New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS): For elite athletes, the impact of an inguinal hernia can be significant, affecting performance and requiring careful management, said doctors in the wake of reports on Neeraj Chopra suffering from a long-standing inguinal or groyne hernia.

An inguinal hernia is a bulge of abdominal organs like the omentum or intestine through the natural openings through which testicular vessels and cord structures pass from the abdomen to the testes.

Chopra, India’s leading track and field athlete, bagged a Silver medal in the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024. His performance was reportedly impacted due to the condition during the men’s javelin final at the Olympics, finishing behind Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem.

The 26-year-old javelin star, while speaking to the media, said that he has been suffering from the condition for a long time and threw 89.94m (personal best in 2022) with this injury.

But more than the technique, “almost 50 per cent” of the focus is on “my injury”, he said, adding it is time to undergo proper treatment, as advised previously by the doctors.

“An inguinal hernia occurs when intra-abdominal contents like the intestines protrude through an abnormal weak spot in the abdominal wall, typically in the groyne area. This condition is common among athletes like Neeraj Chopra due to the high physical demands of their sport, which can increase intra-abdominal pressure,” Dr Sushruth Shetty, Consultant Gastroenterology, GI Onco and Robotic Surgery, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, told IANS.

Inguinal hernias can cause discomfort, pain, or a visible bulge in the groyne, particularly during activities like lifting, coughing, or exercising.

“For elite athletes, the impact of an inguinal hernia can be significant, affecting performance and requiring careful management,” Dr Shetty said.

Dr. Sandeep Aggarwal, Chairman - Manipal Institute of Minimal Access, Bariatric, GI & Robotic Surgery, Manipal Hospital Dwarka, said that inguinal hernia “occurs as a result of weakening and stretching of these natural openings present in the layers of the groyne region”.

“Inguinal hernia is more common in men. Its prevalence increases with age. Any factor that increases intra-abdominal pressure like chronic constipation, cough, or straining during micturition can be causative factors for the development of inguinal hernia,” he told IANS.

The experts said treatment usually involves surgical repair to prevent complications like intestinal obstruction or strangulation where the blood supply is cut off, leading to a surgical emergency which can even be sometimes life-threatening.

Surgical treatment by minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy or robotics results in much lesser pain and early recovery after surgery.

Dr. Shetty said a well-structured rehabilitation programme is also essential for a full recovery, allowing the patients, especially athletes, to return to peak performance while minimising the risk of recurrence.