Rehabilitation and Return to Play Following Surgery for Inguinal-Related Groin Pain

This article discusses rehabilitation and return to play following surgery for inguinal-related groin pain (IRGP) in athletes. IRGP is defined as pain in the inguinal canal region, in the absence of an actual inguinal hernia. Recognizable pain is present on palpation of the inguinal canal. The article discusses the current thinking on possible underlying pathology, which is a subject of debate. The different surgical options in use at the present time are described briefly and an overview of the current literature regarding rehabilitation following surgery for IRGP is provided. The main body of the article describes a 4-stage clinical milestone-based rehabilitation program, based upon the authors' expert opinion. The program moves the athlete through the phases from immediate postoperative, early, intermediate, to advanced sports-specific rehabilitation. Each stage comprises a number of basic exercises with a focus on strengthening along with a set of functional exercises with progressive running and agility. Clinical milestones to be completed before progression to the next phase are provided. Both the basic and functional programs are performed simultaneously from the beginning of rehabilitation. This 4-stage clinical milestone-based rehabilitation and return-to-sport program is provided as an expert opinion-based suggestion as to how one can approach rehabilitation following surgery for IRGP.