If you notice that you feel thigh pain when running, it can be discouraging. There are often many reasons for thigh pain, and it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause and nature of the injury. Here are some of the top reasons you feel thigh pain when running, and what you could do to help it.
Quad pain
If you have soreness or pain in your quadriceps, you may have a quad strain. Your quadriceps are the large muscles that are at the front of the thigh. Tearing these muscles can cause significant pain. Quad strains can be caused by overtraining, ineffective warming up before training or doing too many hill-climbing sprints without adequate rest.
Nerve pain
Damaged or inflamed nerves are a deceptive form of thigh pain when running. Many runners attribute the symptoms of nerve pain to overtired muscles, but the pain will not subside when using traditional treatments. Nerve pain can be identified by numbness in the thighs, a burning feeling above the knee, and pain on the outside of the thigh when running. Nerve pain is often caused by a postural misalignment that causes compression on the nerves. Runners often find that correcting their posture will relieve thigh muscle pain when running.
IT Band syndrome
IT band syndrome is a really common cause of thigh pain when running. You might notice pain at the outside of the knee, the outside of the hip under the hip bone or generalised pain on the outside of the thigh when running. Sometimes this can be caused by an improper gait, a generalised loss of core or glute strength, worn-out running shoes, or a sudden change to new running shoes. Addressing the causes early will avoid creating scar tissue and more serious issues. Read our injury advice page on IT band syndrome here.
Hamstring strain
Hamstring injuries are another common running injury. This involves damage to the muscles and tendons and can become a serious problem if left untreated or ignored. You may feel pain that starts at the back of the thigh when running, and it may also hurt to sit down or press the accelerator while driving. If you notice that you have sharp thigh pain when running, it’s best to stop running and consult a sports physiotherapist for advice on how to recover.
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Whilst Enertor has over 18 years of Orthotics experience, our blog content is provided for informational purposes only and it is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical advice. Enertor advises anyone with an injury to seek their own medical advice – and do not make any health or medical-related decisions based solely on information found on this site.