Common Causes of Leg Pain

Why Do My Legs Hurt?

Leg pain can stem from a variety of different causes, from muscle tension and overuse to underlying circulation problems. Untreated leg pain can reduce your mobility and make most daily tasks difficult to accomplish.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is a condition that occurs when the tissues that connect muscle to bone become irritated from overuse. If you’ve ever played a sport, you likely ran into this type of injury at least once. In the legs, patellar tendonitis and Achilles’ tendonitis are among the most common tendonitis injuries. Patellar tendonitis affects the knee joints, with most of the pain felt in the knee and upper leg. Achilles’ tendonitis causes pain in the lower leg, near the calf and heel. Some of the telltale signs of a tendonitis injury include:

• Pain first thing in the morning or during activity
• Tenderness or stiffness in the joint
• Swelling or inflammation
• A grating feeling when moving the joint

Muscle Strain

While tendonitis injuries occur over time as overuse wears down the tendon, muscle strains are acute injuries that can appear suddenly. A muscle can become strained when pressure is exerted beyond its capacity. This is often seen in people who overexercise or lift heavy objects with poor form.

Common muscle strain injuries found in the legs include the hamstring strain and calf strain. If you think you’ve strained a muscle, you may notice the following symptoms:

• Sudden pain in the affected muscle
• Reduced range of motion
• Bruising or discoloration
• Swelling or tenderness
• Muscle spasms

Referred Leg Pain

Our legs work in conjunction with the joints, muscles, and ligaments of our low back, hips, ankles, and feet. Any muscle imbalance or injury to one of these areas can also potentially lead to leg pain. What appears to be a leg injury may instead be just a symptom of an injury sustained elsewhere in the body. This is known as referred pain.

Referred pain is more difficult to pinpoint than a direct injury to the leg because the location of pain is perceived to be different from the root cause. A proper diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and recovery, which is why it’s important to discuss all your symptoms and your medical history with your healthcare provider.

Exercises To Help Relieve Leg Pain

Sometimes leg pain can just be a sign that your muscles are fatigued or tense and need to recover. Fortunately, you may be able to relieve cramping leg pain from muscle tension with a few foam roller exercises. If you’re new to foam rolling, watch the video below for a demonstration on how to roll out the muscles in your legs.