Pain in the front of thigh

Halfway through a run I started to feel a pulling in the front of my thigh near the top, as I came to the end of my run i was in quite alot of pain and felt as if the movement in my leg was being restricted. I was wearing new trainers which I had only worn once before so was wondering if they might have had something to do with it? I had two weeks off running but still carried on with my other exercise classes and swimming as they havent seemed to affect it, when I went on my first run as I ran the pain came back. I would be grateful for any ideas on what it might be and what to do? image

Comments

  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭

    Ho ho!! This is exactly what I've had but I don't think its either new trainers or the bike cos I had it before the trainers and i've always trained on the bike and I'm swimming way more than biking and it came on before I hit the bike.......I don't think its the bike. image

    I've had mine for about 3/4 weeks now, its kinda doing my head in, i stretch, i've had a sports massage (got another booked in a couple of weeks)

    Any physios out there got any ideas on what it might be?? I've got a marathon at the end of may image

  • I'm only a beginner but have you tried a foam roller? My physio recommended it for my tight calf and thigh muscles - it's sheer torture but gives brilliant results!

    Good luck

  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭
    Yeah - tried that, use them regularly at the gym
  • touie2touie2 ✭✭✭

    could you have pulled your hip flexor?

    I seem to have this problem following a hip injury! Hip's now feeling much better but all the stabilising muscles are agony image I've just been taking ibuprofen and  running through it and it hasn't seemed to make it any worse. Have seen an osteopath too not sure if that has helped or not., and have had massage, again not really convinced that it made a difference.

    Seems to be worse going down hill although uphill doesn't seem to hurt at all image 

  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭

    I think its the muscles connecting to my groin, as the pain seems to stem from there and move down the front of my quad and affect the knee as well, its weird though cos up hill is ok, i mean it twinges but ok, downhill seems slightly worse but its at it worst on the flat, and even though it feels like the movement is restricted (this is felt in the groin and moving out to my hip) it isn't all the time and eases if i lengthen my stride, I've been doing some digging on the good old t'interweb and it could be something to do with my hamstrings as in my quad muscles overworking. I've had probs with my left ham before so wouldn't suprise me. But what the chuff do i know - it could be something to do with my little toe and its misalignment !! image

  • I am having exactly the same problem! I have had pain for the last 3 weeks when running following a long run in new trainers....am off on a running weekend on Friday and am seriously worried about how I'm going to manage. I've been told that it's a problem with my hip that's causing it - I too thought it was my groin at first. The only advice I've had is to rest it rather than popping the pills and running through it.

    I'm joining the "what the chuff do I know" club too! image

  • Have texted my sister in law who's a physio to ask her...I'll let you all know!
  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭

    ooooh let us know Petite S, i'm curious and keen to know, interestingly today, if i'm walking and engaging my glutes it seems to ease it (was taught that by the physio - basically clench your butt as you walk).

    The top of my thigh is screaming this afternoon- BOOOOOOOOOOOO

  • I'm not alone then!! Its very frustrating. I have recently just got over a pull in the glute area, saw a physio and a couple of massages and some glute strengthining exercises sorted it out. It feel as if it has moved to the front of my thigh nowimage

    im with you on that it seems to stem from my groin JWrun, I hope someone tells us how to fix itimage

  • I've now been told that it could be the hip, back or pelvis causing the pain - impossible to know without a proper examination. Nothing serious though. The advice is to lay off the running if it causes pain... image
  • Thanks for the advice. Think I will be making an appointment with the sports therapistimage

  • OH MY.
    same here. There's a generalised tightening, excruciating pain in front of my thigh, especially the upper part.  It hurts most in the morning, and once i pop in some ibuprofen, it stops hurting as much,
    ran for the bus today. and was struggling.
    When I run, the first 20 minutes hurts a little, so I alternate between running and stretching. After that, the pain kinda fades away.

    I'm really worried because I am running the half marathon in 3 weeks! Can't afford to take any time off image

  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭

    well i'm getting me a referral tomorrow morning - fizzy here i come! It seems to have eased this morning but still hobbling about, i'm going for a run tonight and see what happens, it seems to like a stretch and really eased off after a bike ride last night.

    Doing strengthening exercises and trying to strengthen my hammys so we'll see what the fizz says and pray they don't tell me to take time off - 13 weeks and counting!

  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭
    Pulled my thigh (the muscle in the middle), other pain is just compensation, get a fizz referral...take 6 weeks off he says image
  • Take time off must be the worst thing you can say to a runnerimage

    went for a run last night and the pain was loads better than it had been, Im going to keep my fingers crossed for a couple of weeks and see how I go!!

    Hope everyone else manages to get fixedimage

  • Hey all

    Just found this thread - but am going to be tied up with patients for the next few hours.

    If you hang in there I'll be back to try and shed some light on the issue

    Amanda - a quick few questions to help my thought process:

    • is there pain if you hop?
    • do you have pain at night?
    • does stretching the area hurt or feel very restricted?

    See you all soon

    Savs

  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭
    Hi savs, its my quad thats knackered, doesn't hurt if i hop, at night and stretching is goooooooooooood, went for a run today, its ok but where i'm compensating my hip is sore image, just taking it very slowly and it is improving which is good.
  • Sorry to butt into this thread, but was interested because I have a weird pain at the top of my thigh - but feels deeper like my hip? Started on a long run, but kept goingimage and was really sore after (barely walkable on for a week). That was 4 weeks ago, and haven't run since. Fizz wondered if it was a groin strain..Doing a single legged squat hurts, but there is no pain on stretching.. Now it's just a vague ache when walking but the minute I try to hop on it, or break into a jog it's sore (that's why I was interested why you asked Savs..)
  • touie2touie2 ✭✭✭
    Savs (Physio in Blackheath) wrote (see
    • is there pain if you hop?
    • do you have pain at night?
    • does stretching the area hurt or feel very restricted?

    See you all soon

    Savs


    I seem to have hijacked the thread after 2 osteo session and alot of back cracking and muscle stretching I am now walking without a limp for the first time in 3 weeks however I don't think he's sure what I've done. To answer the q's

    no way can i hop image one leg squats however are no problem!

    no pain at night unless I am thrashing about (which I do alot image )

    no pain stretching, tightness but no pain

     eta: tiptoeing helps

  • Hi Amanda and others

    My immediate thoughts on front of hip pain are: 1. muscular and 2. bone.

    1. From the muscular point we could be looking at the quads (big bulky creatures above the knee) or more commonly the hip flexors of which there are a few but we tend to clump them together. With the repeated running action of picking up the knee to the front the hip flexors can get very tight  - ask most novice marathon runners how their hips feel at the end of a marathon. Usually this responds to a reduction in mileage and stretching. The quads get injured from absorbing the continuous impact, they get tight and sore but again usually respond to similar management.

    2. Bone - the concern here is bone stress leading to stress fracture. This is very common at this time of the year as people are piling on the miles. Especially so for the ladies (alll the stress fractures I have treated so far this year have been female athletes). If a runner comes in and has distinct pain from hop that is deep inside / or is unwilling to hop and has thigh/hip pains - then I would be highly suspicious of bone stress / fracture.  I would immediately refer them to a sports doctor or orthopaedic consultant for further opinion and scans.

    Muscle usually recovers well over a few weeks but if not recovering then be suspicious of a bony injury.

    Obviously there are a number of other possible causes but these above are most common for runners - if at all in doubt go and see your Physio or GP.

    I hope this helps

    Keep Going!

    Savs

  • Savs (Physio in Blackheath) wrote (see)

    The quads get injured from absorbing the continuous impact, they get tight and sore but again usually respond to similar management.

    This is exactly how I felt 'the day after the day after' (ie; on the Tuesday, after Sundays exertions)

    I ran the Ilkley Harriers 'Ilkley Moor Fell-Race', & felt fine during it, & afterwards - despite the ice & snow (plus the downhill 'bouldery' descents)

     http://www.ilkleyharriers.org.uk/index.php?page=imr

    But.... by late Monday evening, I was suffering & not able to walk downstairs properly, or even in a staight line on the level.

     I reckoned it must be the impact of the downhill sections, & uneven terrain, what you say seems to confirm that fact

    It's just starting to feel okay today

  • Hi,

    This is what happened to me! 3 weeks ago I did a longer run than normal and the next day I was sore in my groin/ front of thigh. Next time I ran I felt a bit of pain but ran through it. Next day I was limping. Haven't been able to run pain-free since so haven't run (except a few yards to test for pain).

    The physio seemed optimistic, thought it was a strain. She said the muscles were very tight and freed then with massage and ultrasound. I haven't had the improvements I thought I would see. I've been twice but can't really afford to keep going. I've been given stretches as well, and have been icing.

    I have Boston Marathon in 4 weeks!!!! A dream to qualify finally and want to be able to run it. Supposed to be doing a half marathon tomorrow, can't run without pain so I guess I shouldn't do it image

    What I'm doing now is giving in for a week and just total rest, ice, stretches. Worried I'll lose my fitness though and not be able to finish the Marathon. Rest is very depressing, I'm trying to be positive so I guess I'll dust off my DVD player and watch those DVDs I always meant to watch!

     How long did it take you guys to get back on your feet? Should I run through pain or totally back off? Do I need more physio?

    Needing a bit of hope...

    Charley 

  • Hi 

    I am training for the Paris Marathon beginning of April and I  am starting to get upper thigh pain when I am running any ideas anyone ? 

  • Just wondering if any one knew how long the groin/ thigh strain took to heal I did mine a about 4 weeks back, rested and iced and small runs recently but then I ran with a friend and made the mistake to try keep up now I am in pain.... it's a dull ache from my thigh in to my groin
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