Definition: Osteitis pubis is a painful condition that causes inflammation around the center of the pelvis. It usually occurs as a sports injury due to overuse of the hip and leg muscles. It’s particularly common BUT NOT LIMITED TO athletes who play sports like soccer or hockey that involve changing direction, kicking, or pivoting.

Causes:

• Overuse and microtrauma to the pubic area
• Sacro-iliac joint instability
• Adductor muscle

Clinical signs and symptoms:

• Sudden/gradual groin pain that is local or diffuse
• May have pyrexia or transient dysuria
• Decrease in abduction & external rotation
• Pain increases with activity and decreases with rest
• Pain can be suprapubic to lower abdominal, in the adductor muscle region, testes, perineum, hip or sacrum
• Pain also increases with pivot on 1 leg, kicking ball, sprinting, jumping, sudden change in direction, climbing stairs, abdominal crunches & straight leg raise
• On evaluation patient presents with painful hip range of motion especially abduction and external rotation

Home treatment:

• Ice during acute stages for 20 minutes every 3-4 hours
• NSAIDS to decrease pain and inflammation (cataflam or nurofen syrup)
• Eliminate aggravating factors for 2 weeks to 3 months
• Rarely needs surgery if conservative treatment