strange thigh pain

Hi,
i recently recovered from an avulsion fracture of the left hip, inwhich the sartorius muscle pulled of a piece of bone this happened 11 weeks ago and i feel it has fully recovered but now i am having strange thigh pains when i try to sprint it feels as if the muscle is about to tear :eek: but when i walk i feel no sign of pain...this is really frustrating me as i was about to make my return to football this saturday...i really need helped out, please i appreciate it

thanks, Adam

HI Adam

Is the thigh pain on running near or on the site of the avulsed bone? If so it may be that the fracture is coming along but is just not yet set there yet for the rigours of sprinting - one of the most demanding activity for the muscle. It may just need a bit more time.

Another possibility - there is something tenuous about the healed site. It may be less than optimal - this would need looking into.

Another possibility: If it isn't over the fracture site but oer the muscle (eg a bit further down the front of the thigh), and sartorius is the problem it could be not only did you pull a bit of bone off attachment of the tendon, but the muscle or tendon was also injured. Tendons can take longer to fully heal but respond well to stressing them to an appropriate amount of activity - Goldilocks principle not too large and not to little - you will need some guidance with this

Go see a Sports?MSK physio. they can sort out the diagnosis of the problem.

the pain is just above the middle of the thigh and slightly to the left,it is almost directly beneath the area which had fractured but a few inches further down...I have just rang a coach at my football club and he has arranged a physio i hope this isnt a serious problem but jus part of the healing.

thanks for helping out and giving me some idea of what might be the problem.

Thanks, Adam

It is possible that you injured the muscle at the time you did the avulsion. As jogging - running - side/side movements, light sprints etc is all part of the rehab program. You shouldn't be considering the first times you begin to run again as being ready for the pitch (the dynamic load on the muscle is so much more and the brain isn't yet sure whether to permit the quads to take that strain). This is correctly showing that all is not fully healed and so this initial running and perhaps light training is part of the recover process.

To go back to early is likely to result in a repeat trauma.

thanks physio bob :) i will try a few more weeks of rehab before going back into matches.

thanks, Adam