Physical Exam
Every doctor has a different order, but most start their physical exam after asking you many questions about the type of pain you’re feeling. In other cases, you may find yourself answering their questions while he’s palpating and performing maneuvers.
In any case, a physical exam to diagnose the cause of thigh pain involves palpation and an assessment of the flexibility and strength of the affected leg.
Palpation is helpful to assess the site of injury more specifically. The doctor will go through different muscles to evaluate the presence of structural damage or injuries in your muscles or tendons.
Flexibility assessment involves evaluating the range of motion, which is usually compared with the healthy leg. For instance, if you have a hamstring injury, your active range of motion will be affected, but it won’t necessarily become affected when the doctor actively moves the articulation.
Strength assessment of the articulation and thigh muscles is also essential. It is performed with a resistance or by simply evaluating your gait. It depends on your age and the severity of your condition. It should also be compared with the healthy leg. Muscle weakness in the affected leg can be caused by a muscle problem or a nerve-related disease.
Finally, you may see that doctors evaluate other body parts that are not even near the thigh, and you may wonder why. That’s because thigh pain can be a referred pain that comes from somewhere else. Referred pain is caused by irritation of nerve endings in another area of your body. When you have referred pain, your brain interprets the pain as coming from the place where you actually feel it when the damage is elsewhere. So when you have referred pain, your doctor will likely evaluate both areas.
For instance, he may need to tap on your lower back to evaluate the presence of kidney issues. They may also need to assess your buttocks to rule out sciatica.