How can you alleviate sore thighs. What exercises are beneficial for thigh muscle and joint problems. Which stretches can help improve flexibility and reduce discomfort in the thighs. How often should you perform these exercises for optimal results.

Understanding Thigh Pain and the Importance of Exercise

Thigh pain can be a bothersome condition that affects mobility and quality of life. Whether caused by muscle strain, joint issues, or overexertion, addressing the problem through targeted exercises is crucial for recovery and prevention. This article delves into effective exercises and stretches designed to alleviate sore thighs and improve overall thigh health.

Why is exercise important for thigh problems? Exercise plays a vital role in the healing process by promoting blood flow, strengthening muscles, and improving flexibility. It supports tissue repair and helps restore normal function to the affected area. While initial discomfort may occur, a gradual return to regular activities through controlled exercises yields the best short-term and long-term outcomes for thigh-related issues.

Essential Exercises for Relieving Thigh Pain

To address sore thighs effectively, a combination of stretching and strengthening exercises is recommended. Here are some key exercises to incorporate into your routine:

1. Hamstring Stretch

This exercise targets the back of the thigh, helping to alleviate tightness and improve flexibility.

• Lie on your back and lift one leg towards your chest.
• Place your hands behind your knee.
• Gently pull your leg towards your chest until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh.
• Hold for up to 10 seconds, then return your leg to the starting position.
• Repeat with the other leg.

2. Knee Flexion and Extension

This exercise helps improve knee mobility and strengthens the muscles surrounding the joint.

• Sit on a sofa with your legs supported.
• Bend your knee as far as comfort allows.
• Hold for 2 seconds, then straighten your leg back to the starting position.
• Repeat 10-15 times for each leg.

3. Quadriceps Stretch

This stretch targets the front of the thigh, helping to reduce tension and improve flexibility.

• Stand holding onto a support with one hand.
• Bend your knee, bringing your heel towards your buttocks.
• Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
• Release and repeat with the other leg.

4. Standing Hamstring Stretch

This variation of the hamstring stretch can be performed while standing, offering an alternative to the lying position.

• Stand and extend one leg straight out in front of you, resting your heel on a chair if possible.
• Gently bend the supporting leg to intensify the stretch in the extended leg’s hamstring.
• Hold for 20-30 seconds.
• Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.

Proper Exercise Intensity and Pain Management

How can you determine if you’re exercising at the right level? It’s crucial to monitor your pain levels during and after exercise to ensure you’re not overexerting yourself. Use a pain scale from 0 to 10, where 0 represents no pain and 10 indicates the worst pain imaginable.

• 0 to 3: Minimal pain (acceptable)
• 4 to 5: Moderate pain (acceptable)
• 6 to 10: Excessive pain (unacceptable)

Aim to keep your pain within the 0 to 5 range during exercises. If pain exceeds this level, modify your routine by reducing repetitions, slowing down movements, or increasing rest periods between exercises.

Frequency and Progression of Thigh Exercises

How often should you perform these exercises for optimal results? The key is to start gradually and increase frequency and intensity over time. Here’s a general guideline:

1. Begin with 2-3 repetitions of each exercise.
2. Perform the exercises every hour throughout the day.
3. As you become more comfortable, add 1-2 repetitions every few days.
4. Progress to sets of exercises, such as 2 sets of 8 repetitions, 2-3 times a day.
5. Aim for a maximum of 2 sets of 15 repetitions as you advance.

For stretching exercises, focus on holding the stretch for longer periods rather than increasing repetitions. Start with 10-second holds and gradually work up to 20-30 seconds for maximum benefit.

Addressing Post-Exercise Pain and Recovery

Is it normal to experience pain after exercising? While your exercises shouldn’t exacerbate your existing thigh pain, it’s common to experience some muscle soreness when introducing new movements. This discomfort should be short-lived and shouldn’t persist into the following day.

To manage post-exercise pain:

• Apply ice or heat to the affected area, depending on personal preference and the nature of the pain.
• Engage in gentle stretching or light movement to promote blood flow and reduce stiffness.
• Consider over-the-counter pain relief medication if recommended by your healthcare provider.
• Ensure adequate rest between exercise sessions to allow for recovery.

Complementary Treatments for Thigh Pain Relief

While exercises form the cornerstone of thigh pain management, several complementary treatments can enhance recovery and provide additional relief:

1. Massage Therapy

Massage can help alleviate muscle tension, improve circulation, and reduce pain in the thighs. Self-massage techniques or professional massage therapy can be beneficial.

2. Foam Rolling

Using a foam roller on the thighs can help release muscle knots, improve flexibility, and reduce soreness. Start with gentle pressure and gradually increase as tolerated.

3. Hydrotherapy

Exercising in water can provide low-impact resistance while reducing stress on the joints. Swimming or water aerobics can be excellent options for those with thigh pain.

4. Acupuncture

Some individuals find relief from thigh pain through acupuncture, which may help reduce inflammation and promote healing.

Preventing Future Thigh Pain and Maintaining Leg Health

How can you prevent thigh pain from recurring? Implementing a proactive approach to leg health can help minimize the risk of future thigh problems:

• Maintain a regular stretching routine to preserve flexibility.
• Incorporate strength training exercises to support muscle and joint health.
• Practice proper form during physical activities to avoid undue stress on the thighs.
• Gradually increase the intensity of workouts to prevent overexertion.
• Wear appropriate footwear that provides adequate support during activities.
• Stay hydrated to maintain muscle elasticity and reduce the risk of cramps.
• Listen to your body and rest when needed to prevent overuse injuries.

By integrating these preventive measures into your lifestyle, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of experiencing recurrent thigh pain and maintain optimal leg health.

When to Seek Professional Help for Thigh Pain

While many cases of thigh pain can be effectively managed with home exercises and self-care, certain situations warrant professional medical attention. Consult a healthcare provider if you experience:

• Severe pain that doesn’t improve with rest and home remedies
• Swelling, redness, or warmth in the thigh area
• Difficulty bearing weight on the affected leg
• Pain accompanied by fever or other systemic symptoms
• Persistent pain that interferes with daily activities or sleep
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg

A healthcare professional can provide a thorough evaluation, accurate diagnosis, and tailored treatment plan to address your specific thigh pain issues. They may recommend additional interventions such as physical therapy, medication, or in some cases, further diagnostic tests to rule out underlying conditions.

Remember, early intervention often leads to better outcomes and can prevent minor issues from developing into more serious problems. Don’t hesitate to seek professional advice if you’re unsure about the nature or severity of your thigh pain.

By incorporating these exercises, following proper pain management techniques, and maintaining a consistent routine, you can effectively alleviate sore thighs and improve overall leg function. Remember to listen to your body, progress gradually, and consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns or persistent pain. With patience and dedication, you can overcome thigh muscle and joint problems and return to your normal activities with greater comfort and confidence.

Exercises for thigh muscle and joint problems

Learn exercises to help with thigh muscle or joint problems

After any thigh problem, it’s important to get movement and strength back. This supports tissue healing and will help you get moving again.

You may not be able to return to your usual exercise levels immediately and improvements may be slow to start with. However, a gradual return to normal activities is the best way to get good short and long term results after a thigh problem.

When doing exercise you should listen to your pain levels, especially in the early stages. You may find that these exercises increase your symptoms slightly in the beginning. However, they should get easier over time and, with regular practice, can help to improve movement in the thigh.

If the exercises do cause some discomfort then taking prescribed medication from your GP or pharmacist may help to keep you exercising.

Ensure you hold onto something sturdy such as a heavy chair or your kitchen worksurface.

One stretch is one repetition.

1. To stretch the back of your thigh, lie on your back and lift one leg towards your chest.
2. Place your hands behind your knee.
3. Gently pull your leg towards your chest – you should feel a stretch in the back of your sore thigh.
4. Hold for up to 10 seconds then return your leg to the bed.

Ensure you hold onto something sturdy such as a heavy chair or your kitchen worksurface.

Bending and straightening your knee is one repetition.

1. Sitting on your sofa with your legs supported, bend your knee as far as comfort allows. You can add a small stretch with your hands to help get further into the movement.
2. Hold this position for 2 seconds before returning to the starting position.

Ensure you hold onto something sturdy such as a heavy chair or your kitchen worksurface.

Lifting and bending your knee is one repetition.

1. Stand holding on to a support with one hand.

2. Lift and bend your knee, pulling the ankle towards your bottom – you should feel the stretch at the front of your thigh.

3. Aim to gradually increase this hold to 20 or 30 seconds to get the most benefit.

Ensure you hold onto something sturdy such as a heavy chair or your kitchen worksurface.

Bending and straightening your knee is one repetition.

1. While standing, move your leg straight out in front of you. You can place your heel on top of a chair to feel more of a stretch. Gently bend the other leg to feel a stretch at the back of your thigh. Hold for a few seconds.

2. Gently bring your leg back towards the floor.

3. Aim to gradually increase this hold to 20 or 30 seconds to get the most benefit

How to tell if you’re exercising at the right level

This guide can help you to understand if you’re exercising at the right level. It’ll also let you see how much pain or discomfort is acceptable.

It can be helpful to rate your pain out of 10 (0 being no pain 10 being the worst pain you have ever had), for example:

• 0 to 3 – minimal pain
• 4 to 5 – acceptable pain
• 6 to 10 – excessive pain

Pain during exercise

Aim to keep your pain within a rating of 0 to 5. If your pain gets above this level, you can change the exercises by:

• reducing the number of times you do a movement
• reducing the speed of a movement
• increasing rest time between movements

Pain after exercise

Exercise shouldn’t make your existing thigh pain worse overall. However, practicing new exercises can sometimes cause short term muscle pain as the body gets used to moving in new ways. This kind of pain should ease quickly and your pain should be no worse the morning after you’ve exercised.

How many and how often

You should add exercises into your routine gradually to help your thigh pain.  

Movement exercises

Repetitions are how often you do a single movement. When starting new exercises, it can be helpful to do 2 to 3 repetitions at a time.

It’s better to do small amounts throughout the day. For example, practise your repetitions every hour.

As this gets easier, and if you feel able to, add 1 or 2 repetitions to your movements every few days.

As you become able to do more repetitions, it can be helpful to break things up into sets. This means you could do more repetitions at a time but you’ll do them less often throughout the day. For example:

1. Do 8 repetitions.
2. Rest for a minute.
3. Repeat another set of 8 repetitions.
4. Repeat this 2 to 3 times a day.

Over time you can try to increase the number of repetitions you do. You should aim for a maximum of 2 sets of 15.

Stretching exercises

The aim of a stretch is to hold a position for a longer period of time. Over time this can help to improve your range of movement.  

When doing the exercise you should be able to feel a gentle stretch. This shouldn’t be sore or uncomfortable.

You should try to hold stretches for 20 to 30 seconds if possible.

Try to focus on doing sets of exercises. For example, do 2 to 3 sets of stretches. Aim to do this 2 to 3 times a day.

As you do more stretching you should feel your range of movement improve and you’ll be able to stretch further.

When to stop

Stop these exercises if they make your symptoms worse, or if they cause new pain.

If your thigh pain worsens while following this advice, it’s a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional about your symptoms.

Help and support

Read more about how to self-manage a thigh problem

If your thigh pain hasn’t improved within 6 weeks of following this advice, it’s a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional about your symptoms.

A Comprehensive Guide – Pulseroll

Do you want to know how to relieve sore muscles in your thighs? Sore thigh muscles can lead to pain, restricting you from moving your thighs properly. As a result, you face difficulty walking, running, or bending your legs while sitting or lying.

Thigh soreness is common amongst runners and athletes, but it does not only pertain to the athletic demographic. Many people use massage therapy tools to deal with this issue, while others prefer exercise and dietary solutions.

First and foremost, it is important to understand why thigh muscles become sore and how long the pain lasts before learning how to relieve sore muscles in the thighs. This comprehensive guide includes everything you need to know.

Why Do Thigh Muscles Become Sore?

Before learning how to relieve sore muscles in the thighs, we must first understand why thigh muscles become inflamed. Some of the reasons below can attribute to painful thigh muscles after a workout.

• Overuse of muscles: This is the most common reason for soreness. When you perform exercises such as squats or running for too long, it can cause muscles to become tender and even painful.
• Sprain and strain: Thigh pain can be a symptom of muscle sprain and strain. Tissue injury in both these conditions can lead to tenderness and pain.
• Blood clots: Sometimes a blood clot in a blood vessel can cause tenderness and soreness. This condition requires immediate medical attention.

How Long do Sore Thigh Muscles Last?

The time it takes for muscle pain to subside depends on your body’s natural healing process and the type of strain caused to the muscles. The two types of soreness your muscles can experience after an intense workout, exercise, or physical activity are seen below:

Acute Muscle Soreness

Acute Muscle Soreness occurs soon after you finish a physical activity. You may feel pain in your thigh or legs or experience stiffness.

This condition is usually temporary and short-lived. The pain may eliminate moments after you stop doing the exercise. It usually occurs because the active muscles lack adequate blood supply.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

The muscle pain and soreness you experience 24-48 hours after an intense workout is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). It is common among athletes and fitness enthusiasts as a result of muscle contraction. The muscle contraction can lead to minor muscle tears, causing moderate to severe pain.

Heavy exercises are more likely to cause delayed soreness, but this is not the only reason for DOMS. It can be caused by muscle contraction or any other type of exercise or physical movement.

So how long do sore thigh muscles last?

• It usually takes 2-6 days to treat sore muscles and get rid of the pain and inflammation completely.
• If you are suffering from acute muscle soreness, it might take a few hours to eliminate the pain if treated correctly.
• However, if you are experiencing DOMS, the soreness may take up to three days to begin to ease.

Sometimes, you may experience prolonged stiffness and wonder, “why are my muscles still sore after 4 days?”. You could be experiencing both Acute Muscle Soreness and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. The acute soreness transits into DOMS, and the inflammation continues even days after physical activity.

How To Relieve Sore Muscles In Legs

Muscle soreness makes walking, working out, and running difficult. So, how do you heal sore thighs fast? You must learn how to relieve sore muscles in your thighs to prevent yourself from discomfort. Whether it’s your quads, hamstrings or any other thigh muscles causing you problems, you can try the following effective tips to get rid of them.

Rest the Sore Muscles

The primary method to relieve tender muscles is to rest them. Make sure they have enough time to rest to generate the natural body’s response to pain. It will help ease soreness and lower the pain.

Resting the aching muscles refers to resting them for 24-48 hours. After that, you must proceed to some other soreness-relieving methods.

Foam Rolling

Using a foam roller to massage inflamed thigh muscles can help loosen them. It is an effective tip to reduce acute and delayed soreness and accelerate muscle recovery. You may include it in your regular workout routine to strengthen your thigh and leg muscles.

It is a worthwhile warm-up and cool-down technique, preventing muscles from getting exercise-induced muscle damage due to expansion or contraction during a workout. The frequent muscle contraction and expansion causes structural damage in microfibres leading to inflammation and pain in damaged muscles. Ensure you do not overdo it, as excessive foam rolling can lead to injuries and increased stiffness.

Try Hot and Cold Therapy

As the name indicates, the method combines two treatments combining hot and cold temperatures. It tightens and relaxes sore muscles to ease tenderness and pain. Cold therapy works best when the inflammation is new with a high pain level.

For cold therapy, use an ice pack to rub the sore muscles. Keep rubbing for around 15-18 minutes, and avoid keeping it in the same spot for a long time. Gently rub it in a circular motion and listen to your body. The ice leads to a temperature drop that tightens the blood vessels.

As a result, it reduces the blood flow to the sore area, reducing swelling and pain. On the other hand, you can opt for hot therapy after 48-72 hours of soreness. Use a heating pad to loosen the tight muscles and improve blood flow.

The increased blood flow transfers oxygen to the sore muscles. The fresh addition of oxygen and nutrients removes the toxins and helps the muscles regain strength.

Massage Therapy

Amongst other soreness-relieving methods, massage therapy is one of the most worthwhile. It plays a significant role in releasing and relaxing muscle tension. As a result, the muscles regain their flexibility, which had been reduced due to tenderness and pain.

You can go to a professional to get a thigh massage or use some massaging tools to do it yourself at home. If you feel discomfort, consult an expert.

Epsom Salts Soak

You can speed up the post-workout muscle recovery through warm Epsom salts soak. This all-natural remedy is a cost-effective way to relax your muscles after an intense workout. It reduces stress, inflammation, and pain in the thigh muscles.

Take around a gallon of warm water and dissolve 1-1.5 cups of Epsom salt. Mix it well and soak your legs in it for 15-20 minutes. The remedy has no side effects, but consult your GP if you have any skin irritations or allergies.

Compression Therapy

Wear compression garments to cover the tight thigh muscles and help them recover faster. Wearing them after a workout prevents soreness and keeps your muscles safe from any potential injury.

Compression socks or garments wrapped around your thighs can prevent swelling while supporting your muscles. You may opt for a soft-fabric, elastic compression band to wear comfortably around your thigh.

Dynamic Stretches

After adequate rest, you can try dynamic stretches to prevent pain and enhance flexibility. Dynamic stretches refer to repeated stretching or movement of muscles and joints, unlike static stretches, where you stretch between intervals.

A dynamic stretch is a good warm-up exercise that prepares your body for the workout. Walking lunges and arm circles are all examples of dynamic stretches.

How To Get Rid Of Sore Legs From Squats?

Do your legs hurt after long squat sessions? The part of the leg that usually becomes stiff after a squat workout tends to be the quads. The quads are a group of muscles, located at the front part of your thigh:

• Rectus femoris
• Vastus lateralis
• Vastus medialis
• Vastus intermedius

Keeping your quads in top condition should be a priority for everyone, regardless of how seriously you take exercise. Strong quads will increase your power when performing most sports, but training and lifting heavy to build the quads can lead to strains and other injuries.

You can use the following tried and tested soreness-relieving tips for getting rid of sore legs.

Improve your Squat Technique

One of the leading reasons for muscle pain after squats is an incorrect squatting technique. Even just with body weight squats, sometimes the technique might not be wrong but unsuitable for you. For instance, you may be trying a pro-level technique at the beginner level, and getting it wrong. It may cause excessive pain in your muscles 24-48 hours post-workout.

The muscles may become tight and difficult to move. You need to change your technique to get better results in such a situation.

You may need to adjust your stance or change your form. Some squat variations that are likely to cause aching muscles include front squats, pistol squats, narrow stance squats, and goblet squats.

Warm Up

Warming up is essential to reduce the risk of inflicting an injury on muscles. Regardless of your fitness levels, it prepares your muscles for the exercise so they don’t suffer any strain, sprain, or tear. You can warm up by running, stretching, or jumping on the spot. Massaging your legs with a vibrating foam roller or other massage therapy tools is also effective.

Reduce the Frequency

Reducing the volume or number of squats you do each set can also help reduce thigh soreness. Higher intensity and volume can lead to delayed soreness. If you have been doing 8 sets of 5 squats, try expanding it to 10 or 12 sets of 3 squats each.

How do you massage your Thigh Muscles?

A massage is an effective soreness-relieving exercise for your thighs and legs. It improves blood flow in the aching muscle area and helps eliminate stiffness and pain. However, it is important to know how to massage your legs properly; otherwise, it can do more harm than good.

Using a Foam Roller

You can use a foam roller or massage gun to massage your legs or hand. The former is more effective for thighs as it better targets large thigh muscle groups. Here is how you can massage your legs using a foam roller.

Both Legs at the Same Time

• Lay on the floor face down and place the foam roller under your quads just above the knees.
• Arms should be placed on the floor with the elbows under the shoulders.
• Slowly push yourself backwards, rolling the foam roller up the legs.
• Then change direction and slowly roll back in the opposite direction.
• Find any trigger points, hold for 30 seconds, and let the vibrating foam roller reduce muscle tightness.

A longer foam roller is better because you can comfortably fit both legs on!

One Leg at a Time

• Face down on the floor, and place the foam roller under your right quad just above the knee.
• Make sure the left leg is bent out to the side at a 90-degree angle.
• Place your arms on the floor with the elbows under the shoulders.
• Slowly push backwards, rolling the foam roller up the leg.
• Change direction and slowly roll back in the opposite direction.
• Find trigger points, hold for 30 seconds, and let the vibration technology do the work.
• Change legs and work on the left side!

These quick and easy foam roller quads exercises will help strengthen your quads and prevent injuries.

Using a Massage Gun

Another percussive massage treatment tool is a massage gun. It is a handy massage tool that you can use for targeted massage therapy on a particular muscle area. You can easily use it on your upper and lower legs. It is an easy-to-use, portable, and rechargeable gun with different head shapes and speed settings.

How to use it?

• Sit on a chair or the ground so your hand can easily reach the sore thigh area.
• Choose the head attachment and power setting (we recommend beginning with a lower power setting and gradually speeding up).
• Move the massage gun on your thigh around the sore muscles. Avoid targeting the inflamed muscle area directly.
• Keep moving the gun in a circular or to-and-fro motion and spend 2-3 minutes on each muscle area.

Self-Massage

If you do not have any massaging tools, you can do a self-sports massage on your thighs. It works as well as massaging with equipment, but it takes more effort and time. Use your hands to push your muscles up from the knee towards your hip bone. Adjust the pressure of your hands according to your tolerance level.

This massage will release tension in the muscles. If only a specific area of your thigh is hurting, massage it by moving your hands in a circular motion. You can also use your thumb to apply pressure, again moving it in a circular motion.

Can Drinks Help Sore Muscles?

There’s more you can do besides massages and exercise to relieve your sore muscles. It might surprise you that some drinks can accelerate the healing process. They might not eliminate pain, but they can speed up recovery.

You can consume the following drinks to give your sore muscles a sigh of relief:

Water

A glass of clean water can do wonders for your body and muscular health. It helps reduce inflammation, soreness, pain, and stiffness.

Make sure to drink 6-8 glasses of water each day. This is the average recommended amount of water. You can always drink more if you feel the need to.

Drinking water may not instantly relieve the pain, but it allows your body to function properly. Maintaining the required level of fluids in your body can help you recover better from injuries and soreness. Besides drinking plain water, fruits are also a good source of water.

Beetroot Juice

Beetroot juice is a good source of dietary nitrates. Dietary nitrates stimulate mitochondria in your cells by supplying oxygen to the muscles. As a result, muscle efficiency improves, and the cells recover any damage faster. You can have a glass of fresh beetroot juice after a workout, intense exercise, or long-distance running.

Another benefit of beetroot juice is that it reduces the risk of delayed muscle soreness caused after hours of intense workouts. You can drink both to accelerate the recovery and prevent muscle damage in advance.

Milk

Your muscles need protein to improve their functionality, and milk is a great source of protein. You might not know how to relieve sore muscles in your thighs by consuming milk, but you must know that it is one of the best drinks to help muscle recovery. It can help in quicker muscle recovery while fueling your body with the strength and energy you need to recover from the soreness.

You can drink milk or consume dairy products like yoghurt and cheese. The carbs in these items help muscles maintain adequate levels of glycogen and support growth. In short, milk and milk-based products must be a part of your diet if you want to relieve painful thigh muscles.

Cherry Juice

Cherry juice has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which are beneficial for recovering sore thighs. It can be a good drink to support your muscular health and recovery. It is also believed to support and strengthen joints.

Athletes and runners can drink fresh cherry juice to reduce the risk of DOMS. Be aware that packaged juices from supermarkets may have a high sugar content, which is pro-inflammatory. When buying packaged juice, thoroughly check the ingredients and choose the option with lower sugar additives.

Protein Shake

You can maintain adequate protein levels in your body by drinking protein shakes. As the name indicates, they are packed with protein essential for muscle growth, strength, and recovery. Include protein shakes in your workout and rest day routines to support protein synthesis in your body.

How to Relieve Sore Muscles in Thighs Faster?

Inflamed muscles are painful, and you look for quick solutions to ease this pain. Luckily, some amazing self-massage tools can help relieve sore thigh muscles faster. Make sure you follow the right procedure and keep all precautions under consideration.

Performing foam roller quads exercises will drastically reduce muscle soreness and improve all aspects of your mobility. Also, keep your diet healthy and drink a lot of water to remove the toxins from your body. It will help in faster aching muscle recovery.

The Bottom Line

Muscle soreness is a common problem, and you must know how to relieve sore muscles in the thighs. Are your muscles still inflamed after trying all of these tips? You might need to visit a GP or physiotherapist.

Want a quick and easy solution? Keep some soreness-relieving tools at your home to get rid of the stiffness and pain easily at your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

How sore is too sore to work out?

Tender thigh muscles do not restrict you from working out unless the pain is too severe. However, if the inflammation does not alleviate or reduce, even after resting, massaging, stretching, and trying other therapies, you may stop working out. Instead, visit a doctor or physio.

How do you loosen tight leg muscles?

You can loosen tight leg muscles through stretching and massage. You may also opt for active recovery exercises to relax the tight muscles and gradually increase flexibility.

Is it OK to exercise with sore muscles?

Yes, it is OK to exercise with sore muscles. Painful muscles are sometimes a result of a new or unfamiliar exercise. The muscles may become delicate but gradually get used to the exercise. Putting them completely to rest may increase stiffness and pain; therefore, exercising is better as long as it does not worsen the aching muscles.

What is a natural remedy for muscle pain?

The natural remedy to relieve muscle pain is hot and cold therapy. Moreover, warm Epsom salts soak, massages, and a healthy diet can significantly accelerate recovery.

Should you push through with sore muscles?

No, you should not push through soon after the soreness has started. Your muscles need some time and rest to recover from the damage caused by an intense workout. Take some time and opt for low-intensity aerobic exercises for your muscles to recover.

Is walking good for sore thigh muscles?

Yes, aerobic exercises like walking are good for sore thigh muscles. You can do some walking on a rest day or after a workout. It helps maintain the optimum level of blood flow to the muscles and aids the recovery process.

What helps muscles recover faster?

A healthy diet, massage, stretching, and exercises can help muscles recover faster. Don’t forget to give them a rest before you begin with the recovery treatments.

What does it mean when both thighs hurt?

When both thighs hurt, either the muscles in your thighs are damaged or hurting. The overuse of muscles or an injury can cause your thighs to hurt. They may also hurt due to muscle strain, sprain, or health issues.

Care of patients with femoral neck fracture

Femoral neck fracture is a serious pathological condition characterized by a violation of the integrity of the femur, diagnosed mainly in the elderly.

• What is a hip fracture
• Clinical picture
• Causes of fracture and risk groups
• Hygiene procedures and diaper selection
• Types of hip fractures and first aid
• Fracture treatment and possible complications
• Proper home care for the elderly with a fracture
• Prevention of complications

What is a hip fracture in the elderly?

The femoral neck is located in the glenoid cavity of the hip joint formed by the pelvic bone. It connects the head and body of the femur. It is surrounded by a reliable case of muscles, so a fracture of the femoral neck at a young age is extremely rarely diagnosed.

The risk of this pathological condition increases significantly in old age, when the bones become more porous and fragile every year. A fracture of the femoral neck can be caused by an accidental fall from a small height, in which the greater trochanter was bruised.

The main danger of this injury is that the bone fragment due to the lack of blood supply due to rupture of blood vessels can completely dissolve over time. This will lead to the fact that the femur will not grow together and the person will never stand on his feet again. A fracture of the femoral neck is confirmed by an X-ray, and in some cases an MRI. This type of injury has vivid symptoms and signs that require immediate medical attention.

Clinical presentation of a hip fracture in the elderly

A hip fracture in the elderly cannot go unnoticed. This type of femur injury is accompanied by vivid symptoms, forcing you to immediately seek emergency help, namely:

• severe pain in the groin;
• girdle pain around the hip joint of varying intensity;
• eversion of the limb outward, clearly visible in the foot;
• inability to keep the leg of the canopy in a straightened state;
• inability to tear off the heel of the injured limb from the surface.

Almost immediately, the specific symptoms of a femoral neck fracture are joined by general signs of a severe limb injury – general weakness, dizziness, nausea, pallor of the skin, swelling and hematomas.

Causes of femoral neck fracture in the elderly and risk group

A femoral neck fracture provokes severe contusion of the greater trochanter during an unsuccessful fall from a height. Especially careful older people need to be during ice. The main factors that increase the risk of this formidable injury include:

• menopause;
• osteoporosis;
• oncopathology;
• physical inactivity;
• overweight;
• vegetarianism;
• neurological pathologies in which there is a violation of coordination of movements.

Predisposition to fracture of the femoral neck are people suffering from diabetes and other endocrine pathologies.

Types of femoral neck fractures and first aid

In modern traumatology, the following types of femoral neck fractures are most often diagnosed in the elderly:

• open;
• closed, with or without offset;
• impacted;
• trochanteric.

All types of hip fractures are urgent medical attention. Before the doctors arrive, it is recommended to put the patient on a flat surface, fix the injured limb with a splint, putting it on the area from the thigh to the heel. The patient is only allowed to be carried on a hard surface.

Treatment of hip fracture in the elderly and possible complications

Conservative treatment of a hip fracture in the elderly is extremely rare, because it does not always have the desired effect. The operational method is more common, which in some situations can literally save a person’s life, restoring his ability to move independently. Elderly people who are faced with this formidable injury are recommended:

• osteosynthesis of the femoral neck, that is, fixing damaged joints with screws;
• total hip replacement surgery.

Surgical treatment will have to be abandoned if the patient has serious concomitant pathologies, for example, a recent myocardial infarction. In this case, the only choice will be conservative therapy, sometimes requiring immobilization of the patient, that is, immobilization of the limbs to save his life.

Both surgical and medical treatment of hip fractures in the elderly can be accompanied by complications. Their likelihood increases if medical care is not provided immediately. These include:

• bedsores;
• pneumonia;
• muscle atrophy;
• thromboembolism;
• urinary tract inflammation and enuresis.

Post-traumatic stress and forced bed rest can lead to a sharp deterioration in health in elderly patients, so it is extremely important to provide them with proper and complete care. It is extremely difficult for untrained people to cope with it on their own.

Medical statistics are disappointing – more than 50% of elderly patients die after a hip fracture after a few months. Its cause is the complications that entailed improper care. To prevent this, the right decision would be to place the patient in a boarding house, where he will be provided with round-the-clock care, regular medical supervision and adequate rehabilitation.

Proper home care for an elderly patient with a hip fracture

If you decide to take care of your elderly relative with a hip fracture, get ready for the fact that you will have to radically change your life and routine. People with this injury are completely helpless – the injured joint cannot be flexed or extended.

To care for such a patient at home, it is necessary to properly equip the bed in order to disturb him as little as possible when performing the necessary actions. An orthopedic mattress should be placed on it to prevent bedsores, and a longitudinal arch with a movable handrail should be installed, on which the patient will lean, if necessary, substitute the vessel, re-lay the bed, and change the shirt. Later, the installed arc will be needed to perform physiotherapy exercises.

Proper home care for an elderly patient with a hip fracture includes:

• regular massage, during which the patient should be lifted and turned over on a healthy side;
• massaging the injured leg – foot, leg and thigh muscles, keeping it in an elevated state;
• regular change of underwear and bed linen, especially if the patient suffers from uncontrolled urination;
• treatment of bedsores when they appear;
• proper nutrition and optimal drinking regimen;
• regular wet cleaning of the room in which he lies, and its quartzization.

Psychological support is extremely important, which can be provided to the patient by close people, aimed at preventing apathy and falling into a depressive state. In severe cases, specialist assistance may be needed.

Prevention of complications

Proper care of a patient with a hip fracture includes, among other things, the prevention of complications that can seriously impair life and even lead to death. These include:

• Severe pain syndrome.

Oral and injectable drugs approved for use at home are recommended for its relief.

• Urinary incontinence.

These phenomena in such injuries are most often temporary. During enuresis, it is recommended to use diapers and diapers, which should be changed regularly.

• Bed sores.

To prevent them, the patient must constantly move and regularly massage the injured limb, with the exception of the injured area.

• Pulmonary complications.

They are dangerous because when they join the infection, they turn into pneumonia, which is extremely dangerous in old age. To prevent this, the patient is prescribed drugs to thin sputum, it is recommended to regularly ventilate the room in which he lies, do breathing exercises and chest massage.

After 3.5 months, in the absence of contraindications, the patient is recommended to resume physical activity without stress on the injured joint. Initially, you should start moving the body on the bed, leaning with your hands on the arc installed above the bed, then gently sit down, get up and gradually move around the room, holding on to the support, and then switch to crutches.

Caring for elderly patients with a hip fracture in a private boarding house in the Leningrad Region

Caring for an elderly patient with a hip fracture requires a significant amount of time – for its implementation, one of the relatives will have to quit their job. A patient with this severe injury should not be left alone, he must be cared for around the clock. It is very difficult to do it alone, turning over, pulling up, bathing, dressing a helpless person requires special skills and physical strength.

Not everyone can afford the services of a private nurse, but there is a way out – a private boarding house for the elderly “Vita” in St. Petersburg or the Leningrad Region. This is not just a nursing home, but a full-fledged rehabilitation center, which has everything you need to meet the needs of older people with a serious hip injury. At your service:

• bright, spacious rooms equipped with everything you need;
• polite, friendly and well-trained medical staff;
• comfortable living conditions;
• comprehensive nursing care;
• proper and nutritious nutrition;
• carrying out rehabilitation according to an individually designed program, which includes both physiotherapy exercises and massage.

Comprehensive professional care in boarding houses will provide a patient with a hip fracture with a quick recovery. Your elderly relative will be able to walk and take care of himself again. Trust the care of him after a serious injury to our qualified staff.

Interview: Treatment of femoral neck fracture

DIALOGUE WITH THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRAUMATOLOGY AND ORTHOPEDICS OF THE SZGMU NA.

VALENTIN ALEKSANDROVICH NEVEROV.

– Valentin Alexandrovich, how can modern medicine help patients with a hip fracture?

– Modern medicine has every opportunity to help a patient with a hip fracture. But the problem here is not only medical, but also social. Suppose a person comes to us: “My mother has a fractured femoral neck. Lies at home. What to do?” We say: “Take it”, we examine it and decide that it is necessary to perform an operation – to implant an endoprosthesis or a construction. Well, then there are organizational problems. First, it is necessary to draw up a package of documents for obtaining a quota for high-tech medical care. This takes 2-3 weeks, and the patient may die from complications without waiting for this quota. The second problem is the purchase of a prosthesis or construction with our own money, and we carry out the operation at the expense of compulsory medical insurance. Disabled people can use compensation – purchase a prosthesis with their own money, and then receive compensation from the social insurance fund. But in the fund, under various pretexts, they return only part of the money spent or delay payment for six months or a year. And then these products are not cheap, and not everyone, especially the elderly, has the means to buy them. That is why the salvation of patients with a hip fracture depends not only on doctors. Technique, modern designs allow you to lift a person a week after the operation. He gets up – albeit with crutches, on a walker, but he can move, he can serve himself. He is integrated into society. That is, both social and medical problems are being solved.

– And why is it the femoral neck that breaks most often?

– This is due to physiology. Nature foresaw that after 40-45 years, an involutive, that is, reverse, process begins. The type of metabolism is changing, including in the bones. Did you know that a person is completely renewed in 7 years? These changes happen very gradually, but they do happen. There are two types of cells in bones: osteoblasts, which “build” bones, and osteoclasts, which “resorb” them. After 45 years, the activity of osteoblasts slows down, and osteoclasts, on the contrary, begin to act more actively. The points where bone resorption is more intense are the femoral neck, the radius, the surgical neck of the shoulder and the spine. In these areas, the bone becomes thinner and a fracture occurs from minimal mechanical trauma. Women are more likely to suffer from fractures, since the lack of estrogen during menopause greatly affects mineral metabolism.

– What are the symptoms of a hip fracture?

– First of all, it’s pain. And the second – a person loses support, he falls, cannot tear his heel off the ground – a symptom of a “stuck heel”.

– And what is the operation for a fracture of the femoral neck? And what results does it give?

– In case of a fracture of the femoral neck, you can perform arthroplasty – replacement of the hip joint, or you can try to heal the fracture using osteosynthesis – implantation of a special design. With blocking osteosynthesis, a structure is used that transfers the load – body weight – from the femoral head to the diaphysis – the middle part of the tubular bone. This rigid system allows you to load the limb as early as a week after the operation. During arthroplasty, the broken head is replaced with a prosthesis, and the patient leaves the hospital on his own feet after 2 weeks.

– Is the endoprosthesis or construct rejected by the body? And does a person feel that he has a foreign body inside him?

– Endoprostheses and constructions for osteosynthesis are mainly made of titanium-based alloys. Titanium is the most bioinert metal. As a rule, a fibrous capsule appears between any metal and bone. Titanium is the only material that fuses with bone without forming a fibrous film. For example, a screw screwed into a bone, after 5-6 years, “fuses” with the bone so much that it can no longer be unscrewed. I have not heard from patients reviews that they feel the structure in their body.

– But after all operation probably it is possible to do or make not all? How to be in that case?

– Indeed, there are somatic contraindications to surgical treatment, such as hypertension, heart attack or stroke, mental illness, uncompensated diabetes mellitus, etc. Such people may not undergo surgery, and they are operated on only for health reasons. Surgery for a hip fracture is not one of them.

There is a mystery that no one can explain. A man in old age, but completely independent, with a clear head – lives alone, serves himself, goes to the store, follows the news in politics, in public life, etc. – breaks the neck of the hip. They bring him to us. On the 3-4th day, mental changes begin in him: he does not recognize his relatives, does not understand where he is. This happens often. How the fracture of the femoral neck is connected with the head – we cannot explain. When the psyche is upset, the operated patient is inadequate, does not follow commands, begins to tear off the bandage, injure the surgical wound, where the infection can get. Therefore, it is also contraindicated to perform operations on a person with an altered psyche.

Patients who cannot be operated on are discharged home from the hospital, and a derotational plaster boot is often applied. We call it “anchor to the next world” because this fixator chains a person to the bed – he can neither stand up, nor sit down, nor lower his legs. Under the plaster on the heel, a bedsore often forms. A person does not die from a hip fracture, he dies from the complications that this fracture entails. Bed sore on the heel, bed sore on the sacrum, bed sore on the shoulder blades. What is a bed sore? This is a large wound surface, with tissue breakdown. The decay products of tissues cause intoxication, which, in turn, leads to multiple organ failure – damage to internal organs and systems. As a result of problems with hygiene procedures, an ascending urological infection appears. Due to the inactivity of the muscles in a lying patient, cardiovascular pathology occurs, since the entire burden of pumping blood falls on the heart. Congestive pneumonia sets in. As a result, the patient dies. According to various sources, the mortality rate from complications of hip fractures is up to 35%. The rehabilitation of such a patient should not be done by relatives, but by professionals in specialized institutions. It cannot be sent home. The patient must be admitted to a rehabilitation hospital, where specialists will competently treat him: they will put him on his feet, teach him to walk. And they will be discharged when he is able to serve himself.

Only movement can save the patient. A person must be activated from the second day after the fracture. He needs to be planted with his legs down from the bed. He needs to get a walker and put it near the bed so that he tries to get up. A person must be motivated to eat at the same table with family members, get to the toilet on his own, etc. The fracture will not heal, a false joint will form in its place, the leg will become shorter by 4-5 cm. But the person will live and even walk in orthopedic shoes.