Why do my inner thighs hurt after a workout?

Q: Why do my inner thighs hurt after a workout?

Inner thigh pain after a workout is most often caused by **delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)**, which develops when muscles are pushed harder than they're used to. Contrary to popular belief, DOMS isn't caused by lactic acid buildup. Instead, it results from **microscopic tears in the muscle fibers and the inflammation** that follows as your body repairs them. Common triggers include new exercises, increased intensity, or movements involving lengthening contractions (like squats or lunges). Symptoms typically appear 12–24 hours after exercise, peak around 48 hours, and resolve within a few days. However, not all inner thigh pain is DOMS. Sharp pain, swelling, bruising, or discomfort that lingers beyond a week could point to a muscle strain, groin injury, or another underlying issue that deserves closer attention. Because symptoms overlap, guessing can delay proper care. Take a free, instant, online symptom check to better understand what's driving your pain and get clear guidance on your next steps. Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/15/2026

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Inner thigh pain after a workout is most often caused by delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which develops when muscles are pushed harder than they're used to. Contrary to popular belief, DOMS isn't caused by lactic acid buildup. Instead, it results from microscopic tears in the muscle fibers and the inflammation that follows as your body repairs them.

Common triggers include new exercises, increased intensity, or movements involving lengthening contractions (like squats or lunges). Symptoms typically appear 12–24 hours after exercise, peak around 48 hours, and resolve within a few days.

However, not all inner thigh pain is DOMS. Sharp pain, swelling, bruising, or discomfort that lingers beyond a week could point to a muscle strain, groin injury, or another underlying issue that deserves closer attention. Because symptoms overlap, guessing can delay proper care. Take a free, instant, online symptom check to better understand what's driving your pain and get clear guidance on your next steps.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/15/2026

Quick answers

Frequently Asked Questions

4 answers

The most common questions people search after this page

Concerned about your symptoms?

Start a symptom check

Explanation

After a workout, especially if you are using muscles more than usual, you might feel pain in your inner thighs. This is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It usually happens when muscles are not used to the exercise or when the intensity is higher than normal.

Causes of DOMS:

Muscle Tears: When you exercise, tiny tears can happen in your muscles. Your body then works to fix these tears, which can cause soreness.
Inflammation: As your body repairs these tears, inflammation can occur, leading to pain and swelling.

What about Lactic Acid?

Lactic acid is not the reason for this soreness. It is a common misconception, but the soreness you feel is more about the muscle damage and the body's response to it.

DOMS is a normal part of exercise, especially when trying new activities or increasing intensity. However, if your muscle pain persists beyond a few days or feels unusually severe, you can check your symptoms with our free AI-powered tool to help determine if you should seek medical attention. Most cases improve on their own as your muscles get stronger and more used to the activity.

(References)

Cheung K, Hume P, & Maxwell L. (2003). Delayed onset muscle soreness : treatment strategies and .... Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 12617692.
Schwane JA, Watrous BG, Johnson SR, & Armstrong RB. (1983). Is Lactic Acid Related to Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness?. The Physician and sportsmedicine, 27409551.
Raastad T, Risoy BA, Benestad HB, Fjeld JG, & Hallen J. (2003). Temporal relation between leukocyte accumulation in .... Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 12832432.

Tell your friends about us.

We would love to help them too.

For First Time Users

What is Ubie’s Doctor’s Note?

We provide a database of explanations from real doctors on a range of medical topics. Get started by exploring our library of questions and topics you want to learn more about.

Was this page helpful?

Purpose and positioning of servicesUbie Doctor's Note is a service for informational purposes. The provision of information by physicians, medical professionals, etc. is not a medical treatment. If medical treatment is required, please consult your doctor or medical institution. We strive to provide reliable and accurate information, but we do not guarantee the completeness of the content. If you find any errors in the information, please contact us.