Presentation
Fencing master with pubic pain for about six months.
Patient Data
Thickened appearance of the articular surfaces of the pubic symphysis with normal joint space.
Bone marrow edema of both pubic bones close to the symphysis with associated edema of the insertion of the adductor muscles. The articular surfaces of the symphysis show some subchondral erosions and the joint space is narrow.
Case Discussion
Athletic pubalgia consists of an insertional tendinopathy, of microtraumatic origin, due to the adductor muscles and/or the abdominal straight muscles.
In more advanced phases, an arthropathy of the pubic symphysis (pubic osteitis) can also be associated.
The causes are functional overload and repeated microtraumas of torsional and traction type in the tendon insertions of abdominals and adductors, in the presence of predisposing factors (postural alterations, dysmetria, incorrect plantar support).