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of of

-•Æ £°Æ •Æ™Øπ≥∞° ¥≤•°¥≠•Æ¥≥ ¥ØØ

Spas have long been a luxury asso -ciated with women. Though women still take advantage of all the services spas have to offer, they’re increasingly being joined by men when they do.

Men who once shied away from spa treatments are now embracing them as a luxurious way to unwind and improvetheir appearance. Just like they do for their female customers, spas offer men a variety of services. • Facial: Facials are among the most popular spa services for men and women alike. A facial for men exfoliates the skin and provides a deep cleanse to reinvig -orate skin that might need a boost. A male facial can reduce unsightly and often uncomfortable shaving bumps while pro -ducing a far smoother shave the next time,when you won’t have to contend with bumps from a previous shave.• Eyebrow treatment: Many men do not tend to their eyebrows, creating a bushy batch of hair above each eye.Untrimmed or poorly trimmed eyebrows are unsightly, but many spas will wax or tweeze a man’s eyebrows so they appear trim and not bushy or unkempt. • Manicure: Much like many men do not tend to their eyebrows, just as many, if not more, men ignore their hands. But spas offer manicures for men who want to clean up their hands so they don’t appear so gruff at their next business meeting.Manicures may once have been consid -ered solely for women, but nowadays more and more men have embraced mani -cures not only for their aesthetic benefits,

but also for how good a manicure feels. • Pedicure: Men can also enjoy, and many greatly appreciate, a pedicure. A man’s pedicure may include a calf and foot massage as rough spots on the feet are rubbed down and soothed away. A male pedicure may include an exfoliation of the lower legs, heels, arches, toes, foot pads, and even the tops of his feet. Men who work on their feet may enjoy a pedi -cure more than any other spa service.• Microdermabrasion treatment: A microdermabrasion employs tiny crystals to exfoliate a man’s skin, removing fine lines and scars from previous skin prob -lems, including acne. Men who routinely receive microdermabrasion treatment can expect their skin’s appearance to continue improving, as the procedure promotes the growth of collage and elastin. • Massage: Perhaps the most enjoy-able service offered to men at many spas is the massage. Spas offer various massage options for men, who should discuss any physical issues they have with spa staff,who should then be able to recommend a massage based on that discussion. Sports massages can address issues or soothe injuries that result from sports and exer -cise and might even prevent those issues from recurring.

When visiting a spa for the first time,men should know that they don’t have to order all of the aforementioned services on the same trip. Many spas allow guests to order services a la carte, which allows men to be more selective and find the services that suit them best.

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%∏∞¨°©Æ©Æß ≥∞Ø≤¥≥ ®•≤Æ©°≥In recent years, sports fans who follow

their teams closely may have noticed the

rash of sports hernias occurring, which

seem to be more common now than ever

before. Though sports hernias are not new,

their nature and a shift in how men and

women exercise makes sports hernia inju -

ries, which are more common in men than

women, seem to be more prevalent now

than they used to be.

While there’s no telling if sports her -

nias are more common now than in years

past, they do seem to garner more head -

lines than they used to. According to the

American Academy of Orthopaedic

Surgeons, sports hernias, known to medi -

cal professionals as athletic pubalgia, most

often occur during sports that require sud -

den changes in direction or intense twist -

ing movements.

The growing popularity of core exer -

cises, which require twisting movements,

among fitness enthusiasts is one possible

reason why there seem to be more sports

hernia injuries now than in years past.

When done properly, core exercises

should reduce the likelihood of sports her -

nias. However, many people do not use the

proper form when exercising, and poor

form during core exercises could result in

injury, including a sports hernia.

What is sports hernia?A sports hernia is an injury to the soft

tissue in the groin area. Often painful, a

sports hernia is most likely to occur during

sports that require a sudden change in

direction or intense twisting movements.

When a person has a sports hernia, any

soft tissue, be it a muscle, tendon or liga -

ment, in the lower abdomen or groin area

is strained or even torn.

Is sports hernia an actual hernia?Sports hernia can cause an abdominal

hernia, but the sports hernia itself is not

actually a traditional hernia. When a per -

son has a typical hernia, abdominal con -

tents protrude into the inguinal canal. No

such protrusion occurs during a sports

hernia, but the name has stuck because

many of the surgical treatments associated

with sports hernias are similar to those

associated with traditional hernias.

Who is most likely to get a sports hernia?Sports hernias most often affect male

athletes who participate in sports that

involve lots of repetitive twisting, such as

ice hockey, soccer and tennis. In fact,

sports hernias are often referred to as

“slap shot gut” by hockey players, as the

pain is said to intensify when a player with

a sports hernia attempts to take a slapshot.

Are there symptoms of a sports hernia?Sports hernias do exhibit some symp -

toms, most notably pain. Severe pain in

the groin area is a common symptom of a

sports hernia. This pain will likely dis -

appear during rest or periods of inactivity,

but the pain is likely to return when you

return to playing a sport, especially if that

sport requires twisting movements.

Unlike a typical hernia, a sports her -

nia does not cause a physical bulge in the

groin. This might happen over time, but

that bulge is not the sports hernia; it’s the

inguinal hernia that developed while you

had the sports hernia.

How is a sports hernia diagnosed?Once a doctor has spoken to you

about your symptoms and your physical

activity, he or she might conduct a physical

test to determine if you have a sports her -

nia. The doctor might ask you to do a sit-

up or flex your body’s trunk against resis -

tance. These tasks will be considerably

painful if you have a sports hernia.

The doctor also might order an MRI or

X-rays. In addition, the doctor will likely

conduct a physical examination to see if

there is any tenderness in the groin or

above the pubis.

What treatments are available for a sports hernia?

Sports fans know that sometimes their

favrite athletes get treated for a sports her -

nia and their return for the remainder of

the season is questionable. The timetable

for returning depends on the treatment

option chosen and how well the body

responds.

Treatment options can be broken

down into two categories: Nonsurgical and

surgical. Nonsurgical treatments include

rest, physical therapy aimed at improving

strength and flexibility in the abdominal

and inner thigh muscles and anti-inflam -

matory medications to reduce pain and

swelling.

Surgery aims to repair torn tissues in

the groin. A surgical treatment might

involve an open procedure with one long

incision or an endoscopic procedure

where smaller incisions are made and the

surgeon uses a small camera to see inside

the abdomen. In some instances, the sur -

geon will cut off the inguinal nerve, a pro -

cedure known as an inguinal neurectomy,

in the groin to reduce the patient’s pain.

Once the surgery has been performed,

your doctor will give you a rehabilitation

plan aimed at increasing strength and

endurance, and the AAOS notes that most

athletes can return to sports within six to

12 weeks.

More information about sports her -

nias is available at www.aaos.org.

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CITIZEN’S NEWSFriday, October 26, 2012 13