Hip and Leg Pain: Common Causes & Treatments

Mild hip and leg pain can make its presence known with every step. Severe hip and leg pain can be debilitating.

Five of the most common causes of hip and leg pain are:

1. tendinitis
2. arthritis
3. a dislocation
4. bursitis
5. sciatica

Your hip is your largest ball-and-socket joint. When the tendons that attach the muscles to your thigh bone become inflamed or irritated from overuse or injury, they can cause aches and swelling in the affected area.

Tendinitis in your hips or legs could cause discomfort in both, even during times of relaxation.

If you’re active through sports or an occupation that requires repetitive movements, you may be at an increased risk of tendinitis. It’s also more common with age as tendons experience wear and tear over time.

Treatment

Tendinitis is often treated through pain management and rest. Your doctor may recommend the following R. I.C.E method:

• rest
• ice the affected area multiple times a day
• compress the area
• elevate your legs above your heart to reduce swelling

Arthritis refers to an inflammation of your joints. When the cartilage tissue that normally absorbs the shock on joints during physical activity begins to deteriorate, you may be experiencing a type of arthritis.

Arthritis is most common in people over 65 years old.

If you feel stiffness, swelling, or general discomfort around your hips that radiates to your legs, it may be a symptom of a type of arthritis. The most common arthritis in the hip is osteoarthritis.

Treatment

There’s no cure for arthritis. Instead, treatment focuses on lifestyle changes and pain management to ease symptoms.

Dislocations commonly result from a blow to the joint that causes the ends of the bones to shift from their usual position.

One of the more common ways a hip dislocates is in a motor vehicle accident when the knee strikes the dashboard in front, causing the ball of the hip to be pushed backward out of its socket.

While dislocations are often experienced in the shoulders, fingers, or knees, your hip can also be dislocated, causing intense pain and swelling that inhibits movement.

Treatment

Your doctor will likely try to move the bones back into the proper position. This sometimes requires surgery.

After a period of rest, you can begin rehabilitating the injury to restore strength and mobility.

Hip bursitis is referred to as trochanteric bursitis and occurs when the fluid-filled sacs on the outside of your hips become inflamed.

Causes of hip bursitis include:

• injury such as a bump or fall
• hip bone spurs
• bad posture
• overuse of the joints

This is very common in females, but uncommon in males.

Symptoms may worsen when you’re lying on the affected area for extended periods of time. Hip bursitis may cause pain when you’re going about everyday activities that require pressure on your hips or legs, such as walking upstairs.

Treatment

Your doctor might tell you to avoid activities that make the symptoms worse and recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve).

They might also recommend crutches or a cane and, if necessary, a corticosteroid injection into the bursa. Surgery is rarely needed.

Sciatica often occurs as a result of a herniated disk or bone spur that then causes pain in your lower back and down your legs.

The condition is associated with a pinched nerve in your back. The pain can radiate, causing hip and leg pain.

Mild sciatica usually fades with time, but you should seek immediate medical attention if you:

• feel severe pain after an injury or accident
• experience numbness or weakness in your legs
• cannot control your bowels or bladder

Loss of bowel or bladder control may be a sign of cauda equina syndrome.

Treatment

Your doctor will typically treat your sciatica with the goal of increasing mobility and decreasing pain.

If NSAIDS alone aren’t enough, they might prescribe a muscle relaxant such as cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril). It’s likely that your doctor will also suggest physical therapy.

If conservative treatment is not effective, surgery may be considered, such as microdiscectomy or laminectomy.

Hip and leg pain are often the result of injury, overuse, or wear and tear over time. Many treatment options focus on resting the affected area and managing pain, but others may require additional medical attention.

If your hip and leg pain persist or worsen overtime — or you experience symptoms such as immobility of your leg or hip, or signs of an infection — seek medical attention immediately.

Hip and Leg Pain: Common Causes & Treatments

Mild hip and leg pain can make its presence known with every step. Severe hip and leg pain can be debilitating.

Five of the most common causes of hip and leg pain are:

1. tendinitis
2. arthritis
3. a dislocation
4. bursitis
5. sciatica

Your hip is your largest ball-and-socket joint. When the tendons that attach the muscles to your thigh bone become inflamed or irritated from overuse or injury, they can cause aches and swelling in the affected area.

Tendinitis in your hips or legs could cause discomfort in both, even during times of relaxation.

If you’re active through sports or an occupation that requires repetitive movements, you may be at an increased risk of tendinitis. It’s also more common with age as tendons experience wear and tear over time.

Treatment

Tendinitis is often treated through pain management and rest. Your doctor may recommend the following R.I.C.E method:

• rest
• ice the affected area multiple times a day
• compress the area
• elevate your legs above your heart to reduce swelling

Arthritis refers to an inflammation of your joints. When the cartilage tissue that normally absorbs the shock on joints during physical activity begins to deteriorate, you may be experiencing a type of arthritis.

Arthritis is most common in people over 65 years old.

If you feel stiffness, swelling, or general discomfort around your hips that radiates to your legs, it may be a symptom of a type of arthritis. The most common arthritis in the hip is osteoarthritis.

Treatment

There’s no cure for arthritis. Instead, treatment focuses on lifestyle changes and pain management to ease symptoms.

Dislocations commonly result from a blow to the joint that causes the ends of the bones to shift from their usual position.

One of the more common ways a hip dislocates is in a motor vehicle accident when the knee strikes the dashboard in front, causing the ball of the hip to be pushed backward out of its socket.

While dislocations are often experienced in the shoulders, fingers, or knees, your hip can also be dislocated, causing intense pain and swelling that inhibits movement.

Treatment

Your doctor will likely try to move the bones back into the proper position. This sometimes requires surgery.

After a period of rest, you can begin rehabilitating the injury to restore strength and mobility.

Hip bursitis is referred to as trochanteric bursitis and occurs when the fluid-filled sacs on the outside of your hips become inflamed.

Causes of hip bursitis include:

• injury such as a bump or fall
• hip bone spurs
• bad posture
• overuse of the joints

This is very common in females, but uncommon in males.

Symptoms may worsen when you’re lying on the affected area for extended periods of time. Hip bursitis may cause pain when you’re going about everyday activities that require pressure on your hips or legs, such as walking upstairs.

Treatment

Your doctor might tell you to avoid activities that make the symptoms worse and recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve).

They might also recommend crutches or a cane and, if necessary, a corticosteroid injection into the bursa. Surgery is rarely needed.

Sciatica often occurs as a result of a herniated disk or bone spur that then causes pain in your lower back and down your legs.

The condition is associated with a pinched nerve in your back. The pain can radiate, causing hip and leg pain.

Mild sciatica usually fades with time, but you should seek immediate medical attention if you:

• feel severe pain after an injury or accident
• experience numbness or weakness in your legs
• cannot control your bowels or bladder

Loss of bowel or bladder control may be a sign of cauda equina syndrome.

Treatment

Your doctor will typically treat your sciatica with the goal of increasing mobility and decreasing pain.

If NSAIDS alone aren’t enough, they might prescribe a muscle relaxant such as cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril). It’s likely that your doctor will also suggest physical therapy.

If conservative treatment is not effective, surgery may be considered, such as microdiscectomy or laminectomy.

Hip and leg pain are often the result of injury, overuse, or wear and tear over time. Many treatment options focus on resting the affected area and managing pain, but others may require additional medical attention.

If your hip and leg pain persist or worsen overtime — or you experience symptoms such as immobility of your leg or hip, or signs of an infection — seek medical attention immediately.

Why legs hurt when walking

Legs hurt when walking: causes

Soreness in the legs can be permanent, increasing or decreasing at different times of the day or after physical exertion. If discomfort continues for more than a month, be sure to consult your doctor. Without treatment, diseases of the musculoskeletal system can lead to joint deformities, severe lameness, and even paralysis of the limbs.

Pain in the legs when walking can:

• vascular pathologies, including varicose veins and stenosis;
• degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the joints and connective tissue;
• inflammatory processes in joints, muscles, ligaments;
• diseases of the spine;
• diabetes mellitus;
• excessive stress on the legs;
• injuries and microtraumas.

Often, the legs hurt after intense exercise: training, long walking, running. In such cases, heaviness in the limbs and aching pains are felt, which are aggravated by pressing.

What to do if your legs hurt after a workout:

• remove tight clothing and shoes;
• take a warm sea salt bath;
• apply a cold compress;
• perform a light massage;
• Apply topical pain reliever.

In the future, it is desirable to adjust the training plan, making it more gentle and safe for the body.

Injuries and postoperative pain

For the first time, intense pain in the leg may be a consequence of an injury. Please note: often a leg after a fracture does not start to hurt immediately, but only after a few hours or even after one or two days.

Signs of injury:

• cyanosis, redness of the skin;
• progressive edema;
• increased pain when trying to lean on an injured limb;
• unnatural leg position.

If you have these symptoms, you need to see a traumatologist immediately. For minor injuries that do not cause limb deformity and unbearable pain, you can try to alleviate the condition yourself before contacting a doctor.

For example, if your sprained leg hurts, you should:

• take off your shoes;
• apply ice or a cold compress to the painful area;
• take pain medication;
• bandage with an elastic bandage;
• lie down with the affected leg in an elevated position.

If your legs hurt after surgery or an old injury, you need to undergo additional diagnostics. You may need a course of rehabilitation. Pain after surgery or an old injury can be caused by complications associated with connective tissue or blood vessels, as well as compression of nerve endings.

Diseases of the joints that cause pain in the legs when walking

In arthritis, arthrosis, synovitis and other articular pathologies, pain in the damaged joint first appears after exertion, when trying to squat or bend over, and then becomes permanent.

Due to degenerative-dystrophic diseases:

• cartilage tissue becomes thinner;
• narrowing of the joint space;
• muscles atrophy;
• lose elasticity of the ligament;
• nerve roots are injured;
• bones are destroyed.

These changes lead to partial or complete immobilization of the leg and constant pain. Due to pathological muscle tension, severe spasms appear. If the leg hurts after a cramp, it is necessary to make a warm foot bath, lightly massage the painful area and apply a warming ointment to it.

The following symptoms indicate the development of pathology of the knee or hip joint:

• soreness, heaviness in one or both legs;
• crunching, clicking, creaking when moving a limb;
• decreased mobility;
• discomfort when trying to lean on one leg;
• muscle cramps.

It is advisable to consult a rheumatologist or orthopedist at the beginning of the development of the disease: this will make it possible to achieve a complete restoration of damaged tissues.

Vascular pathologies

Pain in the legs after exercise and a short rest often occurs with diseases of the veins. The limbs “hum”, swell, there is a constant feeling of heaviness.

The development of varicose veins or other pathology of the vessels of the lower extremities is indicated by:

• swelling of the legs in the evening;
• burning sensation or heat in the veins;
• marked varicose veins;
• darkening or blueness of the skin on the legs;
• the appearance of seals in the area of ​​blood vessels;
• convulsions at night.

For quick relief of soreness, you can apply heparin ointment to your legs and take painkillers. A complete treatment can be prescribed by a phlebologist – a specialist in vascular diseases.

Diabetic foot pain

High blood sugar damages the small blood vessels responsible for blood flow to the nerve endings. Also, the amount of peptides in the body decreases – substances necessary for the regeneration of nerves. All this leads to pain when walking. Pain in the legs above the knee can occur unexpectedly, sometimes in only one limb. Below the knee, especially in the feet, there is often a tingling sensation.

Quite often there is numbness of the feet, which is dangerous because it “masks” pain in case of various injuries. Advanced forms of the “diabetic foot” can even lead to amputation of the legs, therefore, in order to prevent dangerous disorders, it is necessary to constantly monitor the level of sugar in the blood and follow all the prescriptions of the attending physician.

Diagnosis for pain in the legs

It is only possible to find out exactly why the legs hurt after walking after an examination. Diagnosis may require:

• blood and urine tests;
• Vascular ultrasound;
• x-ray;
• CT;
• MRI;
• and other procedures.

Conducted studies will help to identify pathological changes in the vessels, narrowing of the joint space, the presence of osteophytes, damage to the connective tissue and other signs of a particular disease.

Treatment of pain in the legs

In the late stages of articular pathologies, surgical care is often required, after which a course of long-term rehabilitation is necessary. In the early stages, these diseases are treated conservatively.

As a rule, for disorders that cause pain in the legs while walking, complex treatment is required:

• medication;
• physiotherapy;
• massage;
• physiotherapy exercises.

Medications (anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors and others) eliminate inflammation and pain, promote tissue repair.

Physiotherapy required for:

• enhancing the action of drugs;
• normalization of blood circulation and saturation of tissues with oxygen;
• cartilage repair;
• elimination of inflammatory processes;
• relieve soreness and excessive muscle tension.

To stop the development of lameness and restore motor functions, physical therapy is needed. A properly selected course of exercises provides a gentle load on the joints, strengthens muscle tissue and increases endurance.

In the clinics of the “Zdravtstvuy!” network modern diagnostic equipment has been installed, which reveals the slightest changes in tissues and makes it possible to determine joint diseases already at the first stages. For the fastest and most complete recovery of patients, experienced doctors use a variety of physiotherapy methods, as well as individually selected sets of therapeutic exercises.

in joints, muscles, feet and fingers

The musculoskeletal system (MSA) is the basis of the human body. It is a single complex consisting of muscles, bones, ligaments, joints, nerve endings. ODA provides support for the body, gives the body a shape. It provides the ability to move and take postures, protects the internal organs, and is also responsible for the motor activity of each part of the body.

Pain in the joints of the legs

Conventionally, it is divided into primary (as a result of injuries) and secondary (develops against the background of weakened immunity, hormonal failures, neurological problems, etc. ). The causes of pain can be arthritis, arthrosis, inflammation in the periarticular tissues, sciatica and functional pain in the joints (vasospasm due to stress). Such pain occurs only at night.

Pain in the muscles of the legs

Often occurs due to blockage of blood vessels, and acute attacks are characteristic of the sciatic nerve. Unpleasant sensations are aggravated by sitting, leaning forward, any sudden movements, as well as laughter and coughing. At the initial stage of the disease, the symptoms are mild, and the sensation of goosebumps on the skin of the leg and numbness is often attributed to an uncomfortable posture and fatigue. Also, among the main causes of pain in the legs, potassium deficiency in the body, thyroid pathologies and some autoimmune disorders can be distinguished.

Pain in the feet

Pain in the feet, as a rule, appears after 30 years. They can be the result of swelling and inflammation of tendons and ligaments, thickening of the nerve (traumatic neuroma is the most common), damage to the peripheral nerve associated with trauma, surgery, or nerve compression. The cause of problems in women is often uncomfortable, narrow shoes with high heels.

Lower back pain radiating to the leg

This is a fairly common occurrence. Painful sensations are localized in the lower back, spreading to the buttocks, thighs, lower legs and feet. Often this condition is accompanied by numbness of the limb. The cause of pain can be damage to the spine, inflammation of the nerves, as well as various diseases of the internal organs.

Pain in the toes

Result of interdigital neuralgia from wearing shoes that are too narrow. Another reason is the development of Morton’s neuroma. This is a benign neoplasm that appears with the rapid growth of fibrous tissue around the branches of the plantar nerve.

Neurological pain in the legs occurs without obvious causes (contusion, excessive exercise). In such cases, we are talking about the so-called neurological pain. Unpleasant sensations arise due to damage to the nervous system. The pain syndrome may be accompanied by burning, slight tingling, backache and numbness of the legs. If you do not consult a neurologist in a timely manner, the problem will go into a chronic stage, and it will be more difficult to cope with it. In addition, mild pain that a person systematically endures adversely affects his psychological state, provoking the development of increased anxiety and depression. Only a doctor in the neurology department can determine the cause of the pain and make an accurate diagnosis.

How to prevent the development of neurological diseases

In order to prevent the occurrence of pathologies, you must adhere to the following rules:

• Regular physical activity: morning exercises, walking, swimming.
• Prevention of dementia (training of memory, logical thinking, learning foreign languages, counting, etc.).
• Balanced diet. It is necessary to eat as many vegetables, fruits, herbs, flour products from durum wheat as possible.
• Complete rest, which includes proper sleep (at least 8 hours). We must not allow the day to turn over, replacing the lack of night sleep with daytime sleep.