Athletic pubalgia, also calle the sportman's hernia or sports hernia, Gilmore's groin or groin disruption, is a medical condition of the groin affecting athletes. Jerry Gilmore recognized the syndrome in 1980 and developed a surgical repair technique. It is a syndrome characterized by chronic groin pain in athletes and a dilated superficial ring of the inguinal canal. Soccer and Ice Hockey players are affected most frequently, and both recreational and professional athletes may be affected. A hernia cannot be found on physical examination or medical imaging, and is not revealed during surgery. The term hernia thus is a misnomer, but has persisted, as surgical reconstructions similar to those performed for inguinal hernias are often effective for "sports hernias" as well.