Patient guide / Thigh and calf
Understanding thigh and calf pain and conditions
These articles explain thigh and calf problems, care options and when to seek advice. Similar symptoms can have different causes; these texts do not provide a diagnosis.
This page is awaiting validation. It does not replace a consultation or a programme adapted to your situation.
Hamstring injury: from sudden pain to returning to sport
Sudden pain behind the thigh can occur during running or a strong stretch. A minor muscle strain and a tendon pulled from its attachment near the buttock need different care.
Read the guidePain and conditionsPain at the front of the thigh: quadriceps injury
Your quadriceps work when you stand, climb a step or kick a ball. Sudden pain may come from muscle, but major difficulty straightening the knee calls for assessment of the tendon.
Read the guidePain and conditionsA blow to the thigh: muscle contusion and bruising
A collision can compress muscle against bone and cause a contusion. A haematoma is a collection of blood in the tissues. Decisions depend on pain, swelling and function, as well as how the bruise looks.
Read the guidePain and conditionsCalf strain: understanding the injury and recovery
Sudden calf pain during push-off may involve a muscle strain, sometimes called tennis leg. Achilles rupture and deep vein thrombosis can produce similar symptoms. The history and examination matter.
Read the guidePain and conditionsPain under the buttock: proximal hamstring tendinopathy
Gradual pain near your sitting bone may involve the upper hamstring tendon. It differs from an acute tear. The back, hip and nerves can also cause pain nearby.
Read the guidePain and conditionsThigh and calf cramps: relief and when to seek advice
A cramp is an involuntary painful contraction, at night or during exercise. A familiar brief cramp and persistent pain with swelling require different decisions.
Read the guidePain and conditionsSoreness after exercise: recovery and warning signs
Unfamiliar exercise may cause delayed muscle soreness, unlike pain felt during an injury. Exceptionally severe pain, marked weakness or dark urine still needs immediate medical assessment.
Read the guidePain and conditionsShin pain: overload and bone stress injury
Shin pain may follow increased running or jumping. Shin splints and bone stress injuries can overlap in their symptoms. Continuing to run through worsening pain can delay recovery.
Read the guidePain and conditionsExercise-related lower-leg pressure: chronic compartment syndrome
Pain and tightness recurring after a similar amount of running may prompt assessment for exertional compartment syndrome. Sudden extreme pain is a different situation and can be a surgical emergency.
Read the guidePain and conditionsBurning or numb outer thigh: meralgia paraesthetica
Burning or numbness on the outer thigh may involve a sensory nerve, called meralgia paraesthetica. Examination matters, particularly if weakness or other symptoms accompany the sensation.
Read the guidePain and conditionsWalking pain: peripheral arterial disease and claudication
Calf or thigh pain recurring during walking and easing with rest can involve reduced arterial circulation. This needs medical diagnosis. Supervised walking may then form part of treatment.
Read the guidePain and conditionsThigh or calf pain: when to seek medical help
Some leg symptoms must not wait for exercise or a routine appointment. This page explains actions but cannot rule out serious disease. In Luxembourg, call 112 for emergencies.
Read the guideText updated on
Medical review: awaiting Hasib Selimovic.