Hi doctors!

I have had a constant, dull (but quite painful) ache in my right thigh since Monday. The pain feels like it is in the muscle, like muscle soreness but more extreme and constant. Nothing feels "tweaked"--it's just incredibly achy. It is focused mainly on the top side of my thigh, between the midway point and my knee. At times it has felt like the ache is spreading over the front of my knee as well. It did not bother me during my short run yesterday, but began hurting again shortly after. Interestingly, it hurts significantly more when I am sitting still, and much less when I am moving.

Stats: I am female, 5'9" around 210 lbs, and I run my long runs at an 11:30-12 minute pace.

I am wondering if this is the type of thing where I need to stay off it, or can I run through it and trust that it is simply muscle soreness that will go away? I feel like it is slightly better today than yesterday, but it definitely still hurts.

Thanks for your help!

C-lin,
Any history of trauma to that right leg? How much pain is there at rest (0-10)? Are the right adductors more tight than the left?

With the pain being between the mid-femur and the knee, the first thought is a quad injury. However, your description of a deep ache after the runs in that location leads me to think that the adductors may be to tight pulling on their insertion in the distal femur. A simple test would be to do a butterfly stretch and see if the tight adductor on the right is keeping the knee higher up than the left.

Depending on the level of pain, you may be able to correct this with simple ice and stretching. Get make to me on the questions and I will look for your response.
Cheers,
Dr. Jake

Thanks Dr. Jake! Here are some answers to your questions:

History of trauma: I have had an occasional nagging (though sometimes more than nagging) ankle strain on the inner ankle of the same leg. I believe it was caused by rolling that ankle more than once, and I have been working on ankle strength.

Pain level: It has ranged from a 3 to a 7, maybe an 8. Unfortunately (?), it seems to be more focused in the knee now, and the mostly constant aching has been on the front of the knee, both above and below the joint. I'm starting to think it's affecting the whole leg, because I also have tightness in my hip and a bit of shin pain. In general, the pain has noticeably shifted downward.

However, the pain level, other than a few moments of sharp knee pain, has settled in around a 4, which has been nice.

I did the butterfly stretch and did not notice a different in knee position.

I did my short run yesterday and noticed the knee pain during it, but it was not so severe as to stop me (although I did slow down).

I have been icing and stretching, and plan on buying and using a foam roller today.

I will try to check in at the tent on Saturday.

Thanks again for all your help!
C

Hopefully you were able to see Dr. Greg or Dr Bryan at the tent last Sat. Did they check your leg length?

With all of these symptoms on one side I would think they is something out of balance. The pain now being more above and below the kneecap leads me to believe that it is a quad issue.

With the history of ankle trauma, you should not only work on strength, but also balance of that ankle. Doing one leg stands for 20 seconds on the bad leg with your other foot in each direction like a compass will help to build proprioception which prevents injury and fatigue. The stabilizers do not have to work so hard.
I hope things are on the mend.
Dr. Jake