There are several muscles in the thighs that can cause pain: the quadriceps on the front, the adductors of the inner thigh, and the hamstring group which are located in the back. The hamstrings and quadriceps run a greater risk of being torn because they connect the hip joints with those of the knees, allowing the flexion and extension of the legs, and can therefore be injured during a run, jumping and in various sports activities. If you experience pain in your thighs, there are ways to relieve it.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Relieve Pain with the RICE Method
Step 1. Use the RICE method
When you experience pain in your thighs, you can immediately put it into action; represents first aid treatment that can help you reduce inflammation and pain, facilitating healing. It is used in case of strains, sprains, bruises and other muscle injuries. The RICE protocol (an English acronym that is described below) is useful in the first two days after the injury and includes:
- R.east: rest;
- THEce: ice;
- C.ompression: compression;
- ANDlevation: elevation.
Step 2. Rest and protect your leg
The first thing to do when the thigh muscle is stretched is to stop whatever activity you were doing; if you continue to train or use the injured muscle, you can aggravate the situation. Instead, you must keep the limb at rest and avoid any physical activity that requires the use of the thigh; try to stop for at least a day or two.
Avoid placing weight on your leg as much as possible; sit or lie down in a comfortable position if you can
Step 3. Apply ice
This is the next step: Place a cold pack on the injury to slow blood circulation and thus relieve pain, as well as reduce acute swelling and inflammation.
- Keep ice on the affected area for 10-15 minutes every hour for the first 24 hours after injury, but not when you sleep.
- After the first day, you can repeat the treatment four or five times throughout the day or every two or three hours.
- You can either use a commercially available ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables, such as peas, which are small enough to easily fit the shape of the thigh; alternatively, you can fill an old sock with rice, put it in the freezer and use it when needed.
- Never place ice directly on the skin, always wrap it in a cloth (such as a towel or t-shirt) to protect the skin.
Step 4. Compress the injured muscle
Wrap the painful area with an elastic bandage or wear compression shorts, which help reduce swelling by limiting the space available, as well as provide support for the injured area.
- Wrap the band tight enough to apply medium pressure, but not too much to create a "sausage" effect around the bandage or stop blood circulation.
- Start by wrapping the upper thigh upstream of the injury.
- Once the swelling is gone, there is no need to wrap the muscle anymore.
- If the elastic bandage causes more pain, it means that it is too tight and you need to loosen it a little.
Step 5. Raise your leg
Try to keep it higher than your heart for as long as possible, which helps reduce swelling.
- If you can't lift it above heart height, keep it at least parallel to the floor.
- After the first or second day after the injury, you should start moving it a little every hour or so; proceed carefully and slowly, without overdoing it, otherwise you could aggravate the situation and further injure the muscle.
Method 2 of 3: Relieve Pain with Other Methods
Step 1. Avoid the HARM factors
During the recovery period, you must avoid these elements in the first 24-72 hours after the injury. Again, the term derives from an English acronym:
- H.eat: heat. It is to be avoided as it can increase swelling and bleeding in the injured area.
- TOlcohol: alcohol. It increases bleeding, edema and delays the healing process.
- R.unning: running or exercise. Any activity can worsen muscle damage, as well as increase swelling and bleeding in the area.
- M.assage: massage. It can be very useful after the initial recovery period, but you should avoid it for 72 hours after the injury.
- However, once 48 or 72 hours have passed, you can try some of the methods described below.
Step 2. Take pain relievers
During the first few days after the accident, you can take over-the-counter medications that help reduce inflammation.
Take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Brufen) or acetaminophen (Tachipirina), to reduce pain and inflammation
Step 3. Use heat
Helps to relax sore muscle by improving circulation in the area; However, you must not apply it when the injury is recent or you experience acute pain, wait at least 48 or 72 hours after the injury.
- Once the appropriate time has elapsed, you can follow the heat therapy 15 minutes at a time, three or four times a day.
- You can use an electric warmer, a warm bundle of herbs or salts, a compress, a hot water bottle. Alternatively, you can also immerse yourself in a warm bath.
- Heat is most effective when muscle pain is chronic or associated with arthritis.
Step 4. Alternate between cold and heat therapy
When you can walk without pain, you can apply hot and cold compresses alternating them; this helps reduce pain and swelling.
- Start by holding a hot pack for two minutes, followed by a minute of cold pack; repeat the procedure six times.
- Repeat the entire cycle twice a day.
Step 5. Use a foam roller to stretch and massage the muscle
When you can walk without pain, ask a personal trainer or physical therapist to teach you how to use this accessory to stretch and massage the injured muscle.
- This is a foam tube that you can put under your injured leg by rolling it back and forth.
- Once you have learned how to use it correctly, repeat the massage on both sides; this technique helps prevent any future injuries.
Step 6. Take an Epsom salt bath
It is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the pain of sore muscle. Immersing yourself in a warm bath with Epsom salt offers a double benefit: you can enjoy the beneficial effects of the salt and the warmth of the water.
Fill the tub with water that is rather hot, but not to the point of burning the skin; pour in at least 200 g of salt, but you can add even more, so stay immersed for up to 20 minutes
Step 7. Get a massage
Once you have overcome the acute phase of pain, when the muscle starts to heal you can massage the leg; apply gentle pressure to relieve pain.
- Massage it while moving upwards, tap the muscles with your hands or press deeply along its entire length.
- If the injury is particularly severe or you are concerned about massaging yourself, see a physical therapist
Step 8. Do some stretching exercises
They can help you limit the damage and reduce the risk of further injury; they are particularly useful if you have torn hamstring muscles or if the pain is localized in the inner thigh. Usually, your doctor or physical therapist will tell you if stretching is a suitable exercise for your situation.
- Try the frog stretch for the inner thigh muscles. Get on your knees and try to spread your legs as far as you can, stabilizing the position with your hands; make sure your shins are parallel to each other and arch your back, so that your abdomen moves towards the floor and your butt is pushed back. If you are flexible enough, you can also lower your torso by leaning on your forearms; you should feel the stretch in the inner thigh area.
- To get a good hamstring stretch, sit on the floor with one leg straight and the other bent, reaching towards the extended leg and rotating your pelvis. You should feel the stretch in the back of the thigh; hold the position for 30 seconds and then repeat with the other leg. Alternatively, you can also keep both legs straight in front of you and bend over at your hips, trying to reach your toes.
- To stretch your hamstrings, stand up straight and lean against a wall or chair to maintain balance. Bend one knee and grab the foot, bringing it as close as possible to the buttocks; you should feel the stretch in the front of the thigh.
Step 9. Go to the doctor
If you are unable to put weight on your injured leg immediately after the injury or are unable to take more than four steps without experiencing severe pain, you should go to the doctor immediately.
- Get examined even if the pain or discomfort does not subside after 5-7 days of RICE treatment.
- In the case of serious injuries, rehabilitation sessions may be necessary; ask your doctor to refer you to a qualified massage therapist or physiotherapist.
Method 3 of 3: Knowing Thigh Pain
Step 1. Learn about the causes of muscle tears
A strained thigh muscle can cause a lot of pain and the injury can occur mainly during running, kicking, skating or lifting weights; however, you can also get injured just by walking. The muscle can tear at any point whenever it is subjected to a sudden stretch.
It is very important to warm up and stretch before starting any activity; if you do not perform the preliminary stretch exercises correctly, you run an increased risk of injury and strain
Step 2. Recognize the symptoms of a muscle strain
The most common is a sudden sharp pain that can develop in the anterior, posterior or inner thigh or in the hips, knees or groin, depending on the muscle that was torn.
- Many people report hearing or feeling a popping sound.
- Within a short time, from a few minutes to a few hours, swelling, bruising and tenderness to the touch usually develop.
- You may also experience some degree of weakness or be unable to walk and put weight on the affected leg.
Step 3. Know the risk factors for a muscle tear
Thigh pain is common in this type of injury and some people are more likely to suffer from it than others. Among the main factors to consider are:
- Carry out some sporting activity that includes running, football, shooting, especially if you have not devoted enough time to stretch your muscles before starting the sport; dancing and other vigorous activities also carry a high risk.
- Have already suffered muscle strains in the past in this case, the muscles are weaker, thus increasing the chances of new injuries.
- Starting a sporting activity when you are not in full shape or before doing adequate preparatory stretching.
- Muscle imbalance; Since the quadriceps, hamstrings and adductors work together, if one of these muscle groups is stronger than another, it can cause strain on the weaker one.
Step 4. See your doctor
By implementing the methods described so far, the pain almost always disappears on its own; however, in some cases it is not caused by muscle sprain, tear, pain or cramp, but could be a symptom of a more serious condition. If you complain of chronic pain that does not go away with time, you still can't put weight on your injured leg after a few days, you notice swelling, an unusual bruise, or you find that home remedies are not beneficial, you need to go to the doctor.
- If you have a thigh injury that causes pain and you are concerned that it is serious, you need to go to the doctor's office.
- If you are unsure of the cause of the pain, see your doctor as soon as possible to clear up any concerns.
