Fig. 22.1
Flow chart based on the results of the “Groin Pain Syndrome Italian Consensus Conference on terminology, clinical evaluation and imaging assessment in groin pain in athlete.” After the anamnesis and the clinical evaluation, the patient performs the imaging evaluation. The decision-making process is based on the results of clinical and imaging evaluations. In case of GPS of traumatic origin (as explained in guidelines), the possibility of choice among the various imaging tests is indicated in the flow chart with the dashed line. In the case in which it is possible to have a diagnosis, the patient may be advised for a conservative or surgical treatment. In the case in which a diagnosis is not reached, the patient may be advised for further diagnostic investigations (i.e., blood tests, urine test, CT, scintigraphy, etc.) in order to obtain diagnosis and decide the treatment path
22.4 Future Directions
Future developments of the GPS study are undoubtedly entrusted to the development of the consensus conference and then of the multidisciplinary study. In fact, only by involving all the professional figures concerned in GPS management, we can hope to progress in its knowledge. Specifically, many efforts should be made investigating the relationship between FAI and inguinal pathologies. Furthermore, the study of inguinal pathologies in which a true inguinal hernia is not present (in which, therefore, it may be suspected an injury at conjoined tendon, inguinal ligament, aponeurosis of the external oblique muscle, a nerve entrapment, etc.) represents a very interesting field of study.
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