Wondering if anyone else has suffered/dealt with the following: whenever I do a hard running race (does not happen in tris for some reason, even IMs) if that race is long enough (usually 13.1 or more) by middle/end of race I start getting a really deep pain deep in the middle of my right thigh - much beyond usual fatigue/pain. Post-race that thigh hurts/feels sore more significantly longer than the other leg. Sometimes it can take a real long time to go away (weeks rather than days). Though I used to be more of heal striker, I now run more mid-foot striking (pose/chi disciple) + have pretty good cushioned shoes (saucony rides) I use with orthotics.
Current cahllenge is I just ran a half marathon yesterday, legs are pretty trashed overall but right thigh is alot worse as usual and have Paris Marathon in 20 days. Planning no running this week, just alot of easy spinning + swims to loosen it up and see where it is this time next week.
What really stumps me is that it is one thigh but not the other. Any thoughts/suggests about why this happens or how to rectify most appreciated.
Not an expert at all (though I have dealt with my share of running pains) but one simple explanation might be the bank of the surface you are running on. Pavement/sidewalks are rarely even and the longer the run the more these small differences in where your feet are striking become. Probably out of your control but might be a simple explanation. Even if it is an out and back course a lot of times the right side is banked slightly higher on both directions.
Is this a chronic problem, or is it relatively recent?
Sorry to be the extreme worrier, but you have to check every possibility, so don’t rule out a femoral stress fracture. I didn’t even know you could get a femoral stress fracture until I got one last year. I had the same problem - pain deep within the thigh during runs. I thought I had a quadricep strain for 3 weeks, but it just didn’t get any better. So, I got x-rays and a bone scan. Turns out it was a stress fx.
I’m not trying to set you into a panic, but it is something that needs to be checked out. Femoral stress fractures are not a huge deal if you catch them early enough, but if you let it progress into a displaced fracture, it can become a very bad situation.
Again, its probably not a fracture, but the potential seriousness of a fracture means that its something which should be checked out.
Wow, that is pretty scary. How long did you have to rest it/not run for healing? I understood that x-rays won’t even show a stress fx sometimes, did yours? I ask because I think its gonna be tough to get a bone scan under my health insurance unless the thing is sticking out of my leg.
I have been doing about 45 miles a week with 17-20 mile long run pretty much weekly (with easier week every 4th week) since a January half marathon where I had the same issue + post-race pain and wouldn’t think that possible with a stress fracture. Also, it seems to build up as I go longer or faster (end of long runs and/or races). I was thinking it was more likely a really deep thigh strain due to some issue with my running form that others might also have had. Also, was hoping that it was the sort of thing that could be treated in the shorter term with massage and/or heat treatment, etc.
Wondering if anyone else has suffered/dealt with the following: whenever I do a hard running race (does not happen in tris for some reason, even IMs) if that race is long enough (usually 13.1 or more) by middle/end of race I start getting a really deep pain deep in the middle of my right thigh - much beyond usual fatigue/pain. Post-race that thigh hurts/feels sore more significantly longer than the other leg. Sometimes it can take a real long time to go away (weeks rather than days). Though I used to be more of heal striker, I now run more mid-foot striking (pose/chi disciple) + have pretty good cushioned shoes (saucony rides) I use with orthotics.
Current cahllenge is I just ran a half marathon yesterday, legs are pretty trashed overall but right thigh is alot worse as usual and have Paris Marathon in 20 days. Planning no running this week, just alot of easy spinning + swims to loosen it up and see where it is this time next week.
What really stumps me is that it is one thigh but not the other. Any thoughts/suggests about why this happens or how to rectify most appreciated.
thanks,
Jack
No idea what your situation stems from, but I usually have one leg that is significantly more sore after a hard run or race. I did a hilly 10K race yesterday and my right medial quad/adductor is pissed. It could be a muscle imbalance between the left and right side. Have you seen a PT? Some simple exercises might help you. In my case, I have been working with a PT to correct my own imbalances after getting broadsided by a bike last year. I also spend a lot of time with my PT Massage equipment and foam roller, working both sides equally.
If you’ve been running on it for 2 months, then its probably not a stress fx, because 2 months of running 45 mpw on a stress fx would be nearly impossible. I would still get it checked out, just to make sure, but then again, I’m super-paranoid about injuries (especially now).
You’re “semi-right” about the x-ray. Most x-rays don’t directly show a stress fracture (unless the fracture is really bad). But, when the fracture starts significant healing (usally 0-2 weeks after the initial injury), and x-ray will show an area of increased calcium uptake, and doctors can use that calcuim “smudge” to diagnose a stress fx. Bone scans and MRIs are more sensitive and accurate, but an x-ray is often adequate (providing that your doctor knows what to look for).
I got the fracture in mid-May, and it wiped out my entire season. The doctor cleared me to start running again in early August, but I waited until September, because my season was over anyways, and I wanted to be extra cautious.
Again, if you’ve been running on it for 2 months… almost definitely not a fracture, but I think its worth the $150 for an x-ray, just to make sure.
Can you describe the pain? I read through this and am pretty worried about my leg at the moment.
I had only been running about mid 30mpw which is typical year round for me and then my leg started bothering me at the beginning of the run and would get better as I ran until now where it’s gotten to the point that I can’t really run on it without it compromising my form. I think/hope it’s muscular and am getting stem on it to see how it goes. There is no pain in it when I bike or swim, but I can feel a little general soreness in the quad area when I’m done.
How long did you wait until you went in for the MRI?
Step 1) Stop running! That is the cardinal rule of injuries. If it aggravates the injury, then stop doing it.
To a certain extent, it doesn’t really matter what the injury is, because it sounds like it is likely still in the stages where it can fix itself. You can swim/bike pain-free, so just keep doing those until your leg doesn’t hurt anymore. I’d give it at least 2 weeks of no running, and then re-evaluate.
Dealing with injuries like this is really just an iterative process. You give it time, then check it, and then decide whether to give it more time, or gradually reintroduce running. Repeat for as long as necessary, until healthy again. The important things are to actually give it enough time so that it has a chance to heal, and to be cautious and gradual when returning to running.
Now, if you go 3-4 weeks, and there isn’t any real improvement, then maybe it’s time for an MRI. But I’d recommend an MRI only if you’re not seeing progress after that long. Because more often than not, the end result of an MRI on situations like this is “give it time, and let it fix itself.” Thats not always the end result of the MRI, but in my opinion, it’s the result frequently enough so that I’d rather give the injury an honest chance to sort itself out, before spending hundreds on an MRI.
And, as always, keep the soft-tissue in the area loose and flowing smoothly.
I went through the same thing. The good news is it’s the perfect time to rest up and let it heal. For me it took about 4 months, but, it was a legit femoral neck stress fracture.
don’t rule out a femoral stress fracture
That was my thought as well (also based on personal experience).