Many people often deal with upper thigh pain when walking. As a result, many people look for relief from this pain. This article will cover what causes upper thigh pain as well as how it is treated. The article will also offer some possible home remedies to help provide temporary relief from this discomfort until you see your doctor.
What Causes Upper Thigh Pain When Walking?
Several conditions can cause upper thigh pain. The most common cause is when the muscles in the groin are strained or even torn. This injury is known as sports hernias or athletic public. Other common causes include muscle strain, muscle spasms, ligament tears, and even bone fractures in the upper thigh area.
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome causes upper thigh pain when walking. The greater trochanter (a bony prominence in the middle of the upper thigh) becomes painful and tender if you walk with a pronounced pelvic swing. Pain in this area is usually accompanied by hip, leg, and abdominal discomfort and may also be felt radiating to the buttocks or groin. This condition is usually caused by an injury to one of your hamstring muscles. However, it can also be caused by irritation of the tendon of the gluteus medius muscle.
Symptoms for this condition include pain felt on the side or front of your hip, worsened by walking, sitting, or bending over, and pain that gets worse with activity. To treat this condition, you should rest your hips and avoid activities that cause pain to flare up. You may also want to ice the area to help reduce pain and swelling.
Preventing this condition in the future can be done by strengthening your hip muscles, especially the hamstring muscles. Additionally, you could try to align your knees and hips when you walk to reduce the stress on your hips. Also, try inserting a piece of foam or other material under your shoe to raise the heel of your foot. Doing this may allow you to walk with less strain on your hips.
IT Band Syndrome
IT band syndrome causes pain in the upper thigh that is felt on the outside of your thigh. IT band syndrome occurs due to a pinched or irritated tendon from the hip to the knee. This condition is usually caused by repeated stress and strain on the tendons from running, jumping, and cycling. This condition may also be caused by tight muscles or excessive pronation or supination of your feet.
To treat this condition, try icing the area to help reduce swelling. You should also consider taking an anti-inflammatory medicine to assist reduce inflammation in the affected area. Stretching your leg muscles and finding a better shoe with proper support for your feet may also help reduce your symptoms. Also, avoid activities that aggravate your symptoms. If you continue to have problems with this condition, talk with your doctor about getting an anesthetic injection into the area to provide temporary relief from pain.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis can also cause upper thigh pain when walking. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal at the base of your spine. This narrowing can cause compression of a nerve root as it exits the spinal column. Numbness, tingling, and weakness can occur in your legs as a result of this compression. Spinal stenosis may be referred to as the lumbar spine or cervical spine stenosis in those areas. This condition is usually caused by degenerative changes in the spine that may be due to normal aging or certain medical conditions.
The best way to treat this condition is using physical therapy and exercise to strengthen your back muscles, especially your abdominal muscles. Doing this may help improve the ability of the spinal joints to move efficiently. Additionally, you could try putting heat or ice on the area of your back or neck to relieve pain and swelling.
If you’re experiencing spinal stenosis, making your shoes more comfortable with inserts or finding the right shoes can help ease symptoms. Check out these helpful tricks for making any shoe work for your needs with the right support and cushioning.
Quadriceps or Hamstring Tendonitis
Quadriceps or hamstring tendonitis causes pain below your knee and in your thigh’s middle and lower part. The overuse of the muscle usually causes this condition. However, it may also be caused by injury to your muscle, ligament, or tendon.
The symptoms of quadriceps or hamstring tendonitis include pain that worsens when you bend or straighten your knee and pain that gets worse with activity. The symptoms may also include a popping or grinding sensation when you walk. To treat this condition, you should rest your leg, apply ice to the area, and take an anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce swelling and pain. You may also want to try using a brace or support to help stabilize your knee if it is very painful. Stretch your quadriceps and hamstrings, too. If you continue to have trouble with this condition, speak with your doctor about getting an injection of cortisone into the affected area to provide temporary relief from pain. If this doesn’t work, surgical repair of the tendon may be required.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy can cause pains in the upper thigh that are felt in the outer thigh, inner thigh, and lower leg. This condition is caused by a peripheral nerve swelling or damage due to a traumatic event, autoimmune disease, or diabetes. This condition may also be associated with a broken bone or a bone bruise. This condition can also occur due to a blood vessel blockage from high blood pressure or other medical conditions.
To treat this condition, you should rest your leg and apply ice packs to the area. You may also want to use crutches or other supports or braces to avoid stressing the muscles around your knee joint.
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When Should I be Concerned about Thigh Pain?
Several Days or Several Weeks
If you have been experiencing thigh pain for several days or several weeks, then you should consult with your doctor to determine the cause of the pain. Pain that is persistent and does not go away on its own can signify a more serious condition. This is especially true if you also experience symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness with your pain.
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Difficulty Walking or Difficulty Breathing
You should be particularly concerned if your thigh pain occurs with difficulty walking or difficulty breathing. These symptoms may be a sign of a blood clot in your leg (a deep vein thrombosis) or pulmonary embolism (the sudden blockage of the pulmonary artery by the blood clot). A blood clot in the leg may also be a sign of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or other medical conditions.
Weight Gain
If your thigh pain coincides with sudden weight gain, swelling, redness or warmth in your legs or feet, abdominal pain or pain in your back or chest, then it could be a sign of deep vein thrombosis, heart disease (myocardial infarction), pulmonary embolism (a blood clot that travels to the lungs), broken bone (fractured rib), chronic kidney disease (CKD) or other medical conditions.
If you’re wondering how much weight you can gain in a week, check out this article. It explains the factors that contribute to weight gain and how much you can expect to gain in a week. It’s important to maintain a healthy weight to avoid any possible leg pain or other health issues.
Two Common Types of Thigh Pain
Front Thigh Pain above Knee
If your thigh pain is in front of the knee, you should be concerned if it occurs suddenly or gradually develops. Pain that occurs suddenly may be a sign of an infection, blood clot, or other medical conditions. Pain that occurs gradually (and continues for more than four weeks) could also be a sign of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or other medical conditions.
If you are experiencing upper thigh pain while walking, walking on an incline may be a great alternative. According to Hood MWR, incline walking can help to reduce strain on joints and muscles and provide a low-impact cardio workout. Plus, it can help you burn more calories and tone your legs. Give it a try and see if it helps alleviate your thigh pain.
Thigh Pain on One Side of Your Body
If you experience pain only on one side of your thigh, then this may be a result of a blood clot (blood clot in the leg) or bleeding in the upper part of the leg (a hemorrhage). This type of thigh pain may also be associated with other symptoms such as difficulty breathing, shortness of breath (dyspnea), paleness (pallor), dizziness (vertigo), lightheadedness (syncope), extreme weakness or fatigue (lethargy), swelling, redness or warmth in your leg or foot.
Upper Thigh Pain When Walking Treatment
To ease upper thigh pain when walking, you may want to try the exercises for inner thigh muscles strengthening from this article. Stronger inner thigh muscles can help support the hip joint and reduce the strain on the muscles and tendons surrounding it, potentially relieving the pain.
Massage Therapy
Deep vein thrombosis causes chronic thigh pain, which can be relieved with massage therapy. A massage therapist can help you find points on your body that are tender and also help to relieve the stress of walking. They can also help you develop a stretching program. This stretching program can help prevent any strains on your muscles or joints that may result from walking.
Strengthening Exercises
Strengthening exercises may be helpful for those who have had a serious injury to their knee, hip or back. Strength training exercises can improve muscle tone and prevent the weakening of incongruous structures through overuse, allowing those areas to heal more easily.
Strengthening exercises are usually started after the initial pain has subsided or has been lessened by taking medications or other treatments. Most exercises should be done with the aid of a physical therapist, chiropractor, trainer, or sports training professional. When doing these exercises, it is always important to listen carefully to your body and stop if you encounter any problems, even mild discomfort. You should start with low repetitions of each exercise and gradually increase your range of motion as you become stronger.
To help relieve upper thigh pain when walking, incorporating knee-strengthening exercises could help strengthen the muscles and minimize impact on the knee joint. Exercises like sidestepping, walking lunges, and wall squats can help improve leg strength and stability and help relieve pain.
FAQS
What is thigh pain?
Thigh pain can occur when there is an injury to the hip, knee, or back. For instance, long-term use of a laptop computer on one’s lap can cause chronic thigh pain for some people.
What does thigh pain feel like?
Thigh pain varies in intensity and duration depending on what caused it. It can be dull, sharp, or constant in nature and usually affects one side of the body at a time (unilateral). Sharp or severe thigh pain that lasts for more than four weeks may be due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), heart disease (myocardial infarction), bone fracture, or other medical conditions.
If you’re experiencing pain in your thighs while walking, it could be due to a number of reasons, including muscle strain, injury, or nerve damage. To learn more about the potential causes and treatments of pain in the buttocks while walking, visit Pain in Buttocks When Walking: Causes and Treatments.
Symptoms of thigh pain?
Thigh pain is usually accompanied by swelling, redness, or warmth in the leg or foot. Other symptoms may include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath (dyspnea), paleness (pallor), dizziness (vertigo), lightheadedness (syncope), extreme weakness or fatigue (lethargy), hypertension, abdominal pain, or pain in the back or chest. Neurological symptoms such as paralysis are also associated with this condition.
How to cure thigh muscle pain?
Thigh muscle soreness can be treated or cured in a variety of ways. If you experience thigh pain due to injury or overuse, you may start with an in-home exercise program. These types of home exercise programs usually involve stretches and strength training to help improve your overall strength and flexibility.