I started having pain in the upper part of my right leg a few weeks ago during a game of basketball with my buddies. I took it easy for awhile (no working out, no basketball, no lifting weights) and the pain left. But as soon as I became active again, it came back. A friend suggested I could have a hernia, but there’s no bulge anywhere in the area. Is it possible to have a hernia without a visible bulge?
There are many causes of groin pain. Pain in the groin without a bulge is most commonly a muscular injury. However, if the pain persists, it is possible that you may have a sports hernia. These sports hernias are often not detected until the time of a laparoscopic exploration. I generally recommend a trial of rest for at least six weeks followed by an MRI and ultrasound. If the pain persists and no other abnormalities are identified on the imaging studies, a laparoscopic exploration may be appropriate. It is important to remember that most groin injuries do not result in sports hernias.