How Important is a Physical Therapy Protocol after Athletic Pubalgia Surgery?

Originally, when we started focusing on the Athletic Pubalgia/Sports Hernia injury, we were not certain how important a Physical Therapy protocol was in the post op period. Our feeling was that although it couldn’t hurt, it was unclear as to the benefit.

As the years have gone by, this thought process has changed. A Physical Therapy protocol is very important in a significant number of cases. The reason for this is that although the reattachment of the aponeurotic plate, the spot where the rectus abdominus muscle meets the adductor longus at the level of the pubic bone, needs time and rest to heal, the muscles themselves need to be worked. There is a new calibration, to some degree, of the structures, and therefore a re-tensioning process occurs. A PT protocol is aimed at helping the muscles during this process.

In addition, scarring, which in most aspects of the surgery is important and necessary, may occur in the adductor tendon, The PT protocol is also aimed at lessening this process at the adductor level.

We tend to start with a standard PT protocol which we give to the patient to use, either with a Physical Therapist, a Trainer, or the patients themselves if they are comfortable with this process.