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Quadriceps Contusion



What Is a Quadriceps Contusion?

Your quadriceps are muscles at the front of your leg that help flex your hip and straighten your knee when you walk or run. These muscles are attached to your femur, or thighbone, so a direct blow to the thigh can crush them against the bone. The resulting injury can be quite painful and, in some cases, serious.


The two types of quadriceps contusion are:

  1. An intramuscular contusion, which is when a muscle tears within the sheath (lining) that surrounds it.


What Are the Symptoms?

You'll know immediately if you get a quadriceps contusion. They hurt a lot. But you won't be able to tell right away how severe it is — and knowing that helps you get the right treatment.

Doctors give quadriceps contusions a grade from 1–3 depending on how serious they are. Each grade has its own symptoms:


It's good to get your injury checked by a doctor, even if you feel sure you have mild quadriceps contusion. That's because a quadriceps contusion can sometimes lead to other problems:

  • Myositis ossificans is a serious condition that happens when bone starts to form within the muscle. It's not a common problem, but it is one that's best detected early on: The longer it goes on, the more problems it can cause.
  • Compartment syndrome is another rare but serious complication of quadriceps contusions. In compartment syndrome, bleeding from the damaged muscle can get trapped and build up within the (the layer of tissue that wraps around the muscle). As blood builds up within this space, the muscles get squeezed and oxygen can't get to the blood vessels, tissues, and nerves. That can lead to permanent muscle damage. If you feel pain that's even worse than the pain you had when you injured yourself, or if you feel tingling or burning in the area you injured, call a doctor right away.

What Do Doctors Do?



If the injury seems serious or doesn't get better after treatment for a few weeks, the doctor may call for an MRI scan to determine the extent of the tear and check for other problems.

What Causes a Quadriceps Contusion?



Can I Prevent a Quadriceps Contusion?




Treating a Quadriceps Contusion



  • Use the RICE formula:

Call your doctor right away if you notice these signs of compartment syndrome:

  • pain that's even worse than the pain you had when you were injured
  • tingling or burning in the area where the injury happened

A few people may need surgery to fix a quadriceps contusion. Surgery is rare, but it might be needed if there's a complete muscle tear or if a quadriceps contusion doesn't heal properly. Doctors also may recommend surgery if myositis ossificans affects a person's range of motion or irritates nerves or veins.

If you get a quadriceps contusion, you'll most likely go back to your normal activities after a few weeks of rest. But because of the possible complications, a quadriceps contusion isn't something you want to mess with. Be sure a doctor clears you to play before you start getting active again.

Date reviewed: November 2014