Leg Pain?
Chronic leg pain is not always caused by intermittent claudication and pinpointing the cause is not an easy task. The chart below can be one tool for distinguishing between the different types of leg pain. Be sure to see your health care professional with any concerns for any of these conditions.
Claudication versus other kinds of Leg Pain
| Clinical Condition | Location of Pain | Assoc. with Exercise | Relieved By |
| Intermittent Claudication | Calf, hip, buttock or thigh | Always | Stopping |
| Lumbar spinal stenosis | Calf, hip, buttock or thigh | Yes, and also when standing | Flexing or moving the spine |
| Herniated disc | Radiates down the leg | Varies | Varies. Aspirin or anti-inflammation drugs |
| Osteoarthritis | Hips, knees, ankles | Varies. Not always reproducible | Varies. Aspirin or anti-inflamation drugs |
Adapted from lePerna, Lucy, "Management of Intermittent Claudication" JAOA, Vol. 100, No. 10 Supplement October 2001.
Peripheral Arterial Disease section was last modified: July 10, 2009 - 05:28 pm
