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Leg Pain Q & A

What is leg pain?

Leg pain is an uncomfortable feeling that may develop over time or with a specific injury to the leg. The legs contain many structures including muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and bones that can become injured and cause pain. Leg pain can interfere with your quality of life and performance during sports or your daily activities. A+ Athlete Sports Medicine offers non-operative approaches to treating leg pain to help you get back out on the court, field, rink, or even just back to your daily activities as quickly as possible.

What are the common symptoms of Leg pain?

Leg pain may appear as:

  • Pain
  • Tenderness
  • Swelling
  • Burning
  • Numbness
  • Tingling
  • Sharp or dull discomfort
  • Warmth
  • Redness
  • Bruising
  • Visible deformities
  • Weakness

If you develop leg pain that’s severe or ongoing, consult the A+ Athlete Sports Medicine specialists for an evaluation.

What can cause Leg pain?

The common causes and risk factors associated with Leg pain are:

  • Muscle strain - groin strain, quad strain, hamstring strain, calf strain
  • Iliotibial (IT)  band syndrome
  • Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome)
  • Stress fracture
  • Growth plate injury
  • Chronic exertional compartment syndrome
  • Achilles tendonitis

Warming up and cooling down properly before exercising, not overtraining, and maintaining optimal strength and flexibility are some of the best ways to reduce the risk of leg pain. However, you can’t always avoid it — especially if you play sports.

How does my doctor diagnose the root cause of leg pain?

The A+ Athlete Sports Medicine team diagnoses the cause of leg pain after a thorough examination, reviewing your symptoms and medical history, checking your vital signs, and completing diagnostic tests, if needed. They may suggest further imaging tests such as x-rays, in-office ultrasound evaluation or MRI.

How is Leg pain treated?

A+ Athlete Sports Medicine offers nonsurgical approaches to treating leg pain. They may suggest home remedies like ice or heat packs, stretches, supplements, medications, bracing or modifying your activities for a period of time.

Additional treatment options include specific exercise programs, physical therapy, injections, massage, nutrition counseling and acupuncture. Your specialist personalizes each treatment based on your needs.

Call the A+ Athlete Sports Medicine office or use the online booking feature to get leg pain relief today.