Skip to main content

Sports hernia repair - the diagnosis first, the operation second.

Athletic pubalgia is a diagnosis you have to earn - the wrong groin pain gets the wrong operation. We only book surgery after imaging, a groin MDT and a failed structured programme.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What a private sports hernia repair costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our partner UK units.

In short

£5,500–£8,500, home the same day or one night.

Procedure Indicative range
Open sports hernia repair £5,500–£8,500
Laparoscopic TAPP/TEP mesh repair £6,500–£10,000
Repair with adductor tenotomy £7,000–£11,000
Bilateral sports hernia repair £8,500–£13,000
Revision sports groin surgery £8,500–£14,000
Structured rehab (per block) £450–£850
Groin MDT clinic £450–£700
Sports groin consultation £300–£500

Prices vary by open vs laparoscopic, by whether an adductor tenotomy is added, and by the operating consultant. Bilateral cases and revisions sit at the top of the range.

The problem

The diagnosis, the MDT, and only then the knife.

Sports hernia is not a hernia in the classical sense - it is a posterior wall weakness with a soft-tissue picture that overlaps adductor, pubic and hip conditions. Getting it right needs an MDT, not a solo surgeon.

  • MRI first, always

    A dedicated groin MRI, read by a musculoskeletal radiologist, separates athletic pubalgia from adductor and hip disease.

  • A structured non-op trial

    A supervised 8–12 week programme with a sports physiotherapist - surgery only if it fails.

  • The adductor, not just the wall

    Around 30 percent of athletes need an adductor tenotomy alongside - otherwise the pain comes back.

When it helps

When sports hernia repair is the right step.

The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means urgent review rather than a routine booking.

  • Football-related groin pain

    Kicking-sport groin pain over the pubis and inguinal canal that has not responded to rehab.

  • Rugby-related lower-abdominal pain

    Painful sit-ups, scrummaging and cutting - often with a bulge on cough at the deep ring.

  • Runner’s groin

    Pain increasing through long runs, worse with acceleration and hill work.

  • Ice-hockey and skater groin

    Pain in stride extension and pushing off - often with a tight adductor picture on imaging.

  • Recurrent groin pain post-surgery

    Pain that has come back after a previous hernia or adductor procedure - needs full re-assessment.

  • Chronic post-hernia groin pain

    Ongoing pain after a classic inguinal hernia repair - sometimes needs mesh explanation and revision.

  • Female athletes with groin pain

    Athletic pubalgia in women is real but often misdiagnosed - worth an MDT view early.

  • Red flag: acute inguinal lump with pain

    A tender, non-reducible groin lump is a strangulated hernia - same-day A&E, not an outpatient booking.

Procedure options

Open Gilmore, laparoscopic mesh, or a hybrid.

The main surgical options - what each involves, and when it fits.

  • Open Gilmore-type repair

    Reinforcement of the conjoint tendon and posterior inguinal wall through a small groin incision. Long track record in professional sport.

  • Laparoscopic TAPP/TEP mesh repair

    Mesh reinforcement of the posterior wall through the abdomen. Better for bilateral cases and revisions.

  • Adductor tenotomy adjunct

    Partial release of the adductor longus origin when the tendon is a co-driver of pain - around 30 percent of athletes.

  • Pubic aponeurosis repair

    Direct repair of a torn rectus-adductor aponeurosis at the pubic tubercle in an appropriate imaging picture.

  • Hybrid repair

    A combined open posterior wall repair with adductor release - the workhorse for professional footballers with a mixed picture.

  • Ilioinguinal or genitofemoral neurectomy

    For a nerve-entrapment picture identified before or during surgery.

  • Mesh explanation and revision

    For chronic post-hernia pain from previous mesh - a selective option in specialist hands.

  • Adductor-only surgery

    When imaging and clinical picture point to the adductor alone, a tenotomy without hernia repair is the right operation.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

A well-established procedure in the right hands. The honest conversation is about recovery and expectations.

  • GA or spinal anaesthetic

    Both routine. Choice depends on the technique and your medical background.

  • Bleeding, infection and mesh complications

    All under 2–3 percent. Mesh infection is rare but consequential - antibiotic prophylaxis is standard for laparoscopic repairs.

  • Nerve pain

    The ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric and genitofemoral nerves cross the field. Persistent nerve pain is under 5 percent and usually settles.

  • Testicular symptoms in men

    Bruising and short-term testicular pain are common; long-term issues are rare.

  • Recurrence

    5–10 percent depending on the technique and how strictly the rehab programme is followed.

  • DVT and pulmonary embolism

    Prophylactic heparin, TED stockings and early mobilisation. Low in a fit athletic population.

  • Return to sport timeline

    Straight-line running 4–6 weeks, cutting 6–8, full contact 8–12. Bilateral and revision cases add 2–4 weeks.

  • The rehab you do decides the outcome

    Repairs held to rehab schedules do 20 percent better than those that are not. Bring the physiotherapist in from day one.

  • Red flags after surgery

    Fever, spreading redness, severe pain, testicular swelling or breathlessness needs the on-call team or A&E the same day.

Reading your notes

Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever approach was used, the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant reviewing sports hernia operation notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the operation note before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and approach

    Why the groin operation was done, which side, and what approach was chosen.

  2. 02 Technique

    What was done

    The technique in plain terms - incisions, structures addressed, implants or fixation used.

  3. 03 Findings

    Findings and complications

    What was seen and whether anything unexpected happened during the procedure.

  4. 04 Impression

    Plan, restrictions and follow-up

    Read this first: recovery restrictions, rehab timeline, and when we look at you again.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Usually covered when medically indicated.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about sports hernia.

Quick answers on cost, recovery and what happens if it does not work.

  • What is a sports hernia - is it actually a hernia?

    Not in the classical sense. There is usually no visible lump. It is a weakness or tear in the posterior inguinal wall and pubic aponeurosis, causing groin pain in athletes. The term athletic pubalgia is more accurate.

  • Do I need surgery, or will rehab fix it?

    Roughly half of athletes recover with a supervised 8–12 week programme. Surgery is for the half who do not. The MRI helps predict this - a clear posterior wall bulge or aponeurotic tear points to surgery; a soft-tissue picture without structural disruption points to rehab.

  • How long until I can return to sport?

    For a single-side open repair without adductor tenotomy: straight-line running at 4–6 weeks, cutting and pivoting at 6–8 weeks, full contact and competitive play at 8–12. Add 2–4 weeks for bilateral, adductor tenotomy and revision cases.

  • How much does a private sports hernia repair cost in the UK?

    Roughly £5,500–£8,500 for open repair, £6,500–£10,000 for laparoscopic mesh, £7,000–£11,000 with an adductor tenotomy, and £8,500–£13,000 for bilateral. Prices are inclusive of theatre, consultant and the first review.

  • Is this available on the NHS?

    Repair of a classical inguinal hernia is routinely offered. Repair for athletic pubalgia specifically is variable by region and often not funded for non-professional athletes. Private routes are the usual path.

  • What if my problem is really my adductor or my hip?

    A common trap. Adductor tendinopathy, femoroacetabular impingement and pubic bone stress each cause groin pain and get labelled sports hernia. This is exactly why we insist on MRI and an MDT before booking a repair.

Related treatments

Looking for something else?