Pain in the upper leg can be caused by an acute injury or in response to a chronic condition. Muscles are comprised of muscle fibers that contract and produce force to move the body. Muscle fibers, if weak, can become injured causing pain, weakness and mobility restriction.
Strain
Muscles are comprised of long, cylindrical muscle fibers, bundled together by strong connective tissue to hold their shape. Muscle strain is a soft tissue injury in which the muscle fibers tear as a result of too much force applied to the muscle. A muscle of the upper leg could experience a strain from activities such as football, baseball, soccer, running or any other type of sport that requires increased force production of the quadriceps or hamstring muscles. Signs and symptoms of a muscle strain include pain, tenderness, weakness and stiffness of the affected muscle. To treat, use anti-inflammatory medications in addition to rest, ice, compression and elevation of the affect limb, the NYU Langone Medical Center recommends.
Spasm
Spasms or cramps are involuntary muscle contractions that can be chronic or of sudden onset. Spasms occur when muscle is injured, fatigued or dehydrated and feels like a painful knot in the muscle or a severe cramping sensation. To treat a spasm due to injury, apply ice using a cloth on the affected muscles for 20 minutes every three to four hours. For spasms that last a long time, use moist heat for 20-to-30 minutes throughout the day and gently stretch the tissue. For chronic spasms, massage therapy is effective and rehydration with electrolytes is useful, notes Dr. Pierre Rouzier.
Tendonitis
Muscle fibers are held together by connective tissue called fascia. Fascia encases bundles of muscle fibers, holding the muscle in a particular shape and position. By attaching to bone, muscle moves the limbs of the body. Muscle, however, does not directly attach to bone, instead the fascia, which surrounds the muscle fibers, elongates into a tendon, which in turn attaches the muscle to bone. Tendons can become injured, causing tendonitis, which is inflammation of the tendon. Caused by repetitively overuse of the muscle and muscle tendon through activities such as running or weight lifting, tendonitis can cause pain and weakness of the quadriceps or hamstring muscles. To treat, avoid exposing the tendon to further injury; therefore, rest. Apply ice to a new injury or heat to a persistent old injury. To help reduce inflammation nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin can be used, according to Cedars-Sinai Hospital.
