Pain of the front thigh
If the thigh pain mainly affects the front of the thigh, irritation of the femoral nerve, which supplies the front of the thigh and the quadriceps femoris muscle, which represents the largest part of the anterior thigh musculature, is usually assumed to be sensitive and motoric. The nerve irritation can be caused by overloading the thigh during frequent hip bending movements and physical activity, or by prolonged sitting, which can lead to entrapment and thus mechanical irritation of the nerve in the groin. In this case, in addition to the pain, numbness or tingling also occurs. Another cause of frontal thigh pain is poor posture and malpositions in the back, hips or feet. For example, constant buckling in one hip during standing leads to a one-sided hardening of the quadriceps, which in turn can lead to thigh pain.
Pain of the inner thigh
Pain on the inner side of the thigh can also be caused by overstraining the muscles, the so-called adductor group, or by irritation of the supplying nerve. The nerve that innervates the inner side of the thigh is called the obturator nerve. A small part of the inner thigh musculature is supplied by the nervus genitofemoralis.
If this nerve is irritated or damaged during its course, pain in the thigh, groin pain and pain in the testicles occur in addition to pain in the thigh, since these regions of the body are also supplied by a branch of the nerve. Overstrain of the musculature is mainly caused by the sports riding and soccer. Accidents, such as slipping on black ice, which inevitably leads to an outward falling movement with spreading legs, can also lead to overstraining or even pulling the adductors.Incorrect body positions and sitting postures, such as sitting with legs crossed over, can also overload these muscles. Inflammation or fractures of the pelvis and abdominal operations can lead to nerve irritation of the obturator nerve, which also manifests itself as inner thigh pain.
