Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesCommon CausesOther CausesAt-Home TreatmentPreventionSeeing a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Common Causes
Other Causes
At-Home Treatment
Prevention
Seeing a Provider
Leg painis discomfort or pain felt in any part of the leg. It can range from mild to severe, depending on the cause. In some cases, leg pain is nothing to worry about and is due to a minor muscle strain. However, pain in the legs could also indicate something more serious that requires treatment, such as injuries to the nerves or bones in the leg.
Treating leg pain is highly dependent on its cause, but it can typically be remedied using at-home therapies. If the pain comes on suddenly and is severe or persistent, or if other symptoms are present, it could indicate a serious medical condition requiring immediate medical attention, such as a blood clot.
This article discusses the various causes of leg pain and what you can do to remedy the discomfort.
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Leg Pain Types
Pain in the leg can come on for several reasons, and there are varying types of leg pain according to where in the body the pain stems. Types include:
Neurological Pain
Neurological leg pain is often referred to as neuropathic pain orneuropathy. It develops when a health condition damages nerves that carry pain signals to the brain.
Musculoskeletal Pain
Musculoskeletal painarises when the bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the legs are damaged or injured. This pain may arise after muscle sprains or fractures.
Vascular Pain
Vascular pain develops when blood flow through the blood vessels in the legs are blocked, leading to a lack of blood in the tissue or muscles. This lack of circulation could drive other symptoms, including a sensation of heaviness in the legs and leg weakness. One of the most common types of vascular pain affecting the legs is peripheral artery disease.
Knowing the Difference
Common Causes of Leg Pain
The most common causes of leg pain include:
Since the causes vary, it’s essential to work with a healthcare provider to get a diagnosis of what’s causing your leg pain.
Injuries
Injuries are the most apparent cause of leg pain. After you hurt yourself, you will feel pain, and when you know the cause, you can act accordingly.
Types of leg injuries include:
What Do Leg Injuries Feel Like?
Leg Cramps or Charley Horses
“Charley horse” is a common term for cramps or muscle spasms in the leg. This type of leg pain typically develops when the muscle is injured or overused. It can also occur if you are deficient in certain nutrients, such aspotassiumorcalcium.In some cases, charley horse pain can develop if nerves connected to the muscle are irritated.
What Does a Charley Horse Feel Like?
How to Treat and Prevent Leg Cramps
Shin Splints
What Do Shin Splints Feel Like?You may get many symptoms if you have shin splints, including:Sharp or dull aching pain in the front of the skinPain when you push on the shinPain that worsens with exercise or movementIf severe enough, the legs will hurt when walking
What Do Shin Splints Feel Like?
You may get many symptoms if you have shin splints, including:Sharp or dull aching pain in the front of the skinPain when you push on the shinPain that worsens with exercise or movementIf severe enough, the legs will hurt when walking
You may get many symptoms if you have shin splints, including:
Fractures and Stress Fractures
Fractures andstress fracturesare breaks or cracks in the bone. They can develop because of overuse, repetitive force on the area, or bone disorders such asosteoporosis.
What Does a Stress Fracture Feel Like?Stress fractures start as a dull ache but can worsen over time if left untreated. Overuse can cause the crack to grow if you don’t get it treated promptly.
What Does a Stress Fracture Feel Like?
Stress fractures start as a dull ache but can worsen over time if left untreated. Overuse can cause the crack to grow if you don’t get it treated promptly.
Hamstring Strain
The hamstring is made up of three muscles that extend from the thigh to the knee:
A strain in the hamstring occurs when the muscle in that area becomes overloaded or overextended. A strain can be mild or severe, depending on how severe the injury to the muscle is.
What Does Hamstring Pain Feel Like?If mild, a hamstring strain may not cause any pain to develop. However, the pain could be sharp and severe, and you may hear a popping sound when the strain occurs. Other symptoms include:Pain in the back area of the thigh upon straightening or bending the legSwelling, bruising, and tendernessWeakness in the leg
What Does Hamstring Pain Feel Like?
If mild, a hamstring strain may not cause any pain to develop. However, the pain could be sharp and severe, and you may hear a popping sound when the strain occurs. Other symptoms include:Pain in the back area of the thigh upon straightening or bending the legSwelling, bruising, and tendernessWeakness in the leg
If mild, a hamstring strain may not cause any pain to develop. However, the pain could be sharp and severe, and you may hear a popping sound when the strain occurs. Other symptoms include:
What’s Causing Your Thigh Pain and When to See a Doctor
Peripheral Artery Disease
What Does PAD Feel Like?PAD comes with various signs and symptoms, including:Pain in the legs while being physically activeA reduction in pain when restingAchy and crampy feelings in the thighs or calves while walkingMuscle weaknessHair loss and smooth, shiny skinSkin that feels cool to the touchLeg sores or ulcers
What Does PAD Feel Like?
PAD comes with various signs and symptoms, including:Pain in the legs while being physically activeA reduction in pain when restingAchy and crampy feelings in the thighs or calves while walkingMuscle weaknessHair loss and smooth, shiny skinSkin that feels cool to the touchLeg sores or ulcers
PAD comes with various signs and symptoms, including:
Deep Vein Thrombosis
What Does DVT Feel Like?In some cases, DVT will not cause symptoms to develop. When they do, they can include:Throbbing pain in the areaSwellingTendernessRedness of the skin
What Does DVT Feel Like?
In some cases, DVT will not cause symptoms to develop. When they do, they can include:Throbbing pain in the areaSwellingTendernessRedness of the skin
In some cases, DVT will not cause symptoms to develop. When they do, they can include:
Achilles Tendonitis
What Does Achilles Tendonitis Feel Like?The pain most associated with Achilles tendonitis is dull and achy. It will occur in the back of the leg just above the heel after being physically active.
What Does Achilles Tendonitis Feel Like?
The pain most associated with Achilles tendonitis is dull and achy. It will occur in the back of the leg just above the heel after being physically active.
Compartment Syndrome
Compartment syndromeoccurs when there is an increase in pressure inside a muscle. This pressure restricts blood flow, leading to pain in the area. In some cases, sudden onset of compartment syndrome can be a medical emergency.
What Does Compartment Syndrome Feel Like?The pain associated with compartment syndrome can feel like a deep ache or burning and worsens upon movement. Other symptoms can include:Swelling or bulging of the muscleNumbness and weakness or pins and needles in the legTightness or movement difficulties
What Does Compartment Syndrome Feel Like?
The pain associated with compartment syndrome can feel like a deep ache or burning and worsens upon movement. Other symptoms can include:Swelling or bulging of the muscleNumbness and weakness or pins and needles in the legTightness or movement difficulties
The pain associated with compartment syndrome can feel like a deep ache or burning and worsens upon movement. Other symptoms can include:
Lower Leg Pain Causes and Treatment Options
Sciatic Nerve Pain
Thesciatic nerveis a nerve that travels down the back of each leg, starting at the buttocks. It controls the muscles in the back of the knee and lower leg. When this type of pain occurs, it is referred to assciatica.
The common causes of sciatica include:
What Does Sciatic Nerve Pain Feel Like?There is no set type of pain in sciatica because it can vary widely. It can feel like a mild tingling or a dull ache or as though the leg is burning.
What Does Sciatic Nerve Pain Feel Like?
There is no set type of pain in sciatica because it can vary widely. It can feel like a mild tingling or a dull ache or as though the leg is burning.
Arthritis
Several types can cause leg pain, including:
These types typically affect the knee joint but can also cause leg pain if the hip or ankle is affected.
What Does Arthritis Pain Feel Like?Arthritis pain typically feels dull and achy but can also create a burning sensation. The pain tends to worsen the more you use the joint.
What Does Arthritis Pain Feel Like?
Arthritis pain typically feels dull and achy but can also create a burning sensation. The pain tends to worsen the more you use the joint.
Gout
When too much urate builds up in the body or joints, it creates needle-shaped crystals that cause damage, leading to pain and other symptoms.
What Does Gout Feel Like?When you have gout, the affected joint may be hot and tender to the point that touching it feels excruciating. Swelling is also present. In some cases, a gout flare can cause pain so severe it can wake you up from sleep.
What Does Gout Feel Like?
When you have gout, the affected joint may be hot and tender to the point that touching it feels excruciating. Swelling is also present. In some cases, a gout flare can cause pain so severe it can wake you up from sleep.
Varicose Veins
Varicose veinsare veins that have been twisted around to lie just under the skin. They tend to swell. The most common location for varicose veins is the legs, but they can occur in other areas of the body, such as the rectum. The leading cause of varicose veins is damaged or weak vein walls and valves.
What Do Varicose Veins Feel Like?Thepain that develops because of varicose veinswill be achy. You could also experience:A burning or itching sensation around the veinsVeins that bulge and have a bluish hueSwelling and heaviness in the legsNighttime leg cramps
What Do Varicose Veins Feel Like?
Thepain that develops because of varicose veinswill be achy. You could also experience:A burning or itching sensation around the veinsVeins that bulge and have a bluish hueSwelling and heaviness in the legsNighttime leg cramps
Thepain that develops because of varicose veinswill be achy. You could also experience:
Other Causes of Leg Pain
Some other causes of leg pain are found to be less common, but they can still drive the symptoms in some people. They include:
Slipped (Herniated) Disc
Between eachvertebra in the spineare discs. Their role is to absorb shock on the spine to avoid injury. When one of those discs, or a disc fragment, slips out of place into the spinal canal, it can lead to leg pain. Typically, when this happens to a disc, they are already in a state of degeneration.
The causes most associated withherniated discsare excessive strain or injury to the area and the natural aging process. In some cases, a person may have a familial risk of developing a slipped disc if it runs in their family.
What Does a Slipped Disk Feel Like?
Tumors
Tumors are masses of abnormal cells that form a growth. They can occur anywhere in the body, including the legs. The first sign of a tumor in the leg will likely be the growth itself, but other symptoms can also accompany it. A tumor can also develop in the bone in the leg, referred to asosteosarcoma.
What Does a Leg Tumor Feel Like?In many cases, a tumor in the leg will not cause any discomfort or pain, especially in the early stages. However, as it grows, it can compress nerves or press into muscles, causing pain and soreness.
What Does a Leg Tumor Feel Like?
In many cases, a tumor in the leg will not cause any discomfort or pain, especially in the early stages. However, as it grows, it can compress nerves or press into muscles, causing pain and soreness.
What Causes Bone Pain in the Legs?
Osgood-Schlatter Disease
Osgood-Schlatter diseaseoccurs when the knee is injured or overused. It leads to swelling and a large, painful bump on the shinbone below the knee. The disease is most common in young children and adolescents, as well as those who are athletic between the ages of 10 and 15.
The cause of Osgood-Schlatter disease isbone growth plateirritation. When the bone is growing, the end of the growth plate, the outer edges near the joint, are made of cartilage. This cartilage doesn’t have the same strength as bone, so if too much stress is placed on the area, it can lead to pain and swelling below the kneecap.
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is a rare condition that occurs when the femoral head, the ball-shaped head of thethigh bone, loses its supply of blood. The femoral head collapses without adequate blood supply, leading to irritation and inflammation. It typically affects children 10 and under, and there is no known cause.
What Does Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease Feel Like?
Leg Pain in Children: Causes and How to Soothe Growing Pains
At-Home Treatment Options
There are several things you can do at home to help alleviate leg pain. They include:
Other self-care measures include:
Self-Care for Muscle Cramps
Sports Injury Treatment
At-home treatments for a sports injury include:
Circulatory Issues
For varicose veins or circulatory issues in the legs that cause pain, at-home therapies include:
When to Utilize At-Home Treatments
Prevention Tips
Prevention is the best method for avoiding leg pain. The best ways to keep leg pain at bay include:
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
In some instances of leg pain, immediate medical attention may be necessary, such as with DVT.
If you experience any of the symptoms of DVT, you should head to your local emergency department. Other causes of leg pain that require prompt medical attention include:
In some less severe cases, you should also consult a healthcare provider if the leg pain does not get better with proper therapies or at-home treatment or becomes severe and debilitating.
Summary
Leg pain has a variety of causes. While most of them are not severe or life-threatening, others can be. It’s vital to get a proper diagnosis of your leg pain so you can plan accordingly on how to remedy the situation.
28 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Peripheral neuropathy.El-Tallawy SN, Nalamasu R, Salem GI, LeQuang JAK, Pergolizzi JV, Christo PJ.Management of musculoskeletal pain: An update with emphasis on chronic musculoskeletal pain.Pain Ther.2021 Jun;10(1):181-209. doi:10.1007/s40122-021-00235-2Mount Sinai.Peripheral artery disease. May 10, 2022.Mount Sinai.Leg pain.Seattle Children’s.Leg injury. October 11, 2023.Medline Plus.Charley horse. April 27, 2023.Medline Plus.Shin splints - self-care. December 12, 2022.OrthoInfo.Stress fractures.Kids health (for Teens).Hamstring strain. June 2016.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Peripheral arterial disease. December 19, 2022.UK National Health Service.DVT (deep vein thrombosis). March 22, 2023.Penn Medicine.Achilles tendonitis. 2024.UK National Health Service.Compartment syndrome.February 9, 2023.Penn Medicine.Sciatica. September 20, 2022.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis.November 2022.Earwood JS, Walker TR, Sue GJC.Septic arthritis: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2021 Dec 1;104(6):589-597.Chancay MG, Guendsechadze SN, Blanco I.Types of pain and their psychosocial impact in women with rheumatoid arthritis.Womens Midlife Health.2019 Aug 9;5:3. doi:10.1186/s40695-019-0047-4National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout. December 2023.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Varicose veins.Raetz J, Wilson M, Collins K.Varicose veins: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(11):682-688American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Herniated Disc.American Cancer Society.Surgery for osteosarcoma.University of Rochester Medicine.Orthopaedic tumor.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Osgood-Schlatter Disease.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Perthes disease (legg-calve-perthes disease).My Health Alberta.Muscle cramps: Care instructions. November 9, 2022.Better Health.Sports injuries.My Health Alberta.Varicose veins home treatment. December 19, 2022.
28 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Peripheral neuropathy.El-Tallawy SN, Nalamasu R, Salem GI, LeQuang JAK, Pergolizzi JV, Christo PJ.Management of musculoskeletal pain: An update with emphasis on chronic musculoskeletal pain.Pain Ther.2021 Jun;10(1):181-209. doi:10.1007/s40122-021-00235-2Mount Sinai.Peripheral artery disease. May 10, 2022.Mount Sinai.Leg pain.Seattle Children’s.Leg injury. October 11, 2023.Medline Plus.Charley horse. April 27, 2023.Medline Plus.Shin splints - self-care. December 12, 2022.OrthoInfo.Stress fractures.Kids health (for Teens).Hamstring strain. June 2016.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Peripheral arterial disease. December 19, 2022.UK National Health Service.DVT (deep vein thrombosis). March 22, 2023.Penn Medicine.Achilles tendonitis. 2024.UK National Health Service.Compartment syndrome.February 9, 2023.Penn Medicine.Sciatica. September 20, 2022.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis.November 2022.Earwood JS, Walker TR, Sue GJC.Septic arthritis: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2021 Dec 1;104(6):589-597.Chancay MG, Guendsechadze SN, Blanco I.Types of pain and their psychosocial impact in women with rheumatoid arthritis.Womens Midlife Health.2019 Aug 9;5:3. doi:10.1186/s40695-019-0047-4National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout. December 2023.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Varicose veins.Raetz J, Wilson M, Collins K.Varicose veins: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(11):682-688American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Herniated Disc.American Cancer Society.Surgery for osteosarcoma.University of Rochester Medicine.Orthopaedic tumor.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Osgood-Schlatter Disease.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Perthes disease (legg-calve-perthes disease).My Health Alberta.Muscle cramps: Care instructions. November 9, 2022.Better Health.Sports injuries.My Health Alberta.Varicose veins home treatment. December 19, 2022.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Peripheral neuropathy.El-Tallawy SN, Nalamasu R, Salem GI, LeQuang JAK, Pergolizzi JV, Christo PJ.Management of musculoskeletal pain: An update with emphasis on chronic musculoskeletal pain.Pain Ther.2021 Jun;10(1):181-209. doi:10.1007/s40122-021-00235-2Mount Sinai.Peripheral artery disease. May 10, 2022.Mount Sinai.Leg pain.Seattle Children’s.Leg injury. October 11, 2023.Medline Plus.Charley horse. April 27, 2023.Medline Plus.Shin splints - self-care. December 12, 2022.OrthoInfo.Stress fractures.Kids health (for Teens).Hamstring strain. June 2016.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Peripheral arterial disease. December 19, 2022.UK National Health Service.DVT (deep vein thrombosis). March 22, 2023.Penn Medicine.Achilles tendonitis. 2024.UK National Health Service.Compartment syndrome.February 9, 2023.Penn Medicine.Sciatica. September 20, 2022.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis.November 2022.Earwood JS, Walker TR, Sue GJC.Septic arthritis: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2021 Dec 1;104(6):589-597.Chancay MG, Guendsechadze SN, Blanco I.Types of pain and their psychosocial impact in women with rheumatoid arthritis.Womens Midlife Health.2019 Aug 9;5:3. doi:10.1186/s40695-019-0047-4National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout. December 2023.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Varicose veins.Raetz J, Wilson M, Collins K.Varicose veins: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(11):682-688American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Herniated Disc.American Cancer Society.Surgery for osteosarcoma.University of Rochester Medicine.Orthopaedic tumor.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Osgood-Schlatter Disease.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Perthes disease (legg-calve-perthes disease).My Health Alberta.Muscle cramps: Care instructions. November 9, 2022.Better Health.Sports injuries.My Health Alberta.Varicose veins home treatment. December 19, 2022.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Peripheral neuropathy.
El-Tallawy SN, Nalamasu R, Salem GI, LeQuang JAK, Pergolizzi JV, Christo PJ.Management of musculoskeletal pain: An update with emphasis on chronic musculoskeletal pain.Pain Ther.2021 Jun;10(1):181-209. doi:10.1007/s40122-021-00235-2
Mount Sinai.Peripheral artery disease. May 10, 2022.
Mount Sinai.Leg pain.
Seattle Children’s.Leg injury. October 11, 2023.
Medline Plus.Charley horse. April 27, 2023.
Medline Plus.Shin splints - self-care. December 12, 2022.
OrthoInfo.Stress fractures.
Kids health (for Teens).Hamstring strain. June 2016.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Peripheral arterial disease. December 19, 2022.
UK National Health Service.DVT (deep vein thrombosis). March 22, 2023.
Penn Medicine.Achilles tendonitis. 2024.
UK National Health Service.Compartment syndrome.February 9, 2023.
Penn Medicine.Sciatica. September 20, 2022.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis.November 2022.
Earwood JS, Walker TR, Sue GJC.Septic arthritis: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2021 Dec 1;104(6):589-597.
Chancay MG, Guendsechadze SN, Blanco I.Types of pain and their psychosocial impact in women with rheumatoid arthritis.Womens Midlife Health.2019 Aug 9;5:3. doi:10.1186/s40695-019-0047-4
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout. December 2023.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Varicose veins.
Raetz J, Wilson M, Collins K.Varicose veins: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(11):682-688
American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Herniated Disc.
American Cancer Society.Surgery for osteosarcoma.
University of Rochester Medicine.Orthopaedic tumor.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Osgood-Schlatter Disease.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Perthes disease (legg-calve-perthes disease).
My Health Alberta.Muscle cramps: Care instructions. November 9, 2022.
Better Health.Sports injuries.
My Health Alberta.Varicose veins home treatment. December 19, 2022.
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