Can You Play Tennis With An Inguinal Hernia? Find Your Answer Here!

The hernia is not something we can joke about. Although it is not something severe like a heart attack, developing it for a prolonged period can severely affect a person’s lifestyle. The question is, “can you play tennis with an inguinal hernia? Does not have a direct answer. The degrees of a hernia development in a person are different, and so are the circumstances. Not everyone is built in the same way. Also, the age of the person developing the hernia needs to be considered.

To answer the question “Can, you play tennis with an inguinal hernia?” we must say that one first needs to get a professional medical practitioner’s appointment. And if you have been playing tennis for quite some time now, there is also a chance of developing “Sports Hernia.” as a predecessor. 

Is it possible to play tennis with an inguinal hernia?

Before we give you a direct answer to the question, let us first clarify the various types of hernia and, most notably, the chances of developing them.

Inguinal hernia is of two types. And the physician first needs to find out whether it is a direct hernia or an indirect one.

Direct inguinal Hernia

When a bulge occurs from the “posterior wall” of the inguinal canal, then according to the medical term, it is called a direct inguinal hernia.

Indirect Inguinal Hernia

When the doctors see that the hernia can pass through the inguinal canal, which is also referred o as the groin, it is called an indirect inguinal hernia.

Now the type of hernia a tennis player develops decides whether they can play with an inguinal hernia or not. It is not always very “serious,” They are sometimes advised to play tennis with an inguinal hernia, provided they take the necessary precautions.

How do tennis players develop an inguinal hernia?

In most tennis players, the inguinal hernia develops due to sports hernia. The majority of you may not be very familiar with the term sports hernia. So let us give you a brief introduction before diving deep into the topic.

In most tennis players, the sports hernia develops first before turning into a common inguinal hernia. Now you might wonder why such naming develops majorly in the players involved in sports that require extensive physical activity since the sportspersons’ are the ones to build this among the masses it is so named.

Is it possible to play tennis with an inguinal hernia, and what are its symptoms!

Sometimes the symptoms may not be very severe to refrain a player from playing. But in the case of an inguinal hernia, most players suffer from severe pain, which indicates undergoing medical treatment.

Pain

The most common symptom for both the inguinal and the sports hernia is severe pain in the groin region. Although sports hernia develops as a predecessor, the sign of severe pain remains the same. Most of the time, in the case of sports hernia, the pain gets better with rest, but when it develops into an inguinal hernia, a bit of rest is not enough to relieve the patient of pain. But in both cases, the pain returns as soon as the twisting movements are repeated.

Bulge

When the hernia is in its early stages, the bulge is not visible. But once it develops more and grows into an inguinal hernia, the bulge is visible. In this situation, if you ask can a tennis player play tennis with an inguinal hernia, the answer would be, It depends on the size. Too big a bulge makes it difficult for tennis players to give their hundred percent, hindering their performance.

Treatments of inguinal hernia

The doctors first take some tests to identify the stage of the hernia and whether it can be managed without resorting to surgical methods. Since most of the answers to the question “can a tennis player play tennis with an inguinal hernia?” are negative, there are two approaches that the physicians follow.

The Nonsurgical Treatment

Physical Therapy: Most players are advised to undergo physical therapy after a few weeks of the injury. The motive behind this suggestion is that it helps to improve the flexibility and strength of the thighs, which prevents the hernia from further development.

Anti-inflammatory medicines: Sometimes, the doctors recommend anti-inflammatory medications to reduce the swelling and relieve the patient of the pain. But these are primarily effective as long as it is still a sports hernia and not an inguinal hernia. In the latter case, sometimes injections are prescribed by the doctors to reduce the pain, which might otherwise not be cured with the medicines.

The Surgical pathway

The surgical procedure involves repairing the torn tissues in the groin region. There are various methods followed, which involve the traditional one in which the part of the body is cut open, or there’s the second procedure that reuses the endoscopic technique. The second procedure is followed in most cases since the incision made is more petite. However, the results for both strategies are the same.

After the surgery is completed, the doctors recommend a rehabilitation plan to help the patient regain their strength and flexibility in the groin region. So to answer whether a player can play tennis with an inguinal hernia? It is “No” yet; there are various methods to deal with it.

According to statistics, it has been found that more than 90% of the patients combined both the procedures to get back to the court faster. The combination involved beginning with the nonsurgical treatment to relieve the pain and swelling, followed by the surgery.

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