What is muscle hardening in the thigh?
A muscle hardening is a punctual permanent tension of the musculature. It can occur in the thigh on both the front and back side. Often the inner side of the thigh is also affected, less frequently the outer side. The underlying problem of such muscle hardening is usually the lack of relaxation ability of the thigh muscles.
Causes of muscle hardening
The causes for muscle hardening in the thigh are manifold. Often, for example, an imbalance of the electrolytes is the underlying problem. If the thigh muscles have too little magnesium available, they cannot relax sufficiently and hardening occurs in the long term.
A magnesium deficiency does not necessarily have to be due to the electrolyte balance. Poor blood circulation can also be the cause of a magnesium deficiency in the muscles. In addition, if there is a circulatory problem, not enough oxygen reaches the muscle, which is why it cannot work properly.
Neurogenic causes, i.e. defects in the nerves that supply the muscles, can also be the cause. This leads to an incorrect control of the muscles, which is why they are permanently instructed to tense up, for example. The direct causes of acute muscle hardening are usually a sudden excessive strain on the muscle during sports.
Particularly if you have not warmed up properly, the muscle is not yet sufficiently supplied with blood for major strains. If it is then quickly put under heavy strain, not enough nutrients for good muscle function can be brought to the muscle. Waste products of the metabolism are also not disposed of quickly enough.
Therefore the thigh muscles tense up. However, prolonged physical activity can also lead to an excessive consumption of the necessary nutrients. Once all available nutrients have been used up and the thigh muscles are still under strain, hardening occurs.
Associated symptoms of muscle hardening
The predominant symptom of muscle hardening is usually an acute pain in the thigh muscles. The pain can be triggered by a sudden movement. Often the acute hardening is difficult to release, as in the case of a cramp.
If you touch the affected thigh muscle, it feels very hard and very tense. Due to the tension, the leg can no longer be used properly. Affected persons limp or are unable to walk at all.
Depending on the location of the muscle hardening, sitting can also be painful if the back of the thigh is affected. In addition, there is usually a reflex tensing of the surrounding muscles, so that incorrect posture may be adopted. Often the hip is most affected in chronic muscle hardening. In the long run, this leads to uneven strain on the hip, which can spread to back pain.
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