How'd I Get That Pain? Part 3, Limbs

As noted in part 1 of this article, there are times when there is little doubt about why you have a particular pain. But if you have a muscle pain that seems to come from nowhere, factors such as those listed in the article linked to below might be responsible—factors that could be avoided in the future. Of course, when you can’t dodge an ache, it’s time to see your massage therapist! Calf pain? An ache in your forearm? Hamstrings killing you? You might have gotten that soreness this way:

Muscle	Location	Stressors of That Muscle
Extensors	Top (or hairy side) of the forearm, from the outer edge of the elbow to the base of each finger	Repetitive forceful hand gripping and repetitive extension; weeding with a trowel, extensive handshaking, or Frisbee throwing; faulty mechanics (e.g., typing playing musical instruments)
Flexors	Inside (or nonhairy side) of the forearm, from the inner edge of the elbow to the base of each finger or the base of the palm	Prolonged gripping or grasping (e.g., working with hand tools, racquet sports); being in professions such as massage therapy, carpentry, weight lifting, waiting tables, chefs
Pronator teres	Around the inner side of the elbow	Gripping ski poles for long periods of time; holding small hand tools lightly
Supinator	Above and around the outer part of the elbow to the nearest third of the radius from there	Repetitive or sustained supination (rotation in which palm faces upward) of hand, especially with elbow straight as in “flipping” a briefcase onto a table, wrestling with a stiff doorknob, mis-hitting a ball off-center, twisting a racquet with elbow completely extended, wringing clothes; opening jars, working with a screwdriver
Triceps brachii	From the top, back of the shoulder joint to the back of the elbow	Strain from sports (e.g., “mis-hit” tennis ball or improper golf swing); overuse of forearm crutches or a cane that’s too long; prolonged extension lacking elbow support (e.g., holding down a sheet of paper while writing or doing needlepoint work); push-ups or overhead and bench presses
Brachioradialis	Top of the outer edge of the upper arm to the far outer edge of the radius	Combining gripping and twisting motions as in sports (tennis and other racquet sports)
Brachialis	From about midway down the inside of the upper arm to the front side of the top of the ulna	Heavy overload from lifting (e.g., holding a power tool or meticulous ironing)
Biceps brachii	From the inner side of the scapula to the inside of the elbow	Unaccustomed vigorous repeated supination (e.g., using a screwdriver); lifting heavy objects with the hand supinated; sustained elbow flexion (e.g., playing a violin or guitar, using electric hedge clippers)
Peroneals	Upper outer edge of the fibula to behind the outer edge of the ankle	A fall with twisting and turning inward of the ankle; weakness from prolonged underuse (e.g., being in a cast or mostly sitting day and night); lower leg length inequality; poor arches; pronated feet
Flexor digitorum longus and flexor hallucis longus	Down the back surface of the tibia to the sole of the foot and the base of the big toe, respectively	Hyperpronation or an unstable foot; a badly worn shoe (esp. with runners) that creates an unstable gait; an inflexible shoe sole that prevents normal extension of the foot and toe joints during walking or running; walking and running on sand, especially barefoot
Tibialis posterior	Underneath the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles	Running on uneven surfaces or being new to running; excessive pronation; footwear that is badly worn or encourages turning the foot outward or rocking
Extensor digitorum longus and extensor hallucis longus	Along the shin bone to the start of the toe bones on the top of the foot	Steep accelerator pedal in a car; sitting for long periods with the feet back under a chair; nervous twitching of the foot
Tibialis anterior	From the top of the outer edge of the tibia to the top of the foot	Catching the toe on an obstruction; overuse, such as during running (leading to shin splints)
Popliteus	From the outer surface of the lower end of the femur to the top of the back of the tibia	Excessive pronation; playing soccer or football, running, twists or slides, especially when running or skiing downhill; tearing of the posterior cruciate ligament
Soleus	Long flat muscle under gastrocnemius	Wearing high heels, slipping or losing balance; sitting in a chair that is too high; too tight and/or high stocking or elastic-band socks that may limit blood supply; ice skating, roller blading, or skiing without good ankle support; lower leg length inequalities
Gastrocnemius	From the inner and outer surfaces of the bottom of the femur to the back of the heel	Physical overload and/or bad positioning of the foot (e.g., climbing steep slopes, riding a bicycle with the seat too low, wearing a cast on the leg); wearing high heels, prolonged driving in a car, certain sleep positions
Pectineus	From the base of the pubic bone to the top of the inner side of the femur	Lower limb length inequality; horseback riding, gymnastics, soccer (running and kicking at the same time); sitting cross-legged; sitting with the hips in a jackknifed position
Adductor brevis and longus	From the lower edge of the pubic bone to the upper inside edge of the femur	Strenuous horseback riding, in-line skating, cross-country skiing; sitting in a fixed position with hips acutely flexed and on thigh or leg crossed over the other knee
Adductor magnus	The large triangular muscle that starts at the lower inside edge of the pubis and attaches the base of the butt and the inside of the femur	Sitting in chairs for long periods; chronic hamstring strain and fascial distortion; pelvic misalignment; lower leg length inequality
Sartorius	From the front of the outer edge of the hipbone to the upper inside part of the tibia	Prolonged sitting in a cross-legged “tailor’s” position; excessive pronation of the foot
Gracilis	From the lower part of the pubis to the inner side of the knee	Slipping and resisting spreading legs while trying to recover balance; overenthusiastic exercising; structural knee dysfunction; postural imbalance
Vastus muscles	From the top of the inner and outer edges of the femur to just below the knee cap	Pronated arch; structural misalignment in the pelvis; imbalance between vastus lateralis and vastus medialis
Rectus femoris	Top of the front of the thigh to top of the knee cap	Jumping, running downhill, skiing, weight lifting, deep knee bends; lordosis (when the spine curves outward at its base; a swaybacked posture)