Full Answer
How do you treat a torn muscle in your thigh?
Apr 13, 2019 · Apply different rehabilitation strategies based on stages of healing for soft tissue injuries of the thigh. • Recognize appropriate activities to increase muscular strength and endurance for the hamstring, quadriceps, and groin muscle groups. • Identify appropriate functional activities for rehabilitation of thigh injuries.
What is a thigh strain and how to treat it?
Mar 10, 2022 · Initial treatment for a thigh strain should be to apply the cold therapy PRICE principles of protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Protect Protect your injured muscle by wearing a thigh support or compression bandage. Compression helps reduce swelling and protects the area. Advert Rest
What are the symptoms of thigh injuries?
Jan 05, 2022 · Apply cold therapy, compression and rest. Avoid stretching the quadriceps muscles at this stage. Stretching exercises for the calf muscles, hamstrings, gluteals and hips should be done. Gentle isometric muscle contractions can begin as long as they are pain free, along with activation exercises for the hips.
How to reduce pain and swelling in the thigh?
Treatment of Thigh Strain The immediate treatment of a Quadriceps muscle injury consists of the POLICE protocol – protect, Optimal Load, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It is important that this is done correctly and your Physiotherapist can advise you on this.
How long does it take a torn thigh muscle to heal?
If you are injured, take the time needed to let the muscle heal before you return to sports. Wait until your muscle strength and flexibility return to preinjury levels. This can take 10 days to 3 weeks for a mild strain, and up to 6 months for a severe strain, such as a hamstring strain.
How do you heal a thigh injury fast?
Refrain from an activity that may have caused the injury. Avoid aggressive stretching. Rest. In this case, rest would indicate tapering down from your regular exercise activity or any activity that involves using your quadriceps (running, weightlifting, jumping or even excessively bending your knee).Nov 15, 2016
How do you know if you tore a muscle in your thigh?
Symptoms. A person who experiences a muscle strain in the thigh will frequently describe a popping or snapping sensation as the muscle tears. Pain is sudden and may be severe. The area around the injury may be tender to the touch, with visible bruising if blood vessels are also broken.
How do you know if a thigh injury is serious?
A grade two Thigh strain is usually sore to touch. A grade three thigh strain is a complete rupture of a muscle and is a serious injury. There is immediate burning or stabbing pain and the athlete is unable to walk without pain.Apr 16, 2015
What exercises can I do to relieve thigh pain?
Lying leg extension To stretch the back of your thigh, lie on your back and lift one leg towards your chest. Place your hands behind the knee. Gently pull your leg towards your chest - you should feel a stretch in the back of your sore thigh. Hold for up to 10 seconds then return your leg to the floor.
How can I speed up recovery from injury?
7 Tips for Successfully Healing Your Sports Injury FasterStretch and stay loose under supervision.Stay hydrated.Focus on your mental recovery.Practice cold therapy.Rest your muscles.Practice injury prevention.Nourish yourself with a healthy diet.Follow the doctor's orders.Dec 8, 2020
What does a torn ligament in the thigh feel like?
Thigh or calf strain or sprain symptoms The main symptom of a thigh sprain or strain is a pain in the thigh that feel like a pulling or tugging sensation. Additional signs and symptoms may include: Pain while walking or using the affected muscle. Bruising, swelling or tenderness in the affected thigh.
How can I strengthen my thighs at home?
Exercises to tone and strengthen the thighsSquats. Squats are a compound movement, meaning that multiple muscle groups are working at the same time. ... Bulgarian split squat. Bulgarian split squats are another good way to strengthen the thighs, and a person can perform them at home. ... Deadlift. ... Step-up. ... Cycling. ... Running.Jul 14, 2020
Can you tear a ligament in your thigh?
Description. When a muscle is stretched too far, the fibers can become torn. This tearing away of the muscle from the tendon can result in a painful injury if left unattended. If there is an accident or injury that causes a direct blow to the thigh muscles, this can also create a serious strain.
Should you massage a thigh contusion?
Do not put heat on the contusion. This can make swelling worse. Also, do not massage the area without talking to your doctor first. When the doctor says it's OK, you can do muscle strengthening and stretching through physical therapy (PT) or an at-home exercise program.
How do you treat upper thigh pain?
In most cases, thigh pain can be treated with home remedies such as:ice.heat.over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil)weight management.moderating activity.stretching and strengthening exercises for the pelvis, hip, and core.Oct 23, 2017
Did I tear or pull a muscle?
The key symptoms of a muscle strain are: sudden pain that worsens while contracting the muscle, swelling and bruising, loss of strength and range of motion. People often report the sensation of pain as the feeling of being "stabbed." When muscle is initially injured, significant inflammation and swelling occurs.Nov 19, 2019
How to get rid of a sprained leg?
Bend the back knee towards the floor, but don’t let it touch. Keep your back upright throughout and don’t let the front knee move forwards past the toes. Start with 2 sets of 10 reps with the injured leg in front and then do 2 sets of 10 with the injured leg behind.
Why do muscles tighten up after injury?
After an injury, the muscle usually tightens up to protect the injury and prevent further injury. Whilst this may be useful in the early stages, it can slow the process of returning to sport and make you more prone to future injuries if not corrected.
What muscles are used to straighten the knee?
The quad muscles are responsible for straightening the knee. This exercise can be performed using no weight, ankle weights, a resistance machine or resistance band. Start with no weight and then progress to either ankle weights or a resistance band. Straighten the knee then slowly return to the start position.
How to get rid of a knee pain?
Active range of motion exercises. This exercise is useful in the early stages of rehabilitation whilst motion is particularly limited. Simply bend and straighten the knee through its full pain-free range of motion. This can be done in the sitting position, the standing position and lying down. Do not overstretch too soon.
How to stretch quadriceps?
This can be performed in either standing or laying on your front. Pull the foot of the injured leg towards your buttock until you can feel a gentle stretch on the front of the thigh. To increase the stretch, tilt your hips backward. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat 3 times.
How to stretch a swollen buttock?
This can be performed in either standing or laying on your front. Pull the foot of the injured leg towards your buttock until you can feel a gentle stretch on the front of the thigh. To increase the stretch, tilt your hips backward. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat 3 times. Do this at least 3 times a day.
How to stretch your hips?
Kneel with one knee on the floor and the other foot out in front with the knee bent. Push your hips forward and keep the back upright. You should feel a stretch at the front of the hip and top of the thigh. Hold for 20-30 seconds, repeat 3 times, at least 3 times a day.
What is a thigh strain?
A thigh strain is a name often given to a tear of the quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh. The quadriceps muscles consist of the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and the rectus femoris. A strain is a tear in the muscle and can range in severity, from a very small tear to a complete rupture.
What is a quadriceps strain?
A strain is a tear in the muscle and can range in severity, from a very small tear to a complete rupture. Quadriceps muscle strains usually occur during activities such as sprinting, jumping or kicking. You are more likely to sustain an injury if you haven’t warmed up sufficiently. Any of the quadriceps muscles can tear, ...
Why is sports massage important?
Massage helps to increase blood flow to the muscles, which aids the healing process. Massage helps improve your flexibility and loosens any tight knots or lumps following injury. It is also thought to realign scar tissue and improve tissue elasticity.
Can quadriceps tear?
Any of the quadriceps muscles can tear, but probably the most common is the rectus femoris. This is because it is the only one of the four muscles which crosses both the hip and knee joints. Therefore this makes it more susceptible to injury. Quadriceps muscle strains usually occur at one of two locations in the muscle:
What is a bulls eye lesion?
This is a tear higher up your thigh, in the belly of the thigh muscle, nearer the hip. This is commonly known as a ‘bulls-eye’ lesion. Other injuries to the thigh muscles include: Injury to the rectus femoris tendon will be felt at the origin of the muscle at the hip. This can be a tenon strain ...
Who is Mike Walden?
Mike Walden. Mike is creator & CEO of Sportsinjuryclinic.net. A qualified Sports Injury Therapist with a degree in Physical Education, Sports Science and Physics, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education.
How to get rid of a swollen thigh muscle?
Start to introduce activities such as cycling and gentle jogging. Apply heat if the muscle feels stiff – 15 minutes at a time before activity. Return to gentle training once all day-to-day and above exercises are pain-free and you have range of motion equal to the other side.
How to treat a swollen thigh?
Initial treatment – Day 1. Rest and apply cold therapy to the thigh as soon as possible for 15 minutes at a time. Repeat this every 2-3 hours. Do not apply ice directly to the skin or you could get ice burns. Wear a compression support all the time to help reduce swelling.
What to do after acute phase of sports injury?
Generally with an injury this severe, all treatment should be directed by a sports injury professional and should include stretching exercises, sports massage (after the acute phase has passed). Ultrasound may be used and gentle strengthening exercises can begin for example static or isometric contractions.
How long does it take for a sports massage to work?
After 48 hours , sports massage can be applied very gently to start with and see how the injury responds afterwards and the following day. Start to strengthen the muscle again, gently to start with and only if this is completely pain-free.
How to stretch quad muscles?
Start to gently stretch the quad muscles, provided it is comfortable to do so. Hold stretches for 20-30 seconds and repeat three times. Do this 3-5 times a day. Sports massage can be used from day 4 onwards. Once it is comfortable to do so, start gentle strengthening exercises.
How long does it take to cure a swollen ear?
Immediate treatment – Days 1-7. Seek medical attention immediately. Apply cold therapy for 15 minutes at a time, every 2-3 hours for the first 48 hours. Use crutches.
What is a thigh strain?
A Thigh muscle strain refers to a tear in the Quadriceps muscle group. Usually, the muscle is forcibly stretched beyond its limits and the muscle tissue becomes torn.
What is a grade 3 thigh strain?
A Grade three Thigh strain is a very serious injury. There is an immediate burning/ stabbing pain and the athlete is unable to walk without pain. The muscle is completely torn and there may be a large lump of muscle tissue above a depression. Bruising will appear below the injury site.
What is the protocol for quadriceps injury?
The immediate treatment of a Quadriceps muscle injury consists of the POLICE protocol – protect, Optimal Load, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It is important that this is done correctly and your Physiotherapist can advise you on this. This is aimed at reducing the bleeding and damage within the quadriceps muscle tissue.
Why does my inner thigh hurt?
Inner thigh pain/groin pain. Groin strain – is probably the most common cause of pain on the inside of the thigh. This is a tear of one of the adductor muscles. Sudden sharp pain is felt, usually whilst sprinting or turning sharply. Depending on how bad the strain is there may be swelling and bruising. Groin inflammation – is an overuse injury.
What is the pain in the front of the thigh called?
Thigh strain – (quadriceps strain) is a tear of one of the quadriceps muscles and a common cause of sudden onset pain at the front of the thigh. Sudden sharp pain is felt at the front of the thigh and depending on severity, swelling and bruising may develop. Thigh contusion – also known as a dead leg or charley horse is caused by a direct blow ...
What is hamstring pain?
Referred hamstring pain – is caused by an injury or problem elsewhere such as the lower back, sacroiliac joints or muscles of the buttocks. Symptoms include pain which may be sudden onset but is usually gradual onset where no specific point of injury can be identified.
Where is the rectus femoris tendon?
Rectus femoris tendon strain – is a tear of the tendon of the rectus femoris at the point it attaches to the pelvis at the front of the hip. Sudden sharp pain is felt at the very top of the muscle where it attaches to the pelvis with localized swelling at the point of injury. Occasionally the tendon may tear pulling a piece of bone with it, ...
What is a femur stress fracture?
Femur stress fracture – is caused by prolonged overuse. The main symptom of a femur stress fracture is a dull ache deep in the general area of the thigh. There is likely to be a pain when a bending force is applied to the femur, known as the hang test.
Why do you need a sports massage?
Most muscle injuries will benefit from sports massage to increase blood flow and healing to the area as well as make scar tissue more elastic helping to prevent the injury from recurring.
What is a hamstring tendon tear?
Hamstring tendon strain – is a tear of a hamstring tendon as it attaches to the pelvis. Hamstring Avulsion strain – this occurs when the tendon tears taking a small piece of done with it. This is more common in younger athletes (14-18-year-olds) and older people who may have had a history of chronic hamstring tendinitis.
How to help thigh pain?
Exercise . Exercise has been proven to help thigh pain that involves your muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. This is known as your musculoskeletal system. If your pain is coming from your back, lumbar stretches and strengthening exercises may be done to relieve pressure from spinal nerves.
How to stop a thigh ache?
Ice may help to decrease painful inflammation in your thigh's muscles and tendons. Ice should be applied for 10 to 20 minutes several times a day . Never apply ice or a frozen ice pack directly against your skin, as this can cause frost burns.
Why does my thigh hurt?
Thigh pain may be caused by a pinched spinal nerve. Both herniated lumbar discs and low back arthritis may pinch on the nerves that exit your spinal column and travel down your thigh. 1
What muscles are on the back of the thigh?
They allow you to straighten your knee and bend at the hip. Your hamstring muscles are on the back side of your thigh. They allow you to bend your knee.
Why does my lower back hurt?
Weakness in your thigh muscles. Difficulty sitting or rising from sitting. Pinched nerves typically cause thigh pain that changes depending on your spine's position, so this can be a clue to your doctor that your low back is actually causing your thigh pain. 2.
What causes pain in the back of the thigh?
Overuse and repeated stress to your thigh muscles may cause inflammation in your tendons. This condition is known as tendonitis . Symptoms of quad or hamstring tendonitis include: Pain in the front or back of your thigh, usually near your knee or hip.
What is the band on the side of the thigh called?
Your iliotibial band is a thick piece of tissue and fascia (connective tissue densely packed with nerves) that runs down the outer side of your thigh. Sometimes it can become irritated with overuse or repeated stress. This is a common running injury known as iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBS) .
What is a thigh strain?
A thigh strain or quadriceps strain is a tear in one of the four quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh. These muscles consist of the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and the rectus femoris. The most common muscle to injure is the rectus femoris as it crosses both the hip and the knee joint ...
What happens if you tear your knee?
A lump, bump or muscle spasms may occur. In the case of a Grade III tear, a gap in the muscle may appear and you lose the ability to straighten your knee.
How to tell if you have a quadriceps strain?
Symptoms of a Quadriceps Strain/Pull: 1 Sudden sharp pain at the front of your thigh. 2 Swelling and bruising may develop. 3 A lump, bump or muscle spasms may occur. 4 In the case of a Grade III tear, a gap in the muscle may appear and you lose the ability to straighten your knee.
How long does a sprain last?
Depending on the severity of a Grade I or mild Grade II strain, the initial acute protection phase may last anywhere from three to five days and up to two weeks.
How to protect a site from injury?
Initially, you may choose to “protect” the injury site. This may include the use of crutches to assist with walking. Even using a simple ACE wrap is a method of protecting the site from further injury. Refrain from an activity that may have caused the injury. Avoid aggressive stretching.
What muscles are tight?
Tightness in your hip flexors or quadriceps muscles. Weakness in your glutes/buttock muscles. Performing activities that are above your ability level. Performing tasks that your quadriceps muscles are not accustomed to or haven’t performed before.
How to warm up quadriceps?
This allows for better mobility and also prepares the tissues for exercise. Use a self-massage tool or a foam roller to roll up and down the quadriceps as part of your warm up.
What is a thigh contusion?
Thigh Contusion (Quadriceps Contusion) A thigh contusion is also known as a dead leg or charley horse and is caused by direct trauma to the muscle. Here we explain the treatment of mild, moderate and severe contusions.
How to fix a swollen leg?
Ice, compress, elevate, use crutches for 3 to 5 days. From day three, pain-free static quadriceps exercises (contract quads and hold for 10 secs in the sitting position). Improve mobility by bending and straightening the leg (as long as it is not painful).
How long can you walk with a grade 3 contusion?
Contracting the muscle may produce a visible bulge or gap in your thigh. Expect to be out of competition for 3 to 12 weeks.
Can you walk with a grade 1 thigh contusion?
If you have a grade 1 thigh contusion will feel tightness in your thigh. You may walk with a limp. However, you are unlikely to have much swelling. Trying to straighten your knee against resistance probably won’t produce much pain and you will still have nearly a full range of motion when stretching.
What happens if you have a contusion?
Pain at the time of injury. Restricted movement and inability to run properly. If your contusion is severe, even walking may be difficult. Swelling may develop quickly, and later bruising may or may not appear depending on the type of injury sustained.
How long does it take for a muscle to stop bleeding?
This means that the initial bleeding may stop early within hours because of increased pressure within the muscle, however, the fluid is unable to escape as the muscle sheath prevents it. The result is considerable loss of function and pain, which can take days or weeks to recover.
Can you walk with a grade 2 knee injury?
With a grade 2 you are unlikely to be able to walk properly. You will have occasional sudden twinges of pain during activity. You may have swelling and trying to straighten your knee against resistance will be painful. Pressing in (palpating) over the site of injury will be painful.
