I'm scheduled for surgery tomorrow to repair an inguinal hernia. The surgery will be done conventionally (via open surgery) rather than laparoscopically because almost exactly 10 years ago (I'm 55 now) I had a hernia on the other side repaired laparoscopically (I think there's too much uncertainty about what might be bumped into when peering around with a little camera and with poking around in tight confines when it is known that what's in place now did not grow there but was sewn or stapled in).
Are athletes at elevated risk for hernia? My foot racing days ended when I was about 40, but I've remained very fit with daily swimming, strength training, other work and good eating habits since then.