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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffMost 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.
Some common causes of leg pain include:
- Achilles tendinitis
- Achilles tendon rupture
- ACL injury
- Baker's cyst
- Bone cancer
- Broken leg
- Bursitis
- Chondromalacia patella
- Chronic exertional compartment syndrome
- Claudication
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Fibromyalgia
- Gout
- Growth plate fractures
- Hamstring injury
- Herniated disk
- Knee bursitis
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
- Torn meniscus
- Muscle cramp
- Night leg cramps
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteomyelitis
- Patellar tendinitis
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Posterior cruciate ligament injury
- Posterior tibial tendon rupture
- Pseudogout
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sciatica
- Shin splints
- Sprains and strains
- Stress fractures
- Tendinitis
- Thrombophlebitis
- Varicose veins
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
- Ropper AH, et al. Pain in the back, neck, and extremities. In: Ropper AH, et al. Adams & Victor's Principles of Neurology. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3631244. Accessed July 12, 2010.
- Huddleston JI, et al. Hip and knee pain. In: Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/209397008-5/0/1807/290.html. Accessed July 12, 2010.
- Mohler ER. Clinical features, diagnosis, and natural history of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 12, 2010.
- Gout. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec04/ch035/ch035b.html. Accessed July 13, 2010.
- Bederka B, et al. Leg. In: DeLee JC, et al. Delee & Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Principles and Practice. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookPage&isbn=978-1-4160-3143-7&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00024-5. Accessed July 12, 2010.
- Sprains and strains. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Sprains_Strains/default.asp. Accessed July 12, 2010.
- Growth plate injuries. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Growth_Plate_Injuries/default.asp. Accessed July 12, 2010.
- Bursitis and tendinitis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/Bursitis/default.asp. Accessed July 12, 2010.
- Compartment syndrome. Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics. http://www.wheelessonline.com/ortho/compartment_syndrome. Accessed July 13, 2010.
- Osteoarthritis of the hip. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://www.orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00213. Accessed July 13, 2010.
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