Symptoms of a Pulled Quadricep

Symptoms are really dependent on the severity of your injury, however the most common ones are noted below.

A sharp pain or pulling may be experienced at the trigger point or site of the strain or tear, which can radiate along the length of your quadriceps up to your hip and pelvis, and/or down through your knees.

You will feel tightness, tenderness and/or muscle spasms in your quadricep muscle after and acute injury or during active and resistive movements. Point tenderness may also be present, especially when touched. If you have a chronic injury, you may feel more of a dull ache that lasts for long periods of time.

Pain experienced in the quadriceps muscles is unique in each muscle:

Rectus femoris pain

Pain is felt in the middle and above your kneecap, although the trigger point for this pain is experienced in front of your hip, therefore pain can radiate up your thigh; this pain is aggravated when walking down hills or stairs.

Vastus medialis pain

Pain is felt on the inner side of knee and kneecap and can radiate up the mid-inner thigh; this muscle is often responsible for a buckling knee and for pain experienced during growing pains.

Vastus intermedius pain

Pain starts mid-thigh and radiates to your upper thigh or the front of your hip area, especially when walking up hills or stairs; it can cause difficulty straightening your leg after sitting for long periods.

Vastus lateralis pain

Pain starts on the outside of your knee and can radiate as high as your hip or as far down as your calf; it often feels like your kneecap isn't working quite right, as it can pull your kneecap and lock your knee. It is the main cause of growing pains in kids legs and is painful in adults.

You may experience stiffness or decreased range of motion (ROM), such as difficulty fully flexing your knee, or stretching your thigh. Tightness in your rectus femoris muscle can pull your pelvis forward creating a sway back and causing hyperextension in your knee. This is very common in gymnasts, ballerinas and soccer players.

Swelling in your quadriceps muscles is a result of your tissues becoming inflamed; this normally occurs just above or below a more severe quadriceps strain or tear. Warmth and redness may accompany swelling in severe cases. You may also feel a gap, dent, bulge or thickening in your muscle or tendon that is not normally present.

Weakness or complete loss of function of your quadriceps muscle can also be experienced as a result of a quadriceps strain. This along with your other symptoms may make it difficult for you to walk or run and can result in you walking with a limp.

Occasionally, bruising (broken blood vessels) and discoloration (black, blue and/or purple) over your quadriceps muscle may appear immediately or after a few days with severe quadriceps strains. Calcification of the muscle of tendon can also occur.

Grinding and crackling (crepitus) in your knee can result from improper tracking of your kneecap.

A popping or snapping sensation on the front of your thigh can often be heard and felt when your quadriceps muscles are tearing. This doesn't happen very often.

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