OBTURATOR NERVE ENTRAPMENT - A CAUSE OF GROIN PAIN IN ATHLETES

Chronic groin pain in athletes is often difficult to diagnose and trea t. There are many anatomic structures in the inguinal and groin region that have the potential to cause pain. We report 32 cases of a previo usly undescribed condition in athletes of ''obturator neuropathy'', a fascial entrapment of the obturator nerve where it enters the thigh. T his condition represents a type of groin pain in athletes that is trea table by surgical means. There is a characteristic clinical pattern of exercise-induced medial thigh pain commencing in the region of the ad ductor muscle origin and radiating distally along the medial thigh. Ne edle electromyography demonstrates denervation of the adductor muscles . Surgical neurolysis treatment provides the definitive cure of this p roblem, with athletes returning to competition within several weeks of treatment. The surgical findings are entrapment of the obturator nerv e by a thick fascia overlying the short adductor muscle. The role of c onservative treatment in the management of this condition is unknown a t present.