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Hospital Hall

LOWER EXTREMITY PAIN

  • Pain in the lower extremities may be caused by:

    • Muscle cramps (may be caused by diabetes, thyroid or liver disease, fibromyalgia, and nerve or blood vessel disorders)

    • Muscle strain (may be caused by sudden trauma or overuse)

    • Tendonitis (such as Achilles tendonitis or posterior tibial tendonitis)

    • Shin splints (may be caused by exercise-related injuries, high-arched feet, or improper or worn-out footwear)

    • Stress fracture (may be caused by overuse injuries and repetitive stress)

    • Deep vein thrombosis (may be caused by injury to the vein wall by trauma or surgery, underlying health conditions such as cancer or pregnancy, immobility, prolonged hospital stays, and obesity)

    • Chronic venous insufficiency (may be caused by standing too long, pregnancy, obesity, and history of leg trauma)

    • Peripheral artery disease

    • Sciatica (may be caused by a herniated spinal disc or irritation from a tight muscle)

    • Pregnancy-related cramps

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    Additional potential causes of leg pain include:

    • Achilles tendinitis

    • Achilles tendon rupture

    • ACL injury (tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee)

    • Ankylosing spondylitis

    • Baker’s cyst

    • Bone cancer

    • Broken leg

    • Bursitis (joint inflammation)

    • Chronic exertion compartment syndrome

    • Claudication

    • Gout (arthritis related to excess uric acid)

    • Growing pains

    • Growth plate fractures

    • Hamstring injury

    • Herniated disc

    • Infection

    • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis)

    • Knee bursitis (inflammation of fluid-filled sacs in the knee joint)

    • Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

    • Meralgia paresthetica

    • Night leg cramps

    • Osgood-Schlatter disease

    • Osteoarthritis (disease causing the breakdown of joints)

    • Osteochondritis dissecans

    • Osteomyelitis (a bone infection)

    • Paget’s disease of bone

    • Patellar tendinitis

    • Patellofemoral pain syndrome

    • Peripheral neuropathy

    • Posterior cruciate ligament injury

    • Pseudogout

    • Psoriatic arthritis

    • Reactive arthritis

    • Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory joint disease)

    • Sacroiliitis

    • Septic arthritis

    • Spinal stenosis

    • Sprains

    • Tendinitis

    • Thrombophlebitis (a blood clot that usually occurs in the leg)

    • Torn meniscus

    • Varicose veins

  • At Premier Urgent Care, lower extremity pain may be treated with injections and pain management techniques.
     

    A few types of joint and soft tissue injections offered at the clinic include sacroiliac joint injections, nerve blocks, piriformis injections, epidural injections, and trigger point injections. Patients should speak to their physician to find out if they are a good candidate for joint and soft tissue injections.
     

    Pain management techniques can help patients minimize lower extremity pain through cold and heat therapy, gentle exercise, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing exercises, biofeedback, music therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Each patient will receive a customized pain management plan to address their lower extremity pain.

  • Severe injuries or illnesses, such as broken bones, herniated discs, or bone cancer may require advanced treatment, such as surgery. Premier Urgent Care supports patients needing a range of treatments and staff is available to answer any questions about obtaining advanced treatment.

The lower extremities include the hip, knee, ankle joints, and the bones of the thigh, leg, and foot. Pain in any of these areas is often referred to as lower extremity pain.

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