Thigh pain causes in children, adults and elderly :
- Thigh pain due to sitting for long hours is usually a dull and constant ache. In most cases it is caused by lethargy and muscle weakness. As you stand up after sitting for so long, entire musculature including the muscles, tendons etc has been in a relaxed state and causes a pain when they are put to use. However, this kind of pain should go away with exercise. If the pain doesn't go away and it feels deep set, then it could be pain due to deep vein thrombosis ( DVT ) which is a dangerous condition.
- Thigh pain due to running : People who run a lot run the risk of getting pain anywhere in the leg, even in the thighs. Running can cause aching in the muscles at the front , side or back of the thigh , particularly the hamstring muscle.
- Varicose veins : The lower legs are the most common place for varicose veins but they can also occur at the thighs, leading to pain and stiffness when standing or sitting.
- Thigh pain in elderly is usually caused by reduced blood flow to the limbs caused by a disease known as Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD ). In this condition, blood flow to the extremities is reduced due to narrowing of the arteries due to plaque.
- Sciatica pain : This is a condition that causes a characteristic burning pain and electric sensation in the leg. The pain due to sciatic nerve is felt in buttocks and back of thighs and even down the back of the knees.
- Pain at the outer side of the thigh ( away from the body ) and burning sensation is usually a sign of nerve entrapment of a major nerve of the thigh. This condition is known as meralgia paresthetica.
- Bone pain can occur in the femur bone in the thigh. It is a large bone and pain can be really deep and aching. This pain can be alarming because it is generally intense and unlike any other kind of pain. Bone pain is often caused by bone cancer.
- Injury to the muscle group at the front, back or side of the thigh can cause pain.
- Pain can also be referred to the thigh from the hip flexors or the groin region. Hip flexor injury is common in sports of high intensity, like rugby and soccer. These injuries can lead to sharp pain the upper thigh and hips, making it difficult to raise or straighten the legs.
- A twisted ankle can also cause sharp pain in the thigh due to distortion of the internal arrangements of tendons and muscles.
