Leg pain is a common symptom that can have many causes, and therefore does not necessarily indicate a specific underlying health condition. Reasons for leg pain may range from dehydration or muscle fatigue to infection or blood clots. Chronic pain in the leg can be identified with appropriate tests and managed with various treatments.
Muscle Pain
Several muscles comprise the leg, including hamstrings and quadriceps. According to the National Institutes of Health, common causes of muscle pain include injury or trauma such as strains or sprains. Overuse, tension or stress are other common reasons for muscle pain. Muscle pain could result from electrolyte imbalance, polio, malaria, Lyme disease or lupus. Certain drugs could inflict muscle pain, such as ACE inhibitors, cocaine and statins.
Joint Pain
Joints in the leg are located in several regions, such as the ankle. The National Institutes of Health identifies common reasons for joint pain as autoimmune diseases, bursitis, chondromalacia patellae, gout, fracture, arthritis, osteomyelitis or tendinitis. In addition, infectious diseases may also cause joint pain, such as Epstein-Barr, hepatitis, influenza, mumps, rubella and rheumatic fever.
Knee Pain
The common reason for knee pain is overuse, according to the National Institutes of Health. Other knee pain causes include Baker's cyst, bursitis, lupus, kneecap dislocations, meniscus tears, strains or sprains, bursitis and infections. Being overweight may also increase knee pain.
Foot Pain
Reasons for foot pain include bunions, hammer toes, calluses, corns, plantar warts and fallen arches. Ill-fitting shoes may also cause muscle and joint aggravation or skin irritation. The heel of the foot can incur injury from plantar fasciitis, bone spurs and Achilles tendinitis, according to the National Institutes of Health. Ankle pain results from a sprain, gout or pseudogaout, infection or arthritis.
Shin Splints
Shin splints involve pain that's located on the front part of the lower leg. Often due to exercise, reasons for shin splints also include tibial periostitis, anterior compartment syndrome or stress fractures. Tibial periostitis involves inflammation and tenderness of the tibia bone. Anterior compartment syndrome compresses the nerves and restricts blood flow. Stress fractures cause a sharp pain a few inches below the knee.
