Leg Pain
Leg pain usually refers to pain originating from somewhere between your pelvis and your heels. However, leg pain doesn’t have to originate in your leg; spinal problems or injuries can cause leg pain that is felt in your leg but that actually arises in your lower back. Leg pain can be constant or intermittent, develop suddenly or gradually, and affect your entire leg or a localized area, such as your shin or your knee. It can also take a number of forms — stabbing, sharp, dull, aching or tingling. Some leg pain is simply annoying, but more severe leg pain can affect your ability to walk, put weight on your leg or feel stable. Most leg pain results from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues. Other conditions can also cause leg pain; blood clots in the veins of your legs (deep vein thrombosis) or varicose veins can cause pain, swelling and even open sores. Narrowed arteries can reduce blood flow to your legs, leading to pain that gets worse with exercise and improves with rest. Infections, too, can cause leg pain.
