Osteitis pubis (OP) is a chronic overuse condition affecting the pubic symphysis and is associated with pain in the lower front part of the pelvis (ie. groin pain).
It commonly affects athletes who participate in sports that require kicking, jumping, fast acceleration, pivoting, and sudden directional changes. It can also affect women who have recently given birth.
As with all injuries, it is important to not self diagnose. The anatomy of the pelvis is complex and just because you have pain in your groin it does not mean you definitively have OP. If you are experiencing discomfort in your groin/pelvis we highly recommend you see a doctor and physiotherapist before proceeding with the following advice.
If you have been to a doctor and have been diagnosed with OP, it doesn’t mean your training days are over! Although the best treatment for OP is rest and anti-inflammatory medication there are still ways you can train to help your recovery.
Although the cause of OP is not entirely clear (we weren’t joking when we said pelvic anatomy is complex!), most physiotherapists and doctors consider imbalance between the abdominal muscles and hip adductors to be the most common cause of OP. With this in mind, strengthening your deep core muscles, strengthening your hips, and stretching your adductors.
Some key exercises we recommend:
Deadbug
Single Leg Glute Bridges
Hip Flexor Isometric Hold
Clams
Wall Sits
Hip Adductor Stretches
References:
Giai Via A, Frizziero A. Finotti P, Olivia F, Randelli F, Maffulli N 2018 “Management of osteitis pubis in athletes: rehabilitation and return to training - a review of the most recent literature”, Journal of Sports Medicine, vol 2019:10 Pages 1-10. https://www.dovepress.com/management-of-osteitis-pubis-in-athletes-rehabilitation-and-return-to--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OAJSM
Physio Performance. 2018. Get Rid of Your Groin Pain: Four Key Osteitis Pubis Exercises. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.physioperformance.ie/get-rid-of-your-groin-pain-four-key-osteitis-pubis-exercises/. [Accessed 12 February 2020]
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