What’s With Sartorius Muscle Pain?
Q: Why does my sartorius hurt? By the way, the sartorius is the longest muscle in the body and runs from the iliac crest of the pelvis to the inside of the knee. Yup, what I just did there was share with you what I didn’t know about the sartorius until I looked it up as part of my self-diagnosis. Anyway, please answer my question now while overlooking what I did to insult you by suggesting that you’re not as educated about basic anatomy as I am. Thanks!
A: What’s there for me to be insulted by? Shit, we should all hope to be as smart as you with all your wisdom that was recently gained via a web search!
Anyway…
Discomfort along the inner thigh or groin area can be indicative of an issue with the sartorius muscle and is typically characterized by a burning sensation. If what you’re feeling is as described, then yeah, there’s a good possibility that your sartorius muscle has experienced tissue damage.
Because I’m apparently a mind reader, no details were given to identify what triggered your sartorius pain. Nonetheless, that doesn’t really matter because regardless what the cause of pain is, the treatment is roughly the same.
As with any other muscle injury that doesn’t cause significant functional impairment and require immediate medical attention, you should follow the RICE method to deal with sartorius pain. That basically calls for restricting movement of the injured muscle to only that which isn’t intense or increases pain, applying ice packs to the area for 20 minute stretches several times a day, and compressing and elevating the leg above the level of the heart.
Twisting your leg while falling and being directly hit in the area can bring about pain in the sartorius muscle and the RICE method should be enough to alleviate the condition in such instances. But pain in the sartorius can also be caused by sitting cross-legged for too long and common activities like running, sprinting, and cycling, in addition to other repetitive movements that involve hip flexion and knee bending. The onset of pain from these activities is usually a result of overuse, or the muscle being stressed beyond its capacity, which results in inflammation and irritation around the injury site. When this is the case, more should be done in complement to RICE.
For sartorius pain that’s from overuse, it might serve best to take a break from the activity that’s the cause of the repetitive stress. On this front, the “R” in RICE stands for rest and that’s what can be provided by restricting movement to avoid exposure of the area to further injury but for individuals who frequently place a demand on their sartorius muscle in performance of physical activity, then it should also involve an extended period of time away from exercise to allow for the muscle to completely repair itself.
When suffering an overuse injury, something else you should do is warm up the injured area with a heating pad before engaging in light stretching or yoga to increase blood flow in promotion of further healing, as well as to prevent further injury by reducing muscle tightness and increasing flexibility and range of motion. Upon the resumption of normal activity, it would also be of benefit to strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and other quadriceps muscles because weak surrounding muscles can cause the sartorius to overwork.
STRETCHES:
• Standing IT Band Stretch
• Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
• Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
• Figure Four Stretch
• Butterfly Stretch
• 90/90 Stretch
ASANAS:
• Pigeon Pose
• One-Legged King Pigeon Pose
• Firefly Pose
• Camel Pose
• Reclining Hero Pose
• Half-Reclining Hero Pose
EXERCISES:
• Squats
• Plié Squats
• Lunges
• Step-Ups
• Lateral Step-Ups
• Crossover Step-Ups
• Banded Crab Walks
• Lateral Band Walks
• Hip Abductor Machine
Longer rest followed by stretching, yoga, and strengthening neglected muscles can help prevent the return of sartorius muscle pain when you resume normal activity after treatment. So too can using proper technique when running and performing exercises like squats, lunges, and step-ups, as the incorrect execution of those movements can place strain on the sartorius from it being engaged more regularly than the intended muscle(s).
Now, does anyone else have a fitness or nutrition question of their own that they want to ask?
Glossary: clamshells, exercise, fitness, glutes, lunge, muscle, nutrition, squats, yoga
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