Thigh Muscle Strains
Straining a muscle, whether from sports or daily activity, is common for people of all ages. When a muscle is stretched beyond its limit, a tear can occur that can range from mild to serious. When the thigh is used as an integral part of high-speed activities such as football, running, soccer and basketball, strains can occur rather easily.
A muscle strain (also known as a pulled muscle), happens when your muscle is overstretched or torn as a result of overuse, fatigue, or improper use. Strains are commonly confused with sprains. A sprain is the stretching or tearing of the tough bands of fibrous tissue (ligaments) that connect two bones in your joints. Strains and sprains share similar signs and symptoms but involve different parts of your body.
Anatomy
The thigh has three sets of muscles:
- Hamstring muscles: Located in the back of the thigh to extend and flex the leg
- Quadriceps muscles: Located in the front of the thigh to extend and flex the leg
- Adductor muscles: Located on the inside of the thigh to pull the legs together
Since the hamstring and quadriceps muscles cross at the hip and knee, they are at a high risk of being strained. Muscles weaken when strained, so it is important to let the muscle heal properly to avoid further damage.

Description
When a muscle is stretched too far, the fibers can become torn. This tearing away of the muscle from the tendon can result in a painful injury if left unattended.
If there is an accident or injury that causes a direct blow to the thigh muscles, this can also create a serious strain.
Symptoms
Those who experience a thigh muscle strain generally feel a snapping sensation in the thigh area. This is the muscle tearing and can create a more serious issue if the blood vessels are also broken. A popping feeling can also be a sign of a thigh muscle strain, where the pain is severe and instant. The area surrounding the injury may be tender to touch, and bruising can occur rather quickly.
Diagnosis
Your Florida Orthopaedic Institute physician will discuss with you your history and the information about the injury. They will then ask you about your symptoms and examine the thigh for tenderness and bruising.
To determine the range of motion, your physician may ask you to bend and straighten your knee. In certain cases, an x-ray or other diagnostics may be ordered to determine the grade of the injury. Muscle strains are graded based on their degree of severity, 1 being mild and 3 being severe. A Grade 1 strain can heal rather quickly, while a Grade 3 strain might take an extended period of time.
Treatment
Your physician will discuss all viable treatment options to determine the best option for your injury. Since almost all thigh muscle strains can heal without surgery, your physician will likely recommend a combination of over-the-counter medicine and rest.
Non-Surgical Treatments
The R.I.C.E. protocol is used to treat most muscle strain injuries occur. This protocol can generally heal most thigh muscle strains without the need for surgery.
R.I.C.E. stands for:
Rest: Stop the activity you had been performing at the time of the injury while it heals.
Ice: Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Do not apply ice directly to skin.
Compression: Wrap the injury in a soft compression bandage.
Elevation: Raise your leg higher than your heart to minimize the swelling.
Your physician may also recommend that you take over-the-counter medicine to stop the pain and swelling. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) can assist with pain relief.
As the injury heals, physical therapy will slowly create a better range of motion. Before returning to sports or normal physical activity, your thigh muscle should be completely healed. Full-strength muscles are the only kind that can combat against future tears and additional injury.
Surgical Procedures/Treatments
Surgery is recommended only in the most severe of cases. Most thigh muscle strains do not require surgical attention. Even Grade 3 strains can usually heal on their own through rest and physical therapy. Your physician will determine the severity of the strain and discuss with you all treatment options available.
Next Steps
If you have pain in your thigh, call Florida Orthopaedic Institute to schedule an appointment for an evaluation. All Florida Orthopaedic Institute surgeons are fellowship trained, adding additional expertise in their specialty. They stay current on the latest thigh muscle strain research and treatments and will discuss all your treatment and repair options.
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Download our free questionnaire “Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Thigh Muscle Strains.”

Areas of Focus
- Hip & Thigh
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Groin Strains and Pulls
- Hamstring Injuries
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Impingement Labral Tears
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hip Pointers and Trochanteric Bursitis
- Iliopsoas Tenotomy
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
The following Florida Orthopaedic Institute physicians specialize in Thigh Muscle Strains:
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Common Hip & Thigh Conditions
- Avascular Necrosis (AVN) of the Hip
- Bursitis of the Hip (Trochanteric Bursitis)
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Hip (Osteoarthritis of the Hip)
- Femoral Fractures
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Fracture
- Labral Tears of the Hip
- Loose Bodies in the Hip
- Muscle Strain Injuries of the Hip
- Muscle Strain Injuries of the Thigh
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Pediatric Femoral Fractures
- Perthes Disease
- Preventing Hip Fractures
- Slipped Captial Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE)
- Snapping Hip Syndrome
- Transient Osteoporosis of the Hip
Common Hip & Thigh Procedures
- Arthroscopic Surgery for Femoral-Acetabular Impingement (FAI)
- Computer-Assisted Hip Replacement Surgery
- Core Decompression for Avascular Necrosis of the Hip
- Femur Fracture Fixation with Dynamic Hip Screw
- Femur Fracture Fixation with Intramedullary Rod
- Fluoroscopic Guided Hip Injection
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Fracture Treatment with Surgical Screws
- Internal Screw Fixation for Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE)
- Large Bearing Metal-on-Metal Mini Total Hip
- Mini Total Hip Replacement
- Partial Hip Resurfacing (Wright)
- Periacetabular Osteotomy
- Revision Hip Surgery
- Revision Hip with Allograft
- Surgical Dislocation and Debridement for FAI
- Total Hip Replacement and Resurfacing
Specialties
- AC Joint Injuries
- Achilles Tendinitis - Achilles Insertional Calcific Tendinopathy (ACIT)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendonitis
- ACL Injuries
- Ankle Fracture Surgery
- Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)
- Ankle Fusion
- Anterior Cervical Corpectomy & Discectomy
- Arthritis & Adult Reconstruction Surgery
- Arthroscopic Articular Cartilage Repair
- Arthroscopic Chondroplasty
- Arthroscopic Debridement of the Elbow
- Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
- Articular Cartilage Restoration
- Artificial Disk Replacement (ADR)
- Aspiration of the Olecranon Bursa
- Atraumatic Shoulder Instability
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Bankart Repair
- Basal Joint Surgery
- Bicep Tendon Tear
- Bicep Tenodesis
- Bioinductive Implant
- Bone Growth Stimulation
- Broken Collarbone
- Bunions
- Bursitis of the Shoulder (Subacromial Bursitis)
- Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Charcot Joint
- Chiropractic
- Clavicle Fractures
- Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
- Community Outreach
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- Degenerative Disk Disease
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)
- Discectomy
- Discitis
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dupuytren’s Disease
- Elbow
- Elbow Bursitis
- Elbow Injuries in Throwing Athletes
- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Finger Dislocation
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg
- Foraminotomy
- Fractured Fingers
- Fractures Of The Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Fractures Of The Tibial Spine
- Functional Nerve Transfers of The Hand
- Ganglion Cysts
- General Orthopedics
- Glenoid Labrum Tear
- Golfer's Elbow
- Groin Strains and Pulls
- Growth Plate Injuries Of The Elbow
- Hallux Rigidus - Cheilectomy
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- Hamstring Injuries
- Hand & Finger Replantation
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- Hand Nerve Decompression
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- Hand, Wrist, Elbow & Shoulder
- Heat Injury/Heat Prostration
- High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmosis Ligament Injury)
- Hip & Thigh
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Impingement Labral Tears
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hip Pointers and Trochanteric Bursitis
- Hyperextension Injury of the Elbow
- Iliopsoas Tenotomy
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Impingement Syndrome of the Shoulder
- Interlaminar Implants
- Interlaminar Lumbar Instrumental Fusion: ILIF
- Interventional Pain Management
- Interventional Spine
- Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture
- Knee & Leg
- Kyphoplasty (Balloon Vertebroplasty)
- Kyphosis
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Laminectomy: Decompression Surgery
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- Lisfranc Injuries
- Little League Shoulder
- LITTLE LEAGUER'S ELBOW (MEDIAL APOPHYSITIS)
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- Meniscus Tears
- Metatarsalgia
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Muscle Spasms
- Nerve Pain
- Neuromas (Foot)
- Neurosurgery
- Olecranon Stress Fractures
- Orthopaedic Total Wellness
- Orthopedic Physician Or A Podiatrist?
- Orthopedic Trauma
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Partial Knee Replacement
- Patellar Fracture
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Hand) Revision
- Pinched Nerve
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Piriformis Syndrome
- PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Podiatry
- Primary Care Sports Medicine
- Quadriceps Tendon Tear
- Revascularization of the Hand
- Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) of the Shoulder
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hand
- Robotics
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Runner's Knee
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Senior Strong
- Shin Splints
- Shoulder
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Injury: Pain In The Overhead Athlete
- Shoulder Replacement
- Shoulder Separations
- Shoulder Socket Fracture (Glenoid Fracture)
- SLAP Tears & Repairs
- Spinal Fusion
- Spine
- Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
- Sports Foot Injuries
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Sports Medicine
- Sports Wrist and Hand Injuries
- Sprained Ankle
- Sudden (Acute) Finger, Hand & Wrist Injuries
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)
- Tendon Transfers of The Hand
- Tennis Elbow
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Thumb Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Total Ankle Replacement
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
- Total Knee Replacement Surgery
- Traumatic Shoulder Instability
- Triceps Tendonitis
- Trigger Finger
- Turf Toe
- UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) Injuries
- Ulnar Neuritis
- Valgus Extension Overload
- Vertebroplasty
- WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet)
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
- Wrist Arthroscopy
- Wrist Fractures
- Wrist Sprains
- Wrist Tendonitis