Thigh Injury
Thigh strains are the most common type of thigh injury with it occurring mostly in sports involving kicking or sprinting. They normally involve the rectus femoris muscle of the quadriceps, and can take up to 4-6 weeks to fully settle. Rectus femoris strains normally occur in the mid belly of the muscle or at the musculo-tendinous junction. When in the muscle belly, the injury appears to improve quicker as there is a richer blood supply than seen in the musculo-tendinous junction. Some research suggests that shorter athletes may be at greater risk of developing thigh strains than their taller counterparts, with decreased strength and muscle lengths also being an increased risk factor. Performing a regular prehabiliation programme may reduce the risk of this type of injury occurring.
Other types of thigh injury commonly seen are contusions (dead leg), which occur after a blunt force directly to the muscle (i.e. opponents knee hits directly into your thigh). This results in a ‘bruise’ which sits between the bone and the muscle. This should resolve with time, however it is important to restrict the bleeding in the tissue from ossifying. Stretching and massage may assist in the prevention of this.
What you can do:
After either a thigh strain or muscle contusion; ice, compression and analgesics are recommended to improve the recovery rate of injury.
What we can do:
Following the resolution of the acute pain, rehabilitation needs to be started to ensure full recovery and quick return to normal functional and sporting activity. Physiotherapy consists of soft tissue massage techniques, joint mobilisation electrotherapy, taping techniques and exercise prescription.
Benefits of treatment include:
-Reduced pain
-Improve muscle length
-Return to sporting function quicker
-Reduce the risk of the injury re-occurring.
Call or email today if you have any questions about your injury or if you want to book in to see one of our physiotherapists.
To arrange an appointment or speak to a physiotherapist, call or email on:
Southend on Sea: 01702 521 042 or info@physioacademy.co.uk
Chelmsford: 01245 254 069 or chelmsford@physioacademy.co.uk
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