Upper Thigh Pain in the Elderly

Upper thigh pain in elderly adults is surprisingly common.

The thighs consist of three major muscle groups – the quadriceps in the front of the leg, the hamstrings in the back of the leg, and the adductors on the inside of the leg. All of these muscles work together and are crucial for mobility and stability, so pain in any of these areas can have a big impact on day-to-day life. 

Download Our FREE Guide to Home Safety

What Causes Leg Pain in the Elderly?

Leg pain in elderly people can have a variety of causes. Determining the cause of the pain and discomfort is critical for treatment. Some causes of leg pain in elderly adults can include:

Muscle strain. Typically, as we become older, we become more sedentary – whether that is because our jobs keep us sitting at a desk all day or because we don’t have the energy to move around as much as we used to. Too much sitting can be dangerous, though, as muscles can tighten or even atrophy from disuse. Tight thigh muscles are more likely to get strained painfully when making sudden movements, lifting something heavy, or even taking a long walk if your muscles are not used to all that movement. This is why mobility and flexibility exercises, along with strength training, as so important as we age. 

Arthritis. The two main types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can both lead to leg pain in elderly people. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that occurs when the cartilage around the joints deteriorates. Pain from osteoarthritis in the hips can often radiate down into the thighs. Similarly, rheumatoid arthritis can also lead to pain around the hip joints and into the upper thighs, as the cartilage around the joints becomes irritated and inflamed. 

Hip bursitis. A painful condition, hip bursitis is caused by inflammation in the bursae, the small, fluid-filled sacs that surround and cushion the hip joint. Bursitis typically occurs in the outer hip and the pain radiates down through the thighs. 

Sciatica. The sciatic nerve runs down the lower back, through the hips and down into the legs. When it becomes compressed or inflamed, the back, hips and thighs can all be affected. In addition to sharp pain, sciatica can also cause numbness or tingling in the hips and legs. 

Blood Circulation Issues. A blood circulation issue would not be your first thought when it comes to aching legs in elderly adults, but pain is the way your body tells you it is having a problem. Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is caused by blood clots and can cause pain in the upper thighs. DVT is serious because the blood clots can travel to other parts of the body, including the heart and lungs, so it is always worth getting any thigh or leg pain checked out, especially as you age. 

Hip fractures. Almost always a result of falls, more than 300,000 people aged 65 and older experience hip fractures in the U.S. each year. Like many of the other causes on the list, it is the pain from the hip fracture radiating down into the legs that leads to thigh pain. Women are more prone to hip fractures due to their decreased bone density as they age.

Tendonitis. Inflammation of the tendons in the hip or thigh area can lead to upper thigh pain. Tendonitis can be caused by overuse of a joint, or something as simple as age-related wear and tear. The inflamed tendons themselves are painful, and can cause the muscles around them to ache as well as you try to adjust your movements to reduce the tendon pain. 

While the causes of thigh pain in the elderly are varied, they can all be treated. It may take some time to get to the root of the issue, but ultimately, upper thigh pain should not be ignored or “just dealt with” especially if it is affecting mobility or quality of life.

To learn about our home care services, contact our caregiving team today at 1-800-GRISWOLD or find a Caregiver near you.