Most leg pain results from wear and tear or overuse. It also can result from injuries or health conditions in joints, bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves or other soft tissues. Some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine.
Sore or aching legs can often be treated at home, but if pain is sudden, severe, or persistent, or if there are other symptoms, medical attention may be necessary. If you suddenly develop pain from an injury, use the RICER method: Rest: Avoid moving the leg.
Muscle cramps and strain play a part, but a number of health conditions may also result in leg pain, such as arthritis, gout, deep vein thrombosis, peripheral neuropathy, and sciatica.
Without movement or exercise, the muscles are weakened and deprived of a steady supply of blood, oxygen and nutrients. This, in turn, can lead to muscle pain.
Leg Pain Can Indicate Risk for a Heart Attack or Stroke
Peripheral artery disease that causes leg pain can be indicative of heart issues. People that have PAD are at a higher risk of having a stroke or heart attack. This could be a sign that the coronary arteries are blocked and the blood flow is reduced.
Causes of Leg Fatigue or Heaviness
They include: Varicose veins: The leg veins become enlarged. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD): Buildup of fat deposits in the artery walls, thus, causing inadequate circulation of blood in the legs. Overtraining syndrome: Excess training or physical activities to improve performance.
Vascular pain often feels like an uncomfortable heaviness or throbbing sensation. It can also feel like an aching sensation. It usually affects your legs and can be worse with walking or exerting yourself.
Dehydration is one of the most common causes of leg cramps. A cramp is an involuntary contraction of a muscle. The fluids in your body allow your muscles to relax, but—when those muscles are dehydrated—they get irritable and prone to cramping.
Vitamins B1, B12, and D may help relieve them, along with potassium and magnesium.
While there are many potential causes of hip and leg pain, the most common include arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, dislocation, and sciatica. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to see a doctor get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Growing pains is a term used for leg pain that is common in children aged 3 to 12. It's harmless and usually gets better on its own. The pain can be treated with painkillers like paracetamol.
High blood pressure can lead to peripheral arterial disease (PAD), where narrowing of the blood vessels restricts the blood flow to the legs and feet, causing pain.
The narrowing of the arteries causes a decrease in blood flow. Symptoms include leg pain, numbness, cold legs or feet and muscle pain in the thighs, calves or feet. The arteries which supply blood to the leg originate from the aorta and iliac vessels.
Symptoms of poor circulation are often easy to spot. They include muscle cramping, constant foot pain, and pain and throbbing in the arms and legs. As well as fatigue, varicose veins, and digestive issues. Leg cramps while walking and wounds that don't seem to heal in your legs, feet, and toes are also symptoms.
What does fibromyalgia leg pain feel like? If you're suffering from fibromyalgia leg pain, you may experience throbbing, shooting, achy, or burning sensations in your legs. Often, you'll feel the pain at your fibro tender points, particularly inside of each knee and on the hip just behind your hipbone.
Fibromyalgia is diagnosed based primarily on having pain all over the body, along with other symptoms. Currently, there are no specific laboratory or imaging tests for fibromyalgia.
Heavy legs syndrome is the term used to describe a set of subjective symptoms which result from chronic venous insufficiency, a health problem affecting the veins in the legs. The purpose of veins is to bring blood back to the heart to ensure effective blood flow. To do this, they must work against gravity.
Warning signs and symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, swelling, fatigue, loss of appetite, and others.
Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort (angina) Shortness of breath. Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper belly area or back. Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in the legs or arms if the blood vessels in those body areas are narrowed.