When you experience pain only on the outside of your thigh it can be caused by numerous factors and conditions. Outer thigh pain, or lateral leg pain, can be attributed to nerve problems or damage, muscle imbalances and blunt-force trauma. Athletes, especially runners, often complain of lateral thigh pain. Manual therapy techniques, stretching exercises and certain styles of physical therapy are all treatments to which causes of outer thigh pain respond to well.
Outer thigh pain can inhibit your ability to participate in activities you enjoy, but with awareness of injury prevention wisdom and with the proper treatment, you can get back to your favorite activities in a relatively short time. There are a few different kinds of outer thigh pains; each with their own causes, symptoms and treatments.
Meralgia paraesthetica, or burning thigh pain, happens when your LFCN is being compressed due to trauma in the leg like a recent surgery or hip injury. A burning, tingling or numb sensation is experienced as well as sensitivity to touch and groin pain.
Treatment: depending on the source of the pressure on the nerve, treatments vary from resting the hurt leg for an extended period of time to receiving steroid shots to reduce inflammation.
Trochanteric Bursitis is different from burning thigh pain in that it affects the bursa sacs between the muscles in the hip, groin and thigh and is caused by prolonged pressure, repeated twisting or rapid joint movements. Limping, swelling and pain the hip and buttock are all symptomatic of Trochanteric Bursitis.
Treatment: rest, ice packs, hip strengthening exercises, over the counter anti-inflammatories, stretching and avoiding long periods of standing are all at home treatments for this kind of thigh pain. If these do not work you may need to see a doctor for some lidocaine, steroid injections or other therapies.
Inflammation of your iliotibial band, a tissue that runs down the side of your leg, causes Iliotibial Band Syndrome, or ITBS. You may experience pain in the outside area of the knee joint, swelling and discomfort in that area, or snapping and popping sensations in the knee. Endurance athletes are most prone to this kind of thigh pain and they have prolonged pressure on their iliotibial band and knee joints.
Treatment: ice and anti-inflammatory medications are best for treating ITBS. Resting off of the injured leg is also a wise decision and will speed up the healing process. When the acute symptoms are controlled make an effort to increase flexibility so you can avoid further inflammation and discomfort in your iliotibial bands. Muscle contusions vary from ITBS in that they are actual bruises and contusions that appear on the muscles rather than inflammations or squeezing of nerves.
Muscle contusion is common among athletes who play high contact sports, like football or rugby. Pain, swelling, tenderness of the skin and discoloration of the skin are common symptoms. Applying ice and elevating the injured leg will help treat the inflammation and alleviate pain. It is also helpful to wrap the area with a soft cloth or bandage to keep slight pressure on it.
Treatment: muscle contusions can also have more severe symptoms like hematomas and reduced range of motion. In severe cases there can be some internal bleeding and even bone fractures. In those cases home treatments will not necessarily work and you should consult a doctor.
You can see there are so many reasons that can lead to thigh pain. Hence, if you are suffering from such pain, then it is best to consult a doctor immediately. Persistent pain or pain that goes away and comes back often is also signs that you should seek a medical opinion. If pain is persistent, does not improve or comes back, don’t use over the counter pain medications to mask the pain because you are also masking a more serious condition, seek the advice of a doctor instead.