Pain in the sides of my legs on Sumo DL and Squats

[limelite]

I noticed there has been a "stingy" pain on the side of my legs, somewhere on the side quad area. It started when I was training for powerlifting on a wide-stance deadlift (which I am not used to). Whenever I walk, sometimes I feel the sting, sometimes I don't.

This morning, I did squats and deadlifts. I can "squat through the sting" but I couldn't sumo DL through the pain on 94 lbs. Yet, when I switched to the conventional deadlift stance at 134 lbs., I was able to do it.

Anyone know what's wrong? Could I have torn a muscle or is it merely a strain or something that should go away in a matter of days? I have a meet in two weeks and I'm seriously worried I can't train properly (or worse, can't join at all)

[Joeykablowy]

Not an expert:
You didn't specify whether you meant the outside or inside so here is some possible reasons in either case.

There are muscles on the outer and inner parts of the thigh: The adductors and abductors.

Adductors: These muscles bring your legs together. They are in the inner thigh area. These must be rather flexible to perform a split. For me, when these muscles are sore, I can really feel them.

Abductors: These muscles allow you to raise your leg to either side. I THINK these muscles are less in the outer thigh area and more in the hip/glute area.

I have not performed a wide-stance deadlift and am not familiar with the tecnique. IF part of the technique is to TRY squeeze your legs together as you lift the weight up-this could cause soreness in your inner thighs (adductors). IF you are going really wide, near the max of your flexibility range, just the work of the adductors holding your body up could cause soreness and/or a strain.

IF the technique is to TRY to rip the floor apart by pushing your legs out as you lift-this could cause the abductors to become sore.

[limelite]

Sorry, I meant the outer quads are hurting.

I'm not sure if it's the abductors since the abductors are more on the glute area, mine is on the quad area, but the outer quads. I just tried to "stretch" through doing a wide-stance squat right now, and it's throbbing.

[Joeykablowy]

I'm not an expert by the way:

If its throbbing right now that could be an indicator of injury. That is, a day after a workout my muscles are sore but never throb. It could be a ligament or a tendon along your outer quad area. If the pain is near the outer - lower quad, I believe there is a ligament there. Judging from images I've seen of wide deadlift stances, I can imagine how there would be some force applied to the knee area.

***Either way I would immediately apply ice to the area. If you CANNOT walk normally or bend your leg fully, I would go to the hospital. STOP doing wide deadlifts for the time being. Take a few days off of any lower body workouts. If you really need to perform deadlifts after those days off, I'd stick with traditional since you said that doesn't aggravate the injury.

You mentioned you have a "meet" in a few weeks. I'll assume you have a trainer or a coach. Ask trainer/coach to examine your form to make sure you are doing it correctly. If it makes you feel better, the fact that the pain is slight to moderate and that there wasn't a "sudden pop" or anything like that probably indicates that it should heal within a few weeks.

[limelite]

I'm not an expert by the way:

If its throbbing right now that could be an indicator of injury. That is, a day after a workout my muscles are sore but never throb. It could be a ligament or a tendon along your outer quad area. If the pain is near the outer - lower quad, I believe there is a ligament there. Judging from images I've seen of wide deadlift stances, I can imagine how there would be some force applied to the knee area.

***Either way I would immediately apply ice to the area. If you CANNOT walk normally or bend your leg fully, I would go to the hospital. STOP doing wide deadlifts for the time being. Take a few days off of any lower body workouts. If you really need to perform deadlifts after those days off, I'd stick with traditional since you said that doesn't aggravate the injury.

You mentioned you have a "meet" in a few weeks. I'll assume you have a trainer or a coach. Ask trainer/coach to examine your form to make sure you are doing it correctly. If it makes you feel better, the fact that the pain is slight to moderate and that there wasn't a "sudden pop" or anything like that probably indicates that it should heal within a few weeks.

I can walk and I can fully bend my leg when my legs are in a closed stance, but when I bend my legs in a wide stance, as I go lower, it starts to hurt. The wider the stance, the more it hurts. That's why I can somehow tolerate squats, but when it comes to sumo deadlifts where the stance is really wide, that's when it starts to hurt really bad.

Yeah, I have a coach, and I'm doing the correct form, definitely. I just haven't been training with sumo deadlifts before I started, and I think the abrupt heavy pulls in sumo deadlifts might have led to the injury (if it is one). I certainly hope it heals within a few days, and I think I will be competing through the conventional deadlift.

Thanks so much for the info.

[r0dparks]

how did you prepare for the lifts?? any specific warmup routines??

[limelite]

how did you prepare for the lifts?? any specific warmup routines??

Bar only.. as usual.

[killyoselfnig32]

Bar only.. as usual.

Try the abductor machine (srs) it works.

btw you could just have a imbalance between your left and right quad which is causing the knee cap to shift, simple way to fix this is lunges and leg extensions.

[limelite]

Try the abductor machine (srs) it works.

btw you could just have a imbalance between your left and right quad which is causing the knee cap to shift, simple way to fix this is lunges and leg extensions.

Does that mean it's certain I've somehow injured my abductors? How long do you think this'll be "fixed"? :\

[blakely17]

I noticed there has been a "stingy" pain on the side of my legs, somewhere on the side quad area. It started when I was training for powerlifting on a wide-stance deadlift (which I am not used to). Whenever I walk, sometimes I feel the sting, sometimes I don't.

This morning, I did squats and deadlifts. I can "squat through the sting" but I couldn't sumo DL through the pain on 94 lbs. Yet, when I switched to the conventional deadlift stance at 134 lbs., I was able to do it.

Anyone know what's wrong? Could I have torn a muscle or is it merely a strain or something that should go away in a matter of days? I have a meet in two weeks and I'm seriously worried I can't train properly (or worse, can't join at all)

Sounds to me like lateral femoral cutaneous nerve impingment. Go see an othopedic doctor or a physical therapist to get that confirmed. But pain and throbbing with increased hip flexion on the outside of the legs is a symptom of this injury. Probable recommendation will be a stretching protocol of the hip flexors. If it gets to be a problem, go seek medical attention.

[limelite]

Sounds to me like lateral femoral cutaneous nerve impingment. Go see an othopedic doctor or a physical therapist to get that confirmed. But pain and throbbing with increased hip flexion on the outside of the legs is a symptom of this injury. Probable recommendation will be a stretching protocol of the hip flexors. If it gets to be a problem, go seek medical attention.

Any particular stretches you can recommend?

I thought I couldn't do sumo deadlifts today, but I was able to. And at 154 lbs. It was elevated, but still! I think I may have injured it because I was pulling with the wrong area of my legs.

[Joeykablowy]

I have attached the most common hip flexor stretch. If you are not already incorporating static stretching after your workouts, I would begin as soon as possible. Do not limit yourself to only stretching your hip flexor. After each workout I stretch the muscle or groups of muscle that I worked that day.

*Stretching and gaining more flexibility can help prevent further injuries and/or problems with form.

I know you said that you had a meet coming up but you should try to take some time off. Judging from when you made this thread to your last post, you have done deadlifts multiple times within a span of a day or two. I do not know your training regimen or its intensity. For me, I could not do my deadlift workout twice in a week.

You had said a day or two ago that the pain was "throbbing". Even though you may have felt fine today, I would really try to, at the least, rest your lower body for a few days. If you decide to workout anyways, consider being less "intense" in the workout - whether its less weight or less reps. But if you and your coach both feel you can continue then keep training.

[limelite]

I have attached the most common hip flexor stretch. If you are not already incorporating static stretching after your workouts, I would begin as soon as possible. Do not limit yourself to only stretching your hip flexor. After each workout I stretch the muscle or groups of muscle that I worked that day.

*Stretching and gaining more flexibility can help prevent further injuries and/or problems with form.

I know you said that you had a meet coming up but you should try to take some time off. Judging from when you made this thread to your last post, you have done deadlifts multiple times within a span of a day or two. I do not know your training regimen or its intensity. For me, I could not do my deadlift workout twice in a week.

You had said a day or two ago that the pain was "throbbing". Even though you may have felt fine today, I would really try to, at the least, rest your lower body for a few days. If you decide to workout anyways, consider being less "intense" in the workout - whether its less weight or less reps. But if you and your coach both feel you can continue then keep training.

I always do this stretching before and after I work my legs but there was no pain when I do this certain stretch. Anyway, thank you so much. I can definitely continue, and I am catching up on training because I just started, that's why training is speedy. I guess for as long as I can squat deadlift and bench I don't think I should be worrying (yet?)