The thighs are made up of three muscles: the quadriceps at the front, the adductors in the inside and the hamstrings at the back. These muscles cross both the knee and hip joints, making them especially susceptible to injury during exercise. Because thigh muscle pain can be debilitating, it is important to understand how it can occur and how it can be treated.
Symptoms
Thigh muscle pain can occur suddenly during exercise. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, warmth and inflammation. You can physically hear or feel a popping sensation with some thigh muscle injuries. In addition, you can sometimes notice the formation of a lump of damaged tissue, experience problems with stability or develop partial or complete loss of mobility in the inured leg.
Causes
You can experience pain if you overuse one or more of the muscles in the thighs with vigorous exercise, work out without taking proper breaks or exercise for long lengths of time. You can pull or tear a muscle in the thigh, also called a sprain or strain, if you forcefully exert yourself or change directions suddenly during exercise. In addition, pain in the thigh muscles can occur if you develop a contusion from a direct blow or by tripping during exercise.
Treatment Options
Treat thigh muscle pain by resting or reducing exercise until the injury heals. A doctor might recommend the use of crutches. Place a cold pack or baggie of ice against your thigh for 20 minutes at a time. Reduce swelling and pain by compressing the thigh with an elastic bandage or compression shorts. Elevate your thigh so that it is higher than your heart to encourage the drainage of fluid and reduce inflammation and pain. Seek medical attention if pain is severe or does not go away after a few days.
Prevention
Because tight muscles are more susceptible to injury, always warm up with stretches prior to your workout. In addition, cool down with a light aerobic activity and stretches to reduce exercise byproducts in the bloodstream, which can trigger pain. Exercise both your hamstring and quadriceps muscles to keep one from getting stronger than the other, which can lead to injury and muscle strain. Vary your workout and take a 48-hour break between large muscle groups. For example, only do leg and thigh exercises Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
