Pain in the front thigh
Pain in the front thigh is varied in its severity and pain quality. They can have numerous causes, ranging from temporary symptoms of overstrain to diseases requiring treatment. In addition to the duration and intensity of the pain, the quality of the pain is the most important factor in determining the diagnosis.
It describes the character of the pain, i.e. whether it is rather sharp or dull, locally limited or radiating. The cause of the accident is often important for finding a diagnosis, especially in the case of injuries. The following are some common causes of pain in the front thigh.
Sports Injuries
Many athletes are affected by pain in the front thigh, which mostly originates from the muscles. The quadriceps femoris muscle is located on the front of the thigh with its various parts. This muscle is responsible for stretching the knee.
Its largest submuscle, the Musculus rectus femoris, is also responsible for part of the hip flexion. Since the front thigh muscle is used in most sports, injuries and signs of overstrain often occur here as well. If a sports injury has occurred, it is usually important to interrupt sporting activities.
It is also important to cool the affected area immediately. Furthermore, the thigh should be bandaged and elevated under slight pressure to prevent swelling. These measures are summarized in the so-called PECH rule, which can be applied to many minor sports injuries, where PECH is an acronym that stands for the following: P- Take a break E- Put on ice C- Compression H- Raise.
Quadriceps tendon rupture
A quadriceps tendon rupture often occurs when trying to prevent a fall while walking downhill or climbing stairs by tensing the quadriceps muscle. More rarely, a rupture occurs after an accident in which the muscle just above the patella is injured. In addition, the tendon of the muscle is more susceptible to injury if a degenerative pre-injury has occurred.
Symptoms include swelling of the knee and pain in this area. The affected person is not able to stretch the knee, possibly a gap in the course of the tendon above the knee has to be palpated. The rupture of the tendon can be visualized by ultrasound or MRI and requires surgical treatment in which the ends of the tendon are sutured back together.
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