Educational pain pattern · Lower abdomen / groin
Athletic pubalgia / sports-hernia pattern
Lower abdominal and groin tissues may become painful with cutting, sprinting, or forceful bracing.
Important: This page cannot tell you whether you have this condition. Many problems share similar symptoms.
Symptoms commonly associated with this pattern
- Deep groin ache
- Pain with sprinting
- Pain with coughing or sit-ups
Common triggers
- Cutting sports
- Sprinting
- Repeated kicking
What changes the next step
Major trauma, rapid worsening, inability to use the area normally, fever or feeling seriously unwell, unexplained swelling, and new neurological symptoms should move the decision away from self-guided stretching.
Sources
- Hernia — NHS
- Muscle pain: When to see a doctor — Mayo Clinic
Content checked 29 August 2026. “Checked” does not mean medically reviewed by an individual clinician.