anything over 5 pounds, bent over, rotated or did basically anything other than be still. But I couldn't sit still for more than an hour or so or it tightened up when I got up.

I had a couple of follow up visits and they said everything was fine, I was just healing slower than a lot of people. I finally started bike commuting again after about 6 weeks off and am back to long rides with no problems.

Every once in a while I will get a little twinge that reminds me it's there, but it doesn't inhibit any of my activities anymore.

Hopefully your recovery will be closer to the experience of others on the forum. For me, I probably made things worse by getting impatient and then carrying more stuff around than I should have been. Patience is key.

[DG24]

There is a 164 page thread on a running forum (Let's Run) regarding sports hernia as well as useful information on - believe it or not - You Tube.

I have no experience beyond what I've read and seen - and what I have been experiencing for the past 4 months or so.

In general a "sport's" hernia involves pain in the lower abdomen area and groin. Pain typically originates in groin and eventually involves the lower abdomen.

Surgery offers mixed results with re-occurrence common. A Philadelphia and German based Dr. appear to have had the most success treating this injury, but it is largely an out-of-pocket expense.

Some sufferers advocate rest, others suggest rest complicates the healing (i.e. scar tissue).

In my case, I am able to ride with little to no aggravation of the area. Running is manageable at a very slow pace, but becomes painful as the increased paces. It is really more of an extreme lingering and progressive tightness and discomfort rather than sharp pain.

I first noticed the issue in early December (but in retrospect had signs earlier). I continued running through the end of the year and all of January. I took Feb off and focused on stationary/elliptical/treadmill incline walking. Resumed running in early March, symptoms returned similar to January. Will not run mid-March through the end of April. We'll see what May brings.

Planks are recommended. Lunges and split squats if the exercises do not cause too much discomfort. I've tried to incorporate both, as well as stretching, but have had seen little improvement.

Since your pain is in your back area, you may not have a classic "sports" hernia.

There is no visible bulge or protrusion associated with a sports hernia, just small tears in the abdomen wall.

Good luck. Hope you feel better soon.

Dave

[deechee]

ditto on the hip flexor. As much as it doesn't sound right, I just did something similar. After months off the bike I overdid it last week with the warmer weather climbing. My chiro dug into my hip flexors the other day and it really helped. Rest up, and if you're ok to take anti-inflammatories, they might help to reduce any tension in the muscles which are seized.

Not to scare you or anything, but have it checked out by a proper professional instead of random internet strangers. A former coworker of mine had back pain for months, and it was a result of a tumor which was diagnosed very late.

[livingminimal]

ditto on the hip flexor. As much as it doesn't sound right, I just did something similar. After months off the bike I overdid it last week with the warmer weather climbing. My chiro dug into my hip flexors the other day and it really helped. Rest up, and if you're ok to take anti-inflammatories, they might help to reduce any tension in the muscles which are seized.

Thanks, just curious, what were your symptoms?



Not to scare you or anything, but have it checked out by a proper professional instead of random internet strangers. A former coworker of mine had back pain for months, and it was a result of a tumor which was diagnosed very late.

Oh yeah man, Im going today. Since my mom died of cancer at 57 I take no chances. This was more to hear about individuals experiences with them, recovery especially. I hope its hip flexor too but we'll see. Thanks.

[deechee]

Sorry to hear about your mom. Yeah, it's pretty crazy how hard diagnosing pain can be. Good luck.

My pain (this time) was basically localized to one side of my back, L1 area. Basically I felt lopsided, and couldn't lift the leg on that side while standing, bent leg or straight. Sitting isn't comfortable and lying down on my back, I can't stretch out my legs.

The main treatment when I whack out like this is rest - BUT also keeping active. If that means all I can muster is walking, I'll walk to and from work. Anti-inflammatories like Aleve/Naproxen, or Ibuprofin help. Foods like yogurt are also supposedly high in inflammatory properties. I find not moving my back locks it up even more which just makes me useless. Consciously activating my glutes, and core muscles (that feeling of sucking in your belly button to your back and not sticking out your ribs) helps loosen things up in the area. Rotating your trunk left and right and moving your core muscles in all the planes keeps things moving. Only once things subside, I'll start hip flexor stretches, but you have to be careful. Its like the damn groin. Easy to overdo. ps. A massage therapist/chiro can go into your hip flexors from your abs. Its really uncomfortable, but the results are pretty good. Its an interesting experience and it'll help you better understand how high up the flexors are connected to your back.

All this said, I *have* slipped a disc too, and in that case, the pain is much more localized and sometimes radiates up/down. If its possible, I think that when its my hip flexors I can still bend over from the waist. When its a hernia, there's no way in hell I'm bending. I'm stiff as a board and my spine loses the curvature above the glutes. In those situations, electrical stimulation (tens) at the physio is what really helps break down the stiffness. And then stretching. Usually I have to work some exercises in a specific direction to help push the bugger back in place. But honestly, the bigger issue is the inflammed areas around the dumb disc. Traction helps the hernia situation a lot - basically i find something I can hang my body weight off the ground and rotate left and right gently. It helps relieve the load off the back while gently nudging the disc back in place. I assume you don't have cyclist chicken arms. Cuz then it gets tiring really quick.