Pubalgia: diagnosis and treatment

By Cristiano Antonino On Oct 14, 2022

Pubalgia is a painful inflammation affecting the muscles of the pubic and/or inguinal area

It is a condition that mainly affects competitive sportsmen, but also pregnant women, those who practise sport at an amateur level, or, more generally, individuals who do not have adequate abdominal muscles.

In most cases, it is treated with anti-inflammatory therapies and rehabilitation activities, depending on what the physiatrist recommends following the appropriate instrumental analyses.

Pubalgia is a general pain syndrome that affects the abdominal and inguinal region up to the inner thighs

The causes can be very different and range from tendon or muscle, bone or joint pathologies to infectious, tumour, etc.

It is an overload pathology, due to repeated micro-trauma of the adductor muscles or rectus abdominis muscles, which causes Inflammation, Pain, limitation of movement and muscle contracture.

Epidemiology

Athletes, who use their lower limbs more intensively (footballers, tennis players, horse-riders), are particularly affected, but so are those who, although they do not practise sport, have insufficient abdominal musculature resulting in excessive strain on the adductor muscles.

Diagnosis of pubalgia: how is it made?

The diagnosis of pubalgia is made through a specialist physiatric or orthopaedic examination, following which specific examinations such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging or X-ray are prescribed by the doctor to assess the most appropriate therapy.

What are the therapies for the treatment of pubalgia?

To ensure functional recovery without pain, rest is the first course of action.

Treatment may consist of anti-inflammatory therapy, combined with instrumental physical therapy (Laserix, tecartherapy, shockwaves, CROsystem), and rehabilitative activity, such as exercises out of the water to decontract the muscles and strengthen the deficient muscles, or water therapy that promotes joint and muscle recovery.

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