Stretching of the thigh muscles in adults

What is stretch

Stretching the thigh muscles is damage to the ligaments of the hip joint, which is complex. These injuries are possible not only in professional athletes, although they are at risk, injuries are also found in domestic conditions.

Such injuries have a number of features that are taken into account in the diagnosis and, of course, in the preparation of a treatment plan.

Stretching the muscles of the thigh, more precisely, the ligaments of the joint – trauma, rupture of the ligament of varying severity. The ligament itself is a dense connective tissue that supports the normal functioning of the joint and binds it into a single whole.

In clinical practice, it is customary to distinguish 3 degrees of severity of ligament rupture:

• at the first, its microdamage occurs and, with proper treatment, self-recovery is possible;
• in the second, the ligament is torn, but not more than half; self-healing is also possible, but this will require a lot of time and effort, rehabilitation measures;
• the third is a difficult degree, when a complete rupture of the ligament occurs, in which case the only treatment option is surgical intervention, there is no other solution.

In some cases, a detachment of the ligament from the anatomical site of its attachment is possible – this is the so-called fourth degree of sprain and is almost always combined with other severe and dangerous injuries, such as fractures.

Causes of hip strain in adults

Ligament injury begins with a bruise in the pelvic region. Statistically, such injuries are recorded more often in athletes and professional dancers. But in everyday life and everyday life is also not uncommon.

Falls on the buttocks can provoke a bruise and, accordingly, damage to the ligaments of the hip joint, especially if this happened at speed. For example, while running or skating, rollerblading.

No less often, such injuries are recorded when the hip area is squeezed, for example, a slowly moving car pressed against the wall while parking, etc.

Falls and jumps from a great height on upright or spread legs, when the load is not extinguished, can lead to a break. That is why, when jumping from a great height, it is recommended to do a somersault over the head.

In addition to the direct causes leading to injury, there are also risk factors:

• age;
• trauma in the past – as a result of damage, scar tissue is formed that restricts movement and with excessive load – this increases the likelihood of sprains and other injuries;
• lack of warm-up before training, warm-up is a prerequisite before starting any workout, the level of physical fitness does not matter;
• osteoporosis and other systemic dystrophic changes – a decrease in bone density, impaired calcium and phosphorus metabolism makes not only bones brittle, ligaments and tendons also suffer.

Hip strain symptoms in adults

The main symptom is a sharp pain that occurs at the site of injury and is concentrated in the thigh area. Some patients note the formation of a characteristic sound – a click. Moreover, the pain is sharp and strong occurs after these sounds and movement restrictions are formed.

With a sprain of the hip joint, restrictions in movement arise not only because of pain, but also muscle weakness. In general, the range of motion is preserved, but one, whether it be abduction, adduction, flexion or extension of the leg, cannot be performed in full due to muscle weakness.

At the same time, axial load is possible and is not associated with severe pain, the support function does not suffer.

Within a short time, local swelling increases, and touching the affected area increases pain. If the injury is significant, then redness becomes noticeable within a few hours, a hematoma may form.

Treatment of hip sprains in adults

Treatment tactics are determined by the severity of the injury. If stretching of the first and second degree, then conservative treatment is possible, which has several components:

Drug therapy. The resulting injury causes pain that can persist for a long time. Therefore, the doctor may recommend taking painkillers from the class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. According to the indications, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory drugs, calcium preparations, etc. are prescribed.

Rest for the injured area. The basis of treatment is to avoid actions that aggravate the course of the injury and provoke complications. For the first 48 hours after injury, it is recommended not to load the injured limb. After 48 hours, warming and anti-inflammatory ointments can be used. To limit movements during the acute period of injury, orthoses are recommended, which are selected by the doctor conducting the treatment. Movement in the acute period should be carried out with a cane or even crutches, it all depends on the complexity of the injury.

Physiotherapy. Methods of physiotherapy are selected individually and depend on the type of injury, concomitant injuries.

Diagnostics

It begins with a survey and clarification of the circumstances of the formation of the injury, which sometimes helps to determine the tactics of treatment and predict possible complications. At the appointment, the traumatologist will assess mobility, muscle condition, and conduct diagnostic tests. To exclude other pathologies that have similar symptoms, it is necessary to conduct additional examination methods:

• radiography will exclude fractures, which can also be combined with sprains;
• Ultrasound to assess the condition of the joint, identify early symptoms of hemarthrosis – hemorrhage into the joint cavity;
• MRI and CT these examination methods are the most informative for diagnosing ligament damage and assessing their condition;
• arthroscopy is a visual diagnostic method that allows you to assess the condition of the joint from the inside.

Based on these data, it is possible to make a diagnosis and determine the tactics of treatment.

Modern treatments

All modern methods of treating various injuries are aimed not only at eliminating the cause itself, but also at preventing complications. Therefore, already in the acute period, treatment and rehabilitation measures begin.

Physiotherapy exercises or therapeutic exercises exclusively under the guidance of an experienced specialist can begin already a few days after the injury. Self-execution of exercises is fraught with serious complications. Only a doctor will select exercises that will really help.

In the subacute period, to reduce the severity of edema and speedy recovery, kinesio taping has proven itself as part of complex therapy. Tapes improve lymph drainage, reduce swelling. These elastic bands are used to strengthen muscles and ligaments.

A third-degree sprain requires surgical treatment, there are no other options. But modern methods of treatment carry out minimally invasive operations with a short recovery period.

Prevention of sprained thigh muscles in adults at home

It is worth noting that sprained thigh muscles and ligament injuries are a rare injury. And if it happens, it is more often associated with inaccurate movements and improper exercise. On this basis, all preventive measures are built:

• warm-up before exercise;
• compliance with the rules when performing exercises;
• injury prevention;
• strengthening of the corresponding muscles.

Popular questions and answers

Stretching the thigh muscles, or rather, damage to the ligaments, is a serious injury that requires first aid and rehabilitation, the recovery time and, of course, the prognosis depend on it. Will tell about it traumatologist Maxim Kolinsky.