Leg Pain Specialist

What causes leg pain?

Leg pain may come from problems with your circulation, such as chronic venous insufficiency — the underlying cause of varicose veins. However, in many cases, the origin of leg pain is musculoskeletal, caused by damage to the bones, muscles, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and nerves.

This damage might result from trauma, like a sports injury, a fall, or an auto accident. Overuse can lead to gradual tissue damage as well. Common leg injuries include:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries
• Meniscal tears
• Fractures
• Muscle strains
• Shin splints
• Ankle sprains
• Hamstring injuries
• Achilles tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome

Leg pain from these causes is often acute, occurring at the point of injury and then fading as the tissues heal.

Why do I have chronic leg pain?

Overuse injuries like tendonitis and bursitis can cause long-lasting leg pain. However, the most common cause of chronic leg pain is arthritis. While it has over 100 forms, the most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis results from years of joint use and wears away the cartilage protecting your bones. Rheumatoid arthritis develops if your immune system attacks your joint linings after mistaking the cells for harmful invaders.

The result of this damage is chronic pain in your joints, stiffness, and weakness that worsens over time. You could also develop leg pain if you have a lower back condition like a herniated disc or spinal stenosis that’s putting pressure on the nerves. Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy) is a common example of this kind of leg pain.

How is leg pain treated?

Capital Pain Consultants offers a range of treatments that can ease your leg pain and restore function to your legs. These treatments include:

• Physical therapy
• Pain medication
• Use of a brace, splint, or cast
• Orthotics (corrective shoe inserts)
• Hyaluronic acid joint injections
• Steroid joint injections
• Epidural steroid injections
• Radiofrequency ablation

For most patients who have leg pain, a selection of these treatments is likely to prove highly effective. Capital Pain Consultants offers advanced solutions like spinal cord stimulation and intrathecal pain pump implantation for the few who still can’t get any respite from their symptoms.

For expert diagnosis and treatment of leg pain, call Capital Pain Consultants today, or book an appointment online.