You have indicated that you have outer thigh pain

Below are some specific descriptions of symptoms related to a running outer thigh injury or outer thigh pain.

Decide which description most closely matches the outer thigh problem you are experiencing then click on
the button next to it. You will be presented with a likely diagnosis for your outer thigh injury and advice as to
what to do.

You can diagnose other running injuries here.

  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3 - current step
  • Step 4

Click on the description that most closely matches your symptoms:

Symptom 1

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  • Pain located either to the left or right of your lower back, over one of the two ‘knobbly’ bones at the base of your spine about two inches either side of the spine.
  • The pain can range from a dull ache to a sharp pain which can restrict movement and prevent you from running.
  • The pain may radiate out into your buttocks and low back and may also radiate to the front into the groin.
  • Occasionally it is responsible for pain in the testicles in men.
  • Occasionally there may be referred pain into the lower limbs which can be mistaken for sciatica, but tends to be more to the outside of the thigh and ankle bone rather than down the back of the thigh as in sciatica.
  • Difficulty turning over in bed, struggling to put on shoes and socks and pain getting your legs in and out of the car.
  • Stiffness in the lower back when getting up after sitting for long periods and when getting up from bed in the morning.
  • Aching to one side of your lower back when driving long distances.

Symptom 2

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  • Normally (but not exclusively) a sudden onset of pain on the side of your waist, on the edge of the  bone that forms your waist.
  • You may find it difficult to walk properly and almost certainly find it difficult to run.
  • You may feel swelling in the area.
  • There is a specific area on the edge of the bone that is very tender.
  • Standing on one leg may produce pain, and it is likely that hopping on the affected leg will feel painful.

Symptom 3

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  • Pain on the outside of the hip at or just below the level of the widest part of the hip.
  • Tightness and tenderness at points along the outside of the upper leg between the hip and the knee.
  • Pain is aggravated by running, particularly downhill.
  • Pain can occur during bending or straightening of the hip.
  • Tenderness may also be present in the buttock on the problematic side.
  • You may have suddenly increased your training, or be running on a camber, or just one way around a track, which puts excessive pressure on the outside of the hip, or you may have faulty mechanics which need to be assessed.

Symptom 4

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  • A dull ache deep in the general area of the thigh that occurs after running long distances, and worsens the more you run.
  • The pain slowly increases during your run, reaching a peak at the end of your run.
  • On successive runs the pain comes on at an earlier stage and becomes severe sooner, eventually forcing you to finish your run early.
  • Pain may be referred into the knee.
  • Pain may become worse if you sit on a bench, table or chair, and let your thigh hang over the edge of it, particularly if weight is then applied downwards onto the thigh – this is called the hanging test.
  • X-ray may or may not show up the stress fracture but a bone scan or MRI should give a more accurate diagnosis.

Symptom 5

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  • Pain on the outside of the hip which is worse during running.
  • The pain is described as a toothache type, and is on the outside of the hip at about the level of the groin.
  • Pain when you press in on the outside of the widest part of the hip.
  • Swelling may be present, but is normally felt rather than seen.
  • Pain which radiates down the thigh or into the buttocks at night.
  • Difficulty getting in or out of a car, going up stairs, or standing for long periods.

Symptom 6

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  • Deep aching pain in the groin, buttock, front of the hip or the outside of the hip (that cannot necessarily be pinpointed), especially with movement.
  • Stiffness in the hip, particularly in the morning, which decreases as you start to move around and warm up.
  • Doing a squat may be painful or stiff, and you may not be able to get all the way down.
  • You may occasionally get a sharp ‘catching’ pain on certain movements.
  • Symptoms tend to develop slowly over time.
  • The hip does not show a full range of movement, and may be painful at the end of your movement range.
  • You may have noticed that you are starting to limp, and favour the other leg.

Symptom 7

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  • Pain on the outside of the knee at about the level of the kneecap.
  • Tightness and tenderness at points along the outside of the upper leg between the hip and the knee.
  • Pain is aggravated by running, particularly downhill.
  • Pain can occur during bending or straightening of the knee, particularly whilst pressing into the side of the knee over the sore part (this increases the friction on the tendon).
  • Tenderness may also be present in the buttock on the problematic side.
  • You may have suddenly increased your training, or be running on a camber, or just one way around a track, which puts excessive pressure on the outside of the knee, or you may have faulty mechanics which need to be assessed.