Outer thigh pain when squatting and most leg movements

[ajdonutz]

So I have a bad pain deep in my quad area, it in flames every leg day and continues hurting for days after, some worse than other, squats anything over 225 are excruciating and off limits. It has been ongoing for 6-8 months now. I have taken a week off at one point in there and for the past couple months have been doing stretches and strengthening movements for the IT band because that's what my chiro suggested that it was.

Everything I've looked into suggest that pain from it band syndrome is at the outer knee which I have zero pain there. The main point of pain is outer side of my leg at the top, there's almost like a joint/knot right where I can pinpoint direct pain when pushed. It also hurts bad once inflamed about mid way down my leg on outer quad. The pain is unbearable during any heavy leg movements, I'm able to do hack squat machine at lighter weights and then do leg presses at moderate weight after that and then squat at 225 narrow stance and I can get through a leg workout but there is no way I can train hard enough to induce growth..

Anyone have any experience with this and know any kind of rehab? I'm going to try and take a week off again and see how it goes..

 

[fastnfurions]

I am having the exact same thing. It began hurting on Sunday off and on but not so bad. Then yesterday when I was doing one legged vertical press i unhooked the wait and almost dropped it because my leg gave out on the second set. The pain is front high outer quad almost leads me to believe a hip flexor issue along with IT band. My knee is not hurting either, but it is really affecting my leg workout, and it sucks. No break here though. I cannot afford it. However, I am heading to get accupuncture this weekend. I will follow up and let you know what happens.

 

[ajdonutz]

I am having the exact same thing. It began hurting on Sunday off and on but not so bad. Then yesterday when I was doing one legged vertical press i unhooked the wait and almost dropped it because my leg gave out on the second set. The pain is front high outer quad almost leads me to believe a hip flexor issue along with IT band. My knee is not hurting either, but it is really affecting my leg workout, and it sucks. No break here though. I cannot afford it. However, I am heading to get accupuncture this weekend. I will follow up and let you know what happens.

Thatd be awesome man. Ive been considering it. I just had to postpone my show because of a family member illness so now I can afford a week off.. I thought about doing PT at the local chiro but I found the same exercises online theyd have me do so I don't feel it to be beneficial

 

[PillarofBalance]

Yes it band usually shows its face as a burning pain at the outside of the knee. This sounds more like damage to the band itself.

Keep in mind you can't actually stretch an it band. It's not muscle it's connective tissue.

You can however try and loosen up the TFL and see if that helps. I don't think it will in this case.

You may do well to lay off for a couple weeks and get yourself a battery powered e stim at Walgreens. Use that on the quads.

 

[ketsugo]

I have had same . I've just had to adjust doing lighter squats when inflamed work on hip flexibility and do one legged presses

 

[PillarofBalance]

I have had same . I've just had to adjust doing lighter squats when inflamed work on hip flexibility and do one legged presses

Good advice. Split squats are in every one of my clients programs that have hip dysfunction. That combined with stretching the hips back into a normal ROM usually resolves most issues.

 

[Ramrod]

I've been having the same kind of Pain this last week. My upper outer thigh. Right on the Hip Bone. At times it will shoot the pain down my legs. My left is worse then my right.

Tried wearing Neoprene shorts last night on squats, but they didn't help much. Whats some good stretches or exercises to heal up?

 

[ChrisLindsay9]

I've been having the same kind of Pain this last week. My upper outer thigh. Right on the Hip Bone. At times it will shoot the pain down my legs. My left is worse then my right.

This sounds very similar to what happened to me ... and it was my TFL (Pillar diagnosed it). That's what I roll with a lacrosse ball after squats and deads. Here's the post where I bring it up in my journal with a diagram (if it's of any help): https://www.theironden.com/forum/th...tweight-Strong?p=402490&viewfull=1#post402490

 

[smash]

This type of thing is not an injury or an inflammation nor is it tendonitis. It is a 'normal' process, a process with some similarities to inflammation, a complex chemical process and individual experience. The following is a gross simplification

Over time adhesions in the muscles occur via hydrogen bonds formed between layers of connective tissue. They occur microscopically, where every part of a muscle is wrapped in a layer of connective tissue, between parts of every muscle and throughout the entire muscle. They occur in great numbers over time, between cells and layers and subdivisions of the musculature. Eventually, if there is no intervention (via manual therapy techniques) other physiological processes (greatly increased by hard exercise) result in a mild contracture in parts of the muscle tissue itself. Along with contracted muscle tissue trigger points form. The tissue on either side of trigger points and contracted muscle tissue is forced to elongate. This elongation of the surrounding tissue along with the biochemistry of the affected tissue itself results in a weakening of the musculature. According to the energy crisis model the trigger point itself consists of cellular waste products, they are acidic and irritating.

This study showed what trigger points actually consist of: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003999307017522

This study examined contracted tissue http://www.ajronline.org/doi/abs/10.2214/AJR.05.0319

Manual therapy techniques try to 'unstick' the adhesions and the contracted tissue. Trigger points respond to direct pressure, and they also respond well to needles which is why some people find relief in acupuncture. If the needle hits the trigger point it 'unwinds'. This is if the acupuncturist knows about trigger points and if the acupoints correspond with the trigger points. Dry needling if done by a skilled practitioner is the best approach along with deep tissue massage.

 

[Ramrod]

This sounds very similar to what happened to me ... and it was my TFL (Pillar diagnosed it). That's what I roll with a lacrosse ball after squats and deads. Here's the post where I bring it up in my journal with a diagram (if it's of any help): https://www.theironden.com/forum/th...tweight-Strong?p=402490&viewfull=1#post402490

Did you just use the lacrosse ball right where the pain it at? My Pain is more on the Top,Outside of the thigh... Would a Wide Stance Squat cause this flare up?

Would Muscle relaxers do any good?

 

[smash]

Dry needling is effective for muscle pain
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10067-012-2112-3

This is a study on cervical muscle strain which seems more like an injury than the descriptions in this thread which seem like muscle pain
Pharmacological interventions were not helpful
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10067-012-2112-3

If the pain is not the result of an injury it may be myofascial pain syndrome which should be treated with manual therapy.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11916-006-0058-3

In terms of pharmacological interventions for chronic pain (in this case low back - and yes I know that they are different). Chronic pain without injury does share some characteristics no matter what the location is. It appears they may provide short term pain relief
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00586-010-1541-4

 

[ChrisLindsay9]

Did you just use the lacrosse ball right where the pain it at? My Pain is more on the Top,Outside of the thigh... Would a Wide Stance Squat cause this flare up?

Would Muscle relaxers do any good?

Muscle relaxers wouldn't have worked for me, at least not as quickly as the lacrosse ball rolling did. It really hurt the first few days I did it, but I was able to squat within a week. I had to narrow my stance though. I think a wider stance would have made it worse. I might be mistaken though.

I hit the TFL right on with the lacrosse ball (I had to wince away tears a bit), and then I would work down the tendon. And there were tender spots scattered throughout the IT band as well.