Suffering From Leg Pain?
Leg pain becomes more common as you age.
Our legs take a lot of stress throughout the day and over the years. Jobs that require us to be on our feet for extended periods of time can lead to excessive strain on our legs. Although, most of us can live through our leg pain, it can become very bothersome and distract you from your focus. Learn about some of the common knee conditions we treat at Evomotion Health and Wellness.
Common Causes Of Leg Pain
Sciatica
Sciatica is the irritation of the sciatic nerve, which travels from your low back down the leg. It is not a diagnosis, but a common symptom of low back pain. Sciatica often presents with lifting injury or a motor vehicle accident. In adults younger than 50 years, the most common cause of sciatica is discogenic low back pain. In adults over the age of 60 years, sciatica may be caused by lumbar spinal stenosis.
Symptoms May Include:
- Moderate to severe pain in the low back, buttock, and down the leg
- Sharp, shooting, stabbing, or burning sensation
- Numbness and tingling in the low back, buttock, and down the leg
- Pins and needles feeling in your leg, feet, and toes
- Pain worse with certain mvoements, depending on cause
- Leg pain is often worse than back pain
Shin Splints
Shin splints are an overuse injury that affects the muscles near the shin bone. There are two types of shin splints, anterior shin splints and posterior shin splints. Anterior shin splints affect the muscles on the outer front side of the shin, while posterior shin splints affect the muscles on the inner back side of the shin. Shin splints are graded depending on presentation.
Symptoms May Include:
- Diffuse tenderness, at least 5cm long, along the shin bone
- Pitting edema over area of maximal tenderness
Grade 1 Shin Splints:
- No symptoms during daily activity
- Pain to touch of the involved shin bone
Grade 2 Shin Splints:
- Discomfort following exercise, but not during
- Pain resolves with several minutes of rest
Grade 3 Shin Splints:
- Pain during and after exercise
- Pain may take 2-3 days to resolve
Grade 4 Shin Splints:
- Pain is present with walking
- Unable to exercise due to the pain
Tibial And Fibular Stress Fracture
Stress fractures are hairline fractures produced by repetitive loading. When the bone is unable to repair as fast as it is stressed, you get structurally abnormal bone which is less adept to handle normal daily strain. 90% of stress fractures involve the lower limb. They can be categorized as high risk or low risk, depending on their probability of progressing, displacing, delayed union, and non-union.
Symptoms May Include:
- Gradual onset of dull, pain to a specific area of the bone
- Pain is initially present with weightbearing activity and relieved with rest
- Pain persists after activity and may be present at night with progression of condition
Tibial Stress Fractures:
- The shaft of the shin bone is the most common location for lower limb stress fractures
- Anterior, front side, tibial stress fractures are common in runners and are considered high risk
- Posterio-medial, back side, tibial stress fractures are common in runners and are considered low risk
Fibular Stress Fractures:
- The lower third of the calf bone is the most common location for fibular stress fractures
- Common in runners and jumpers
- Are considered low risk
Gastrocnemius Strain
The gastrocnemius is a major muscle of the calf. It has two heads, one on the medial side and one on the lateral side, that attach just above the knee and run down to the heel, joining with the deeper calf muscle, the soleus, to form the Achilles tendon. A strain of the gastrocnemius may occur when stretched too far, usually found in older patients and younger athletes.
Symptoms May Include:
- Feels like "being shot or kicked in the back of the leg"
- Local calf pain, more often on the medial side
- Radiation of pain to the knee or ankle
- Aggravation with ankle movement
- Trouble with walking because of pain
- May hear a "popping" sound at time of injury
