What are Thigh Cramps?

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  • Originally Written By: M. DePietro
  • Revised By: C. Mitchell
  • Edited By: Bronwyn Harris
  • Last Modified Date: 14 February 2017
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Thigh cramps are painful contractions of one or more muscles in the thigh. They are involuntary to the extent that they happen all on their own, usually as a response to some sort of injury or strain or potentially also some chemical imbalance. Intensity varies depending on the circumstances. In almost all cases cramps will go away on their own within a few minutes, though shifting, stretching, and changing position can often bring relief faster. People who experience frequent cramps are often encouraged to get a medical check-up to get to the root of the problem and find more personalized ways of preventing future occurrences.

Thigh Muscle Basics

The human thigh is made up of three primary muscle groups. The largest are the quadriceps, which are a group of four interrelated muscles that provide power to most of the leg. The inner thigh muscles, also known as the adductors, provide stability and strength, and the hamstrings, which run down the back of the thigh and provide flexibility and lift. Cramps can impact some or all of these at once.


Main Causes

Dehydration and heavy exercise leading to muscle fatigue are two of the main causes of thigh cramps in otherwise healthy people. The muscles depend on a constant balance of energy and hydration, and when these things are lacking the muscle tissues can be more prone to twisting or seizing up. Mineral deficiencies are also common causes. Calcium, magnesium, and potassium are all required for optimal muscle performance, but the muscles aren’t the only parts of the body that need these things. When a person isn’t getting enough, his or her body often diverts the scarce resources to the most critical parts of the body — the brain, the heart, and the organs, for instance — and away from the muscles.

Excess weight can also be a factor, and heavy-set people are more likely to experience regular thigh cramps than are those who are smaller. Pregnant women are also at an increased risk for this reason. The thighs support the majority of the body’s weight, so in the early days of weight gain they often cramp when adjusting to the changed load.

Common Symptoms

Pain is the most common symptom. Cramps are often so immediately painful that a person needs to stop putting weight on the impacted leg and may also need to sit or change position. The muscle might also feel hard and firm to the touch. In most cases, cramps in the thigh only last a few minutes. They usually resolve on their own and most people don’t require medical treatment, but occasionally there may be a need to see a doctor or other healthcare provider. For instance, if the pain is severe and is accompanied by swelling or tenderness in the thigh, medical care is usually recommended.

Medical professionals usually start by ordering blood work to rule out a mineral deficiency. A complete physical along with a medical history will likely also be performed. In extreme cases, an X-ray or other imaging scan may be ordered to determine if there are abnormalities in the bones or muscle that may be responsible for causing the pain.

Getting Relief

One of the best things to do to relieve the pain and pressure is to stretch the leg. Rotating stretches that shift the body’s weight are often the most effective. Although it may be painful to stretch at first, these sorts of targeted exercises will usually help the muscle. Gently messaging the thigh for a few minutes may also work. Experts often recommend using a warm compress or taking a warm bath, too, which may help relax the muscles and relieve the pain. These techniques are often particularly useful for cramps that seem to recur or keep coming back.

Importance of Prevention

It’s often possible to prevent thigh cramps from ever occurring, though this often takes a bit of planning and self-care. One of the most important things people can do is to make sure they’re getting enough water, since dehydration is one of the leading causes of muscles cramps generally. Water intake is especially important during the warmer summer months and for people who exercise and sweat frequently, as well as for those who eat a lot of salty foods.

Making sure to stretch before exercises like running or walking can help, too. Most experts recommend stretching the front of the thigh by pulling the heel of the foot up to the buttocks, then holding for 20 to 30 seconds. Regular movement of the leg is also important. People who are on their feet a lot are often encouraged to avoid standing still for too long; taking quick breaks to walk or stretch can make a difference.


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Discuss this Article

Post 9

If I have certain brands of chocolate I get terrible inner thigh cramps. It's a horrendous pain and I feel like passing out with it sometimes. a simple answer is avoid chocolate late at night. But I had chocolate sauce on my dessert and didn't think about it, but I usually get reminded by the cramps. Water is good and of course contains potassium.

Post 8

I used to get terrible thigh cramps at night and it made it very hard to sleep. If I did manage to fall asleep I would usually jerk awake in pain. You can probably imagine how awful I felt in the morning after such a rude awakening during the night.

Like others have mentioned, increasing your potassium intake can really help with the severity of your cramping, and even eliminate it all together.

For myself I added lots of cabbage and broccoli, as well as things like beans and potatoes, which are all surprisingly high in potassium. It took me a few weeks before I noticed the difference but the cramps did eventually go away.

Post 7

Thigh cramps are some of the worst, but I find it best to walk them out whenever they do happen. Sometimes you might get one just sitting still (I actually find that I usually do get them when I’m not doing anything at all.)

It might hurt quite a bit to begin with, but there’s just something about that little bit of movement that helps to relieve the tension in the muscles.

If that doesn’t work, try standing on the leg without the cramp. Hold on to a counter or something to help keep your balance and simply move the leg back and forth from the knee; almost like you’re kicking something but without that kind of power.

And then, sometimes, you just have to let the things pass in their own time.

Post 6

Call me crazy, but I think that another thing that can certainly help with thigh cramp relief is to take in more potassium. My doctor suggested eating a banana to get the potassium levels in the body back up to a good level naturally.

I was having incredibly bad cramps in the thigh and calf areas; it got bad enough that I went to the doctor to get checked out. He found that I was dehydrated slightly, but that my potassium had totally bottomed out.

Now, a banana a day keeps me cramp free!

Post 5

@anamur - Vitamin D plays a role in reducing inflammation in our bodies, so that might have something to do with the cramps.

If you do go the vitamin D route - I know a great way to save you money - skip the supplements and stand outside in the sun! Our bodies get vitamin D via sunshine. To get enough vitamin D, all you need to do is sit outside for 10-15 minutes a day, 2-3 days a week. Good luck with your cramps!

Post 4

@burcinc - I had no idea pregnancy could be what causes thigh cramps via the extra weight or as you mentioned, because your baby was shifting.

The charlie horses I've had happened while I was playing soccer. I massaged the area both during the cramp and then before playing soccer when they began occurring with frequency. Then I added potassium to my diet, per suggestion of my coach. With the massaging of the area and the added potassium my cramps stopped!

Post 3

People generally first think of dehydration when cramps start to happen. I'm sure that is a cause for many people, but I personally think that too much physical activity and poor nutrition are the bigger culprits.

I think many athletes and people who have to be physically active for their job, like firefighters, for example tend to push themselves beyond their physical limits in terms of exercise and activity. And that also requires more food so that the body can replace what is lost and rebuild muscle. I have some friends who do body building and all they do is eat all day because that's what their body requires.

I think we should make sure we are getting enough water, but you might have to ease up on the activity a little bit and eat more to get your body back into balance. I think cramps automatically resolve themselves after that.

Post 2

@anamur-- Not sure about vitamin D, magnesium is usually what is suggested, especially for cramps during pregnancy.

I had both calf cramps and thigh cramps during my pregnancy. The thigh cramps happened closer to birth though and I think they were due shifts in baby's position to get ready for birth.

Yours are probably thigh muscle cramps caused by physical activity, since you said you just started yoga. I would recommend drinking more water like the article said. I heard that electrolytes help too. You could pick up some of those bottled waters with electrolytes and vitamins and have some before and after exercise.

Post 1

I used to get leg cramps a lot growing up and it happened usually in the night while I was sleeping. I would wake up with an intense pain that lasted for a minute or two. My mom used to have me take vitamin D to help with the cramps.

I don't have leg cramps anymore but my thigh has been cramping a lot the last couple of weeks. I have started doing yoga, which might be the cause. I'm just wondering if vitamin D supplements would be beneficial to take again? I don't know why my mom would have me take them but they seemed to work. What is the explanation behind vitamin D and cramps?

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