Why do my legs get weak when walking?
What Causes Legs To Feel Heavy And Weak When Walking?
- Some loss of function of the hips and legs
- Little or no control of bowel or bladder
- Minimal or complete loss of ability to walk
Why does my leg hurt so bad?
- Cramping or aching after walking or climbing stairs that subsides with rest
- Numbness or weakness in your legs
- A cold feeling in your lower leg or foot
- Sores that won’t heal on your legs, feet or toes
- A weak pulse in your ankles or legs
- Shiny skin and/or a bluish tint to your legs
- Loss of hair on your legs
- Slow growing toenails v
Why do your legs ache after long walks?
What Causes Your Legs to Ache & Get Tired While Walking?
- Evaluating Walking Conditions. Certain types of terrain are more apt than others to bring about leg pain. ...
- Understanding Potential Health Issues. According to Harvard Health Publishing, health conditions you may not even have realized you suffer from can first make themselves known when walking.
- Easing Leg Muscle Pain. ...
What causes pain in the legs when walking?
- Spinal stenosis – Referred back pain from spinal stenosis can cause pain in the thighs and calves.
- Pinched nerve – Sciatica and radicular pain radiate to the legs.
- Degenerative hip and knee pain can present as leg pain during walking.
- Muscle tightness – In elderly patients hamstring tightness is an often neglected cause of leg pain.
Why is my leg in so much pain when I walk?
Claudication is a common condition where pain occurs in the legs with exercise due to a reduction in the circulation. The cause is hardening of the arteries otherwise known as atherosclerosis. The common symptom is of a cramp like pain developing in the calf muscles on walking.
Should I keep walking with leg pain?
Knepper says walking encourages small arteries in the legs to enlarge, which increases blood flow. “Keep in mind that the pain you might feel while walking is not causing further damage,” he says. If your doctor approves, you can begin a simple walking routine that will start to improve your leg health.
What is the home remedy for leg pain?
Home CareRest as much as possible.Elevate your leg.Apply ice for up to 15 minutes. Do this 4 times per day, more often for the first few days.Gently stretch and massage cramping muscles.Take over-the-counter pain medicines such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
How do I know if my leg pain is serious?
While leg pain usually isn't a medical emergency, you should seek immediate medical attention if any of the following applies to your pain:You're unable to walk or stand.You develop pain, swelling, redness, or warmth in your calf.You have a sudden injury with a deep cut or exposed tissue.More items...
Four Conditions That Can Affect Your Legs and Make Walking Painful
Fitness experts used to stress the benefits of heavy-duty aerobic exercise — the kind that makes you breathe hard and gets your heart going. But th...
Peripheral Artery Disease
Peripheral artery disease is a form of atherosclerosis, the same condition that leads to most strokes and heart attacks. Fat- and cholesterol-fille...
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Like peripheral artery disease, chronic venous insufficiency is a condition of poor circulation, but it involves the veins and the blood's return t...
How to prevent leg pain from exercise?
Preventing leg pain. You should always take time to stretch your muscles before and after exercising to prevent leg pain due to physical activity. It’s also helpful to eat foods that are high in potassium, such as bananas and chicken, to help prevent injuries of the leg muscles and tendons.
How to get rid of pain in the lower leg?
If you have pain in the lower part of your leg, try pointing and straightening your toes when sitting or standing . If you have pain in the upper part of your leg, try to bend over and touch your toes.
What is the pain in the leg?
Injuries. Leg pain is also frequently a sign of injury, such as the following: Muscle strain is a common injury that happens when the muscle fibers tear as a result of overstretching. It often occurs in the larger muscles, such as the hamstrings, calves, or quadriceps. Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon.
How to treat leg pain from muscle cramps?
Try the following home treatments when your leg pain is from muscle cramps, fatigue, or overuse: Rest your leg as much as possible, and elevate your leg with pillows.
What is a shin splint?
Shin splints cause pain along the inner edge of the shinbone, or tibia. The injury can occur when the muscles around the shinbone tear as a result of overuse. Stress fractures are tiny breaks in the leg bones, particularly those in the shinbone.
What causes pain in the back of the leg and arms?
The disk can compress nerves in the spine. This may trigger pain that travels from your spine to your arms and legs. Osgood-Schlatter disease occurs when the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone becomes strained. It pulls on the cartilage of tibia where it attaches to the bone.
Why do my legs hurt so bad?
Most leg pain occurs due to overuse or minor injuries. The discomfort often disappears within a short time and can be eased with home remedies. In some cases, however, a serious medical condition may be causing the pain. See your doctor if you’re experiencing severe or persistent leg pain. Getting a prompt diagnosis and treatment ...
Why does walking hurt my legs?
Walking is often touted as a perfect exercise to improve multiple aspects of health. But what if walking causes leg pain? Many people shrug off leg pain when they walk as a normal part of aging. In some cases, though, it’s the sign of peripheral artery disease (PAD), which can put heart and brain health at risk. While PAD doesn’t usually run in families, it’s more likely to occur as people age, or among people who smoke or have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
What is the best medicine for PAD?
In addition to lifestyle changes, your doctor may also prescribe a medication to treat PAD. The drugs most often prescribed for people with PAD are statins, to keep more fatty deposits (plaque) from accumulating; aspirin, to prevent clots; and medications to control high blood pressure.
What is it called when you have pain in your buttocks?
The cramping and pain in the calves, thighs, hips, or buttocks that people with PAD experience during movement is called intermittent claudication. It’s different from exercise-related soreness, because it occurs only during movement and stops after short periods of rest, says Dr. Pradhan.
What to do if you have PAD?
PAD treatment starts with lifestyle changes, including avoiding tobacco products, exercising regularly, and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. One of the worst things you can do if you have PAD is to sit still.
Can a pad hurt when you sit?
PAD pain also affects just the muscle — not the joint. “It might happen when you are walking up a flight of stairs or up a hill, and you might find yourself frequently stopping for breaks,” says Dr. Pradhan. As PAD blockages worsen, cramping can start to occur in your legs even when you are sitting or lying down.
Can you have a PAD blockage when you are sitting?
As PAD blockages worsen, cramping can start to occur in your legs even when you are sitting or lying down. While leg pain when walking is a common symptom of PAD, not everyone who has PAD has symptoms. Some people just experience weakness without cramping or pain, but it follows the same pattern: worsening with exercise and easing with rest.
How to get rid of leg pain before walking?
But researchers have found that tightly structured, supervised exercise programs can help people increase the amount they can walk before their leg pain kicks in. These programs usually involve walking 'til it hurts (which may be only for a few minutes), resting 'til the pain goes away, and then walking again.
What causes leg pain?
1. Peripheral artery disease. Peripheral artery disease is a form of atherosclerosis, the same condition that leads to most strokes and heart attacks.
How to help with venous insufficiency?
The symptoms from a mild case of chronic venous insufficiency can be helped by lying on your back and using a pillow to elevate your legs so blood flows downhill to the heart. If you're sitting for long periods, pointing your toes up and down several times can flex the vein-pumping leg muscles.
Why does walking hurt?
Similar to angina, the pain caused by peripheral artery disease comes from working muscle cells that are "starved" for oxygen because of obstructed blood flow.
What does it feel like to walk with a swollen ankle?
Legs may feel achy or heavy. And when people walk, they may feel a tight, "bursting" pain, most often in the groin or thigh.
Why is blood pressure lower in the ankle?
They're normally about the same, but if there's a blockage in the leg, blood pressure will be lower in the ankle because of low blood flow.
Is walking easy for everyone?
The trouble is that walking isn't so easy for everyone. Indeed, the leg pain is agony for many. And forget the "brisk" pace of three to four miles per hour advised for health and fitness. With age — and occasionally without it — a number of conditions can result in leg pain after walking and make walking difficult.
How to treat leg pain?
Medication for Leg Pain Treatment 1 Aspirin - Taking a low dose aspirin to thin out your blood is a known treatment for those at risk for heart disease. Do not take aspirin with any other blood thinners. 2 Antiplatelet Agents - Antiplatelet medications help prevent the blood from sticking together, which decreases your chances of developing a clot. 3 Anticoagulants - An anticoagulant will also help prevent a blood clot by thinning out the blood. This can help keep blood flowing to your extremities even if you have narrow arteries due to plaque build-up.
What is the best medicine for leg pain?
Medication for Leg Pain Treatment. You can take some medications to help with symptoms of PAD; most of them require a prescription. Aspirin - Taking a low dose aspirin to thin out your blood is a known treatment for those at risk for heart disease. Do not take aspirin with any other blood thinners.
What to do if you have vascular leg pain?
If you’re diagnosed with PAD, a vascular leg pain treatment plan will help. It’s recommended that you start with significant lifestyle changes such as: In some cases, minimally invasive treatments such as angioplasty, stenting, and cryoplasty may be necessary. PAD treatment options.
Why do my legs hurt?
Common Causes of Leg Pain. Leg pain can be caused by a nerve, a muscle, a bone, or even your spine issues. People rarely relate to a poor blood circulation. Let’s look a little deeper into your leg pain to try and learn more about it. These are common daily activities that may cause pain caused by a vascular problem.
What causes pain in the legs?
Pain in the feet which is worse with elevation of the legs. Poor nail and hair growth. Weakness in legs. When you experience pain in your legs, it can be either acute or chronic pain. Acute pain happens suddenly and is usually the result of something you did. A sprain or pulled muscle would be acute pain.
How do you know if you have a swollen leg?
In addition to pain in your muscles, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms: Cramping in legs and hips. Numb and cold feet or legs. Sores or wounds that heal slowly on feet and legs. Pale feet, especially when elevating them. Pain in the feet which is worse with elevation of the legs.
How long does a sprain last?
A sprain or pulled muscle would be acute pain. It goes away by itself, doesn’t require advanced treatments, and usually doesn’t last longer than six months. Chronic pain lasts longer than six months; the pain is more severe and is usually the sign of damage to your body. If you think you’re experiencing chronic pain in your legs, ...
What to do if your legs are aching from walking?
If you have been walking for a great deal of time, or standing on your feet all day, chances are you might have to deal with aching legs by the time you get home! In some cases, leg pain can be treated with a massage or even a few painkillers. But when the pain becomes unbearable, there is cause for concern.
How to stop aching legs?
If you don’t give them adequate rest, you run the risk of severely injuring them. Put your feet up: Give your feet a rest from time to time.
What causes leg pain?
It can also cause the death of tissues and organs in the affected area. 6. Sports injuries: This is the most common cause for leg pain for those who are physically active. Strained muscles, torn ligaments, and torn tissue muscles are all common injuries for athletes. 7.
Why do my legs hurt?
The following are the main causes for leg pain: 1. Deep vein thrombosis: This is a serious condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein that’s located deep in the body.
How to reduce swelling in legs?
Apply heat or ice to the affected area: To reduce leg inflammation and swelling, apply a pack of ice to the affected area. Afterwards, apply heat to relax the muscles. Stretch out your legs and muscles: In some cases, stretching out your muscles could relieve tightness and reduce pain.
What does it feel like to have a cut in your leg?
Your leg is injured and you develop a deep cut that is exposing a tendon or bone. You cannot walk or put any weight on the injured leg. There is severe swelling or pain in your legs. You hear or feel a “popping” sound when an injury occurs. You develop a fever. Your legs feel cool when touched.
What to do if your leg hurts?
Rest your legs to feel better. Ice helps. So can anti-inflammatory meds such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, if your doctor says these are safe for you. You can buy them over the counter. You might want to see your doctor if the pain stays. Try not to do anything that makes your leg hurt more.
What to do if you twist your ankle?
Say you twist your ankle and get a mild sprain. Try the RICE treatment: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. For a more severe sprain or a broken bone (fracture), apply ice and see your doctor right away. You may need a cast or brace.
How to tell if Achilles tendon is inflamed?
One of the first warning signs you have an inflamed Achilles tendon is pain in your lower calf, near the back of your heel. It’s a common injury that makes the tendon swell, stretch, or tear. You can get it from overworking the calf muscle or climbing the stairs. It might stick around for a long time, too.
How to heal Achilles tendon?
Apply ice to get some relief. Or take anti-inflammatories if your doctor says they're okay for you. Avoid doing anything that causes pain. When it hurts less, stretch and strengthen your leg. If your pain feels severe, your Achilles tendon may be torn.
How to get rid of shin splints?
Stretch your legs properly before you exercise, too. Shin splints. You can feel this pain right up the front of your calf. The muscles and flesh along the edge of the shin bone become inflamed, so it hurts to walk, run, or jump. Doing activity over and over on hard surfaces can bring this on.
How to improve circulation in legs?
How to Improve Circulation. The lower parts of your legs take the brunt of your day-to-day life. You shouldn’t have to be in pain, though. Medical treatments can help if your doctor says you have a condition like leg cramps, blood clots, or issues with the nerves. But you can do things at home that help, too.
Does rest help sciatica?
Rest is often the cure for other pains of the leg, but not this one. It doesn’t help sciatica. Treatment may involve resting for a few days, along with taking anti-inflammatories and pain medications. Cold and heat can help with some symptoms.
What to do if your leg is swollen?
When to See Your Doctor. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to get medical help or have a specialist check your leg pain and swelling. In general, if your symptoms start severely, suddenly, more often than usual, or for no clear reason, they may be signs of something more serious.
How to treat a swollen leg?
Use the R.I.C.E. Method 1 Rest. If movement is painful at first, rest your legs and stay off them as much as you can until you’re able to move without pain. 2 Ice. Keep an ice pack on your legs for about 20 minutes every hour over the first 3 days after symptoms start. Avoid using heat, as it may make swelling worse. 3 Compression. Wrap an elastic bandage around your legs or wear compression stockings, which use pressure to keep swelling down. 4 Elevation. Keep your legs raised above the level of your heart for 30 minutes, three or four times per day, so that gravity can help move fluids out and toward the rest of your body.
How to stop swelling in legs after a symtom?
Avoid using heat, as it may make swelling worse. Compression. Wrap an elastic bandage around your legs or wear compression stockings, which use pressure to keep swelling down. Elevation.
What is the best medicine for swelling?
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen may help ease swelling and pain. Acetaminophen might also fight pain. Some doctors say magnesium is a good mineral to add to your diet to help with painful swelling.
How to help swelling in legs?
These tips will help with leg pain and swelling whenever you have to lie down or stay seated for long periods of time, such as when you’re sleeping, traveling, or working at a desk: Don’t wear tight clothing, especially around your thighs. Wear compression stockings that are approved by your doctor.
How to stop swelling in the back of the leg?
Get up and stretch as often you can during the day. Focus on extending your knees as well as flexing your ankles to help with blood circulation. This may help pump extra fluid away from your legs and back toward your heart.
How to get fluid out of your legs?
Try Massage. If you can’t visit a massage therapist and don’t have any tools, you can still do massage on your own at home. Rub or stroke your legs upward, in the direction of your heart. Make sure the pressure is firm but not painful. This can help move excess fluid out of that area.
What is the best test for leg pain when standing?
The most effective first test to rule out artery disease is the ankle brachial index or the pulse volume recordings. Pulse volume recording testing for leg pain when standing and walking.
Why do my legs hurt?
Orthopedic Causes of Leg Pain. Many problems with joints and ligaments cause leg pain. These are sometimes called “orthopedic problems”. If a patient has a known orthopedic problem, think about it as the cause for the leg pain. Also, the description of the leg pain can offer clues to the problem.
Can sciatica cause leg pain?
Sciatica should not be confused with Spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis can cause back pain and also leg pain with walking. Patients with sciatica and with spinal stenosis can have leg pain when walking and standing. Arthritis in the hip or knee can cause leg pain. Most of the arthritis is “osteoarthritis”.
Can artery blockage cause calf pain?
But that is not very common. On the other hand, artery blockages are a common cause of calf pain when walking . If there is also back pain, that is also very telling. Back pain will point toward muscle cramps, spinal stenosis or sciatica.
Can tight muscles cause leg pain?
So patients could have back pain and leg pain. Sometimes, leg pain from tight muscles is hard to tell apart from other, more serious, causes of leg pain. Many of the orthopedic issues mentioned above are common in people who older than 40 years.
