A quad contusion (shortened name for a “quadriceps contusion”) is an injury that results from forceful impact to the four quadricep muscles at the front of the thigh. It is a special case of the more general group of injuries that doctors call contusions. Other names for this injury include “thigh bruise”, “charley” or a “cork thigh”.
This is one of the more common muscle contusion injuries that athletes in contact sports like football or rugby tend to experience. It is also a risk in other sports such as cricket, field hockey and lacrosse that are played with a hard ball or “puck”. Players of these sports who experience a blow to the front of the thigh can easily experience a quad contusion.
Quad contusions can cause deep rupturing of the muscle fibers at the front of the thigh, as well as hemorrhaging (internal bleeding) and inflammation. The reason that this injury tends to be more severe than other types of contusion is that the quadricep muscles sit against a hard and dense bone structure (the femur or thigh) and have nowhere to move to absorb the impact of a direct frontal blow.
Sports medicine doctors generally divide the symptoms of this injury into three categories depending on their severity:
If your quad contusion injury is severe and does not receive proper medical attention, the result may be a complication known as myositis ossificans. This involves the development of bone tissue inside the damaged muscles.
Although this bone tissue is usually ultimately reabsorbed into the body, myositis ossificans can significantly increase the time that the player spends out of action.
If you can call your doctor as soon as possible for treatment of a possible quad contusion injury, you will be less at risk of developing this unpleasant condition.
If you are experiencing the above symptoms after a frontal blow to your thigh, you should arrange for a consultation with a sports medicine doctor. He or she will be able to make a diagnosis of your injury and recommend a treatment plan.
Your doctor will physically examine the affected area and ask you questions about the injury and how you received it. He or she will also likely ask about the severity of your symptoms, including the degree of pain and stiffness you are experiencing.
In most cases, your doctor will opt for a treatment plan based on application of the R.I.C.E. protocol for 48-72 hours:
In addition to R.I.C.E. , your doctor will likely also advise adherence to the No HARM protocol:
You should not return to sports activity until you are completely pain free and the other symptoms have gone.
However, as part of preparation for your return to sports activity, you should commence a physical therapy program once the symptoms have started to recede. This will generally include quadricep stretching and strengthening exercises. A physiotherapist will be able to devise an exercise program that will include, but not necessarily be limited to, these exercises.
If you regularly play sports that increase your risk of experiencing a thigh bruise, it is wise to take precautions to reduce the risk of this injury:
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Increase endurance and reduce injury
The high-level compressive properties of the Bio Skin Compression Shorts will help to improve your athletic performance and endurance by reducing your muscle vibration.
Increase endurance and reduce injury
The high-level compression provided by Bio Skin Compression Shorts with Groin Wrap helps to improve your athletic performance and endurance by decreasing muscle vibration.
The DynaPro Reusable Cold & Hot Compress is a versatile non-toxic compress that you can use for both hot and cold therapies and for treatment of both acute and chronic injuries.
The DynaPro Health Single Use Instant Cold Pack is an essential part of a first aid kit that will help you start treatment of acute injuries right away.
The Bio Skin Thigh Skin compresses your hamstring and quadricep muscles to ease the pain from a variety of injuries.
The Bio Skin Thigh Skin with Cinch Strap compresses your hamstring and quadricep muscles to ease the pain from a variety of injuries.
