Totally extraperitoneal repair for the ‘sportsman’s groin’ via ‘the Manchester Groin Repair’: a comparison of elite versus amateur athletes

Background Surgery has a recognised role in the treatment of ‘sportsman’s groin’. This study hypothesises that elite athletes have a superior advantage in both pre- and post-op rehabilitation and therefore will present and resume sporting activities quicker. Methods A retrospective analysis on a secure database of athletes presenting with groin pain that underwent surgery for ‘inguinal disruption’. All data were explored via appropriate descriptive statistics and comparisons made between elite and amateur athletes. Results All patients were male ( n = 144). The median age 33 years (range 14–72). The median return to sporting activity was 4.5 weeks (range 2.0–16.0) with one amateur athlete being unable to return to sporting activity. Using the mean of both sides, a comparison of VAS pain scores at pre-operative and 1 month post-operative time points showed a significant reduction ( p