Osteitis pubis is commonly seen in association with pregnancy and in those who partake in sports or activities where there is repetitive running. As a result, tissue can be damaged and inflammation occurs around the pelvis area where the pubic bones (symphysis) join.
Osteitis pubis is a condition caused by stress on this joint. It can cause pain, swelling, and tenderness right over the pubis. The pain may go into the groin area. Osteitis pubis often happens when you overdo an activity or repeat the same activity day after day.
If left untreated, it may lead to sclerosis (roughening), separation or displacement of the pubic junction (x-ray image below) and can spell disaster for the career of an athlete.
Osteitis pubis is a noninfectious inflammatory condition affecting the pubic symphysis. It is an uncommon cause of lower abdominal and suprapubic pain, but it can cause significant morbidity in patients affected, and often requires a lengthy recovery period.
When osteitis pubis is associated with fever, lymphadenopathy, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia, one must consider the concurrent diagnosis of osteomyelitis pubis. These symptoms can be easily mistaken for those of acute appendicitis.
Playing a sport: Sports injuries are the most common cause of osteitis pubis. Athletes who put repeated strain on muscles, tissues and surrounding structures of their pubic symphysis can irritate the joint. Pregnancy: Being pregnant or having a long labor can cause osteitis pubis.
Ibuprofen is the drug of choice for initial therapy. Other options include, but are not limited to, ketoprofen and naproxen.
Diagnosis. Both radiographs and MRI aid in the diagnosis of osteitis pubis. In the early stage, plain radiographs might appear normal. In chronic osteitis pubis, the pubic symphysis demonstrates lytic changes, sclerosis, and widening.
Physical assessment reveals a positive squeeze test (the player strongly squeezes their legs against your closed fist which is positioned between their knees) which is the clinical test for osteitis pubis. Tight rectus abdominis and tight and weak adductor muscles in the leg are nearly always present.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if: You have pelvic pain and: it's severe, getting worse or hurts when you move or touch the area. you find it difficult to pee or poo.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the imaging of choice when osteitis pubis is suspected. MRI has a high sensitivity in differentiating between acute and chronic OP. In the acute setting, MRI demonstrates subchondral oedema of the bone, typically affecting both sides.
Osteitis pubis is a rare and self-limited condition. Surgery may be necessary in 5%–10% of cases.
Osteitis pubis is a rare cause of groin pain but is more common in the athletic patient, specifically soccer players, runners, and rugby players.
Try sleeping with a pillow between your legs as this can reduce the compressive pressure of your pubic symphysis.
Although the exact etiology of osteitis pubis is unknown, it is most likely caused by repetitive microtrauma or shearing forces to the pubic symphysis. Sacroiliac (SI) joint motion has a very large impact on the motion about the pubic symphysis.
Conservative treatments are indicated to stabilize the pelvis and pubic symphysis. Core stability exercises and muscle stretching and strengthening exercises of the abdominal, adductor, flexor and extensor hip muscles are effective for this purpose.
Literature data reports that it occurs most commonly in men aged between 30 to 50 years. Women are affected more in their mid 30s [3]. Nowadays, the disease is regarded as a non-infectious inflammation of the pubic symphysis leading to varying degrees of lower abdominal and pelvic pain.
This landmark begins at the level of the sacral promontory posteriorly and the pubic symphysis anteriorly. The space below contains the bladder, rectum, and part of the descending colon. In females, the pelvis also houses the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
What Causes Chronic Pelvic Bone Pain? Chronic pelvic pain causes can include scar tissue in the pelvic region after surgery or infection, bowel disease, or overall problems with your muscles, joints, and ligaments in the pelvis, hips, or lower back.
What Causes Pelvic Pain While Walking? If you're experiencing pelvic pain when you're walking, it's typically due to a musculoskeletal issue. This means that the problem generally lies in your bones, joints, muscles, or tendons.
Septic arthritis of the pubic symphysis is a rare cause of pubic and hip pain. His diagnosis is often missed or delayed due to the infrequency of the disease and its variable presentation. It should be suspected in patients with inflammatory groin pain, pubic pain and fever especially after delivery and pelvic surgery.
You may feel: Mild discomfort. Sudden, shooting pain coming from the front or back of your pelvis. Steady pain that radiates throughout your lower abdomen, back, groin, perineum (the space between your anus and vulva), thigh and leg.