MY STORY - SURF
First, my story quickly. I’m 59 yrs-old and have been playing pickup basketball once or twice a week for many years. In a game one year ago (Summer of 2008), making a quick move from a stooped defensive position, I felt something “give” in my groin, but no pain. I continued to play the game, no problem. I continued to play once or twice per week no problems. Sometime that summer, I went to do some situps and noticed a mild pain about an inch or two below my navel with each rep. Very unusual for me. Also I noticed my situps were weaker. I immediately decided to avoid doing situps.
But I kept playing basketball all that summer and Fall once or twice per week, with zero problems. Feeling great.
I moved across town for a new job and found a great court there with plenty of games every day. Rather than once or twice per week I started playing 3, 4, 5 days per week, thru November, December, January. No problems whatsoever. Life is wonderful.
One day I tried a few situps at home and noticed that I still had that little pain below my navel, but it was better – as if it had been slowly healing on its own. So, like an idiot, I decided to do some knee-ups. Sitting in a chair I grasp the seat with my hands, suspending my butt off the seat, then bring my knees up to my chin. Did about 10 of those.
Couple days later I became much sorer than usual after a basketball game, sore in the spermatic cords. Then a day later was OK. I didn’t mentally connect the abdominals work with the soreness.
A few days later decided to try some pull-down tricep work. Did a couple sets of 10 but could feel that little pain below my navel, so stopped. The next day or so, I became very sore and knew something was wrong.
I got on the internet and found out about something called sports hernia. I decided to take a week or two off basketball. Played a light 2 on 2 basketball game, I think, that went fine, but still some soreness next day. Rode a reclining stationary bike (bad idea because it crunches the trunk) and became even sorer.
So I quit basketball altogether at the end of February 2009, roughly 5 months ago.
In March and April I made some efforts at rehab using the same protocol as Meyers and some other doctors, mainly standing hip adduction, standing hip flexion, etc. Had some very encouraging results after just a couple of days, but then crashed and burned with inflammation, especially sore testicles/spermatic cords.
My main early symptoms in chronological order of discovering them:
- pain and inch or two below navel with each situp
- sore lower abdomen getting out of bed
- sore spermatic cords when putting on pants in the morning.
- pain in left groin, especially when stepping off with left leg from standing position, or after arising from a chair, or after getting out of a chair.
- sore/tight adductor in inner thighs, especially left leg.
- sore [adductor] muscles at back of upper left leg, especially after stooping and picking things up off the floor.
When I overdo it, the pain in my spermatic cords/testicals becomes more constant and pronounced.
About May 1 (3 months ago) I moved from Oregon where I was working, back to my home in Florida. This entailed boxing up things, and a lot of bending, stooping and walking up and down apartment stairs. This caused an assortment of short-term pains in lower abdomen. Left, right, all over the place, very depressing.
One constant observation throughout this entire injury: During some parts of every day, I have felt fine. This is the most puzzling thing to me of all. I’m certain I have an injury, but it seems to simply disappear during part or parts of every day. Even on my worst days I almost always feel pain-free, perhaps for an hour, after my evening shower. Very puzzling.
That’s my story. Later today or tomorrow I’ll post my latest rehab results, which I began after moving to where I am now, in Florida.