At times, upper leg pain can be quite troublesome since it affects your mobility up to a large extent. This article discusses some of the aspects associated with this problem.

Pain in the upper leg is a common problem experienced by many. It is mainly caused when the muscles, ligaments, or bones present in the upper-leg area get damaged or injured. This pain is mostly seen in people who tend to put a lot of pressure on the feet through walking, running, or other vigorous-physical activities. Apart from these, there are some more causes of this pain.

Causes
There are some more conditions that lead to this problem. Some of the most common causes are given below:

Cause #1
Many people experience pain in the upper portion of the leg after running. The reason behind this could be groin pull, which is a tear or rupture of any one of the abductor muscles. Pain while running is mostly experienced in the abductor muscles since these muscles are used to balance the entire body while running.

Cause #2
Another common cause is sciatica. Sciatica is actually the damage or irritation of the sciatic nerve, which starts from the lower-back region, and extends to the buttocks and sides of both the legs. This further leads to pain, not only in the upper legs, but also in the lower-back region and the buttocks.

Cause #3
Quadriceps pull can be figured out as another cause of upper leg pain. The quadriceps muscles are located in the frontal region of the thigh, and therefore, a damage or pull in those muscles can lead to pain in the upper leg. The pain worsens, as many times, it is accompanied by numbness. In severe cases, bruising and swelling are also observed.

Cause #4
A pull in the hamstring muscles could also be the potential cause of this painful condition. In such cases, the pain is experienced on the rear side of the leg. Hamstring muscles start from the buttock and extend till the back portion of the knee joints. A pull in the hamstring muscles often causes lumps in the back area of the upper leg, and makes it difficult to extend or stretch the leg.

Cause #5
The next cause is meralgia paresthetica. This condition can stimulate a burning sensation and severe pain in the upper leg while running, sitting, etc. Meralgia paresthetica is not a muscle injury. It is described as a nerve injury, wherein the nerve that runs from the spinal column to the thigh is damaged. Such a damage can lead to compression of the nerve, which further results in upper leg pain.

Treatment
The treatment depends upon the underlying cause. Doctors might prescribe you to stop running and other strenuous-physical activities until the pain subsides. Groin stretches, physical therapy, application of ice pack on the pain area, etc., are some of the effective options. In mild cases, pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications also prove useful. However, before opting for any treatment, you should make sure to consult a doctor.

The severity of the pain mainly depends upon the underlying cause and severity of the damage. Therefore, if pain killers, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medicines (as prescribed by the doctor) do not work, you need to consult a specialist, as he will diagnose the condition and suggest appropriate curative measures.

Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.