How to Get Rid of Thigh Pain

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There are three groups of muscles in the thigh that can cause pain: the hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh, the quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh, and the adductor muscles of the inner thigh. The hamstrings and the quadriceps tend to be at a higher risk of painful strains because they cross the hip and knee joints, are used in straightening and bending the legs, and can be injured in running, jumping and various sports. [1] If you have thigh pain, there are ways you can try to alleviate the pain.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Alleviating Pain with the RICE Method

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  1. When you feel thigh pain, you can immediately use the RICE method. The RICE method is a first aid treatments that can help reduce inflammation and pain, and help with healing. It's used with muscle strains, sprains, bruises, and other injuries. You use the RICE method for the first two days after an injury. It includes:
    • Rest
    • Ice
    • Compression
    • Elevation
  2. The first thing you should do if you think you have a pulled thigh muscle is to stop whatever activity you are doing. Continuing to work out or use a pulled thigh muscle can cause more damage. You should rest your leg from any physical activity that requires the use of your thighs. You should rest the muscle for at least one or two days.
    • Take the weight off your leg as soon as possible. Sit down or lie down in as comfortable position as possible.
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  3. The next step is to apply an ice pack to your injured thigh. Applying cold to an injury helps reduce blood flow, which can help alleviate pain. This also reduces acute swelling and inflammation. [2]
    • Apply it for 10 to 15 minutes at a time every hour during the first 24 hours of the injury, except for when you're sleeping.
    • After the first 24 hours, you can repeat the icing four to five times throughout the day, or every two to three hours.
    • You can use either commercial ice packs or bags of frozen vegetables, like frozen peas. Peas are small enough to conform to the shape of your leg easily. You can also fill an old long tube sock with rice and keep it in the freezer for when you may need it.
    • Never place ice directly on the skin. Always wrap it in something (like a towel or t-shirt) to protect the skin.
  4. Wrap the injured area with a compression bandage or use compression shorts. The compression bandage or shorts helps to reduce swelling by limiting the swelling to that area. The compression also provides support to the injured area.
    • The bandage should be wrapped tightly enough to apply medium pressure, but not so tightly as to cause any bulging around the bandage or stop blood flow.
    • Start wrapping high on your leg, above the injury.
    • Once the swelling has gone, you don't need to wrap anymore.
    • If the pain increases with a compression bandage, it is too tight and you should loosen it.
  5. Elevate your leg by keeping it raised above the level of your heart for as much time as you can. This helps to reduce swelling.
    • If you can't raise the leg above the heart, keep it parallel to the ground.
    • After the first or second day, you should move a little bit every hour or so. Take it easy and take it slowly. Don't overdo it. You can make it worse by re-injuring the thigh muscles.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Reducing Pain In Other Ways

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  1. During recovery from all strains, avoid the HARM factors during the first 24 to 72 hours after injury. These include: [3]
    • Heat: Heat is avoided because heat can increase swelling and bleeding at the injury site.
    • Alcohol: Alcohol increases bleeding, swelling, and delays healing.
    • Running or exercise: Any activity will aggravate the injury and increase swelling and bleeding.
    • Massage: Massage can be very helpful after the initial recovery period, but should be avoided during the first 72 hours.
    • After 48 to 72 hours, you can try some of these methods.
  2. You can use non-prescription, over-the-counter (OTC) medication for the first few days for the pain in your thigh. These medicines can also reduce the inflammation.
    • OTC pain medication, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylenol), can be taken to reduce pain and inflammation.
  3. Heat can help a sore, tight muscle by helping the muscle relax. It also helps circulation into the muscle. Don't use heat on a fresh injury or acute pain. Wait for at least 48 to 72 hours before applying heat. [4]
    • After the appropriate amount of time has passed, apply heat to the injury three for 15 minutes, three to four times a day.
    • You can use a heating pad, a heated wrap, a hot compress, or a hot water bottle. You can also soak in a hot bath.
    • Heat is better at helping chronic muscle pain or pain associated with arthritis.
  4. After you can walk on your thigh without pain, you can apply alternating heat and cold. This can help reduce the pain and the swelling.
    • Start with two minutes of heat, followed by one minute of cold. Repeat this six times.
    • Repeat the entire cycle twice a day.
  5. After you can walk without pain, talk to your personal trainer or a physical therapist about using a foam roller to stretch and massage the injured thigh muscles.
    • The foam roller is a foam tube that you place under the injured leg and roll it back and forth under the injured leg.
    • When you are able, repeat on both sides. This can be useful in preventing further injury.
  6. Epsom salt is believed to be an anti-inflammatory properties that help lessen pain in sore muscles. Soaking in a hot Epsom bath gives you both the benefit of the Epsom salt plus the heat from the water. [5]
    • Fill your tub with water that is warmer than lukewarm, but that does not burn your skin. Pour in at least a cup of Epsom salt, though you can add more. Soak for up to 20 minutes.
  7. After the acute pain has passed and the thigh has started recovering, try massaging your leg. Applying light pressure can help alleviate the pain. [6]
    • Try stroking the legs in an upward direction, kneading the muscles with your hands, or press deeper pressure along the muscle.
    • Go see a massage therapist if your thigh injury is severe, or if you are unsure how to massage your thigh at home.
  8. Stretching can help limit the damage and limit the risk of re-injury. Stretching exercises are especially helpful if you injure your hamstring (the back of the thigh) or have pain in your inner thighs. Generally, your doctor or physical therapist will help you decide if stretching is the correct method of treatment for you. [7]
    • Try the frog stretch for your inner thighs. Get on your knees and spread them as wide as you can, stabilizing yourself on your hands. Make sure your shins are parallel to one another. Arch your back so that your belly drops and your butt is pushed back. If you are more flexible, you can lower yourself to your forearms. You should feel the stretch in your inner thighs. [8]
    • For a good hamstring stretch, sit on the floor with one leg straight out and the other bent. Lean towards the straight leg, rotating at the hips. You should feel the stretch in the back of the thigh. Hold that for 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. You can also place both feet straight out in front of you and bend at the hip, reaching for your toes. [9]
    • To stretch the quads, stand and hold on to the wall or a chair to balance yourself. Bend your knee and grab the foot, bringing it as close to your butt as possible. You should feel the stretch in the front of the thigh.
  9. See your physician as soon as you can if, immediately after the injury, you cannot put any weight on the injured leg or you can't walk more than four steps without significant pain.
    • See your physician if the pain or discomfort does not improve with the RICE method within five to seven days.
    • Physical therapy may be required for severe injuries. Ask your doctor for a referral to a massage therapist or physical therapist.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Understanding Thigh Pain

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  1. Pulled thigh muscles can be very painful and most commonly occur while running, kicking, skating, and weightlifting; however, they can also be strained just by walking. A pulled thigh muscle can happen anytime there is a sudden stretching of these muscles and can occur anywhere along the length of the muscles. [10]
    • It is very important to warm up and stretch the muscles in the thigh before any activity. If these muscles have not been adequately stretched, you are at a higher risk of straining and injuring the muscle.
  2. The most common symptom of a strained thigh muscle is a sudden and sharp pain at the muscle. This can be at the front or back of the thigh, at the inner thigh, or at the hip, knees, or groin, depending on which muscle has been strained. [11]
    • Many people also report hearing or feeling a pop.
    • Within a short time, from minutes to hours, swelling, bruising, and tenderness at the area of the injury is common.
    • There may also be some degree of weakness, or you may not be able to walk or put any weight on your leg.
  3. Thigh pain occurs often with thigh strain. Some people are at higher risk than others. The greatest risk factors for thigh muscle strain is: [12]
    • Participation in any sport that involves running, kicking, and sprinting, especially if enough time is not taken to stretch the muscles before participating. Dancing and other vigorous activities can put you at higher risk as well.
    • A history of muscle strain. Previous thigh muscle injuries do weaken the muscle and make it more likely to happen again
    • Starting physical activity while in poor shape or before the muscles are properly stretched.
    • Muscle imbalance. Since the quadriceps and the hamstrings work together, along with the adductor muscles, if one group of muscles is much stronger than another, it can strain the weaker muscle group.
  4. Most thigh pain will go away with the above methods; however, sometimes thigh pain may not be due to a sprain, strain, sore muscle, or cramp, but a symptom of a much more severe condition. If you have chronic pain that doesn't get better, cannot put weight on your leg after a few days, see abnormal swelling or bruising, or find no at-home treatments are working, you should see your doctor. [13]
    • If you experienced an injury that caused thigh pain, you may want to see your doctor if you believe it is severe.
    • If you are unsure of the cause of your thigh pain, you can see your doctor as soon as it happens just to be sure.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00366
      2. ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/29108.php
      3. ↑ https://patient.info/bones-joints-muscles/sports-injuries/hamstring-injuries
      4. ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/29108.php
      5. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/muscle-spasms-cramps-charley-horse?page=2
      6. ↑ https://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/thigh-pain/dead-leg/sports-massage-front-thigh
      7. ↑ https://www.emedicinehealth.com/leg_pain/page9_em.htm
      8. ↑ https://www.nickcampos.com/2011/12/frog-stretch-for-inner-thigh-pain-relief/
      9. ↑ https://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/thigh-pain/back-thigh/tight-hamstring-muscles
      1. ↑ https://www.physioroom.com/advice/sports/thigh-strain/
      2. ↑ https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00366
      3. ↑ https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00366
      4. ↑ https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00366

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Thigh pain can be unpleasant and uncomfortable, but you alleviate it using the Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE) method for two days after the injury. When you feel thigh pain, start by resting your leg muscles for 1 - 2 days and avoiding any exercise that may require you to use these muscles. For the first 24 hours, apply an ice pack to the site of the pain for 10 - 15 minutes each hour that you're awake. Icing your thigh will help reduce swelling and inflammation. For the next 24 hours, repeat the icing every 2 - 3 hours instead. Keep the area wrapped in a compression bandage until any swelling goes down. While you're using the RICE method, try to keep your leg elevated above the level of your heart as much as possible, as this will also help to reduce any swelling. Alternatively, you can also relieve thigh pain by taking over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen or by massaging the area. For more ideas on how to alleviate thigh pain from our Orthopedic Surgeon co-author, such as taking an Epsom salt bath or using a foam roller, scroll down.

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