Any type of injury or disease that affects the ankle, foot, knee, hip, shin, calf or thigh is a potential cause for leg pain. The bones, joints, muscles, tendons, blood vessels and nerves found in the leg are susceptible to infection, inflammation and damage. Depending on the cause, leg pain may be acute and of short duration, or it may be chronic and last for weeks, months or indefinitely.
Cellulitis
Cellulitis, a potentially life-threatening bacterial skin infection, most often affects the lower legs. Bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus enter through a cut, scratch, or any type of opening in the skin and cause infection.
Symptoms of cellulitis include localized redness, pain, warmth, tenderness and swelling, according to Mayo Clinic. Treatment with antibiotics is critical to avoiding the complications of the infection getting into the bloodstream.
Varicose Veins
Varicose veins develop when the valves that prevent the backflow of blood become weakened or damaged. Instead of moving upward to the heart, blood flows backward and stretches the vein. CardioSmart, an online service of the American College of Cardiology, reports that about 25 million Americans--mostly from age 30 to 70--have varicose veins.
Symptoms include visible enlarged veins, localized throbbing and painful, aching legs. Treatment options include vein stripping and ligation, laser surgery, endoscopic vein surgery and endovenous ablation therapy.
Muscle Strain
Muscle strain is a common source of leg pain, especially in people who participate in sports activities. The muscles in the thigh most susceptible to muscle strain are the hamstring and quadriceps, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. These muscle groups cross the hip and knee joints and are the high-impact muscles for sports such as football, soccer and basketball. Muscle strain occurs when the muscle stretches far enough to tear the muscle fibers.
Symptoms include acute, intense pain in the thigh. Treatment for muscle strain consists of elevating the leg, ice packs and avoiding additional strain until the muscle heals.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, or OA, is a chronic disorder of damage to cartilage and surrounding tissues. The Merck Manual reports that OA is the most common joint disorder and affects almost everyone by age 80. Men develop more OA before age 40, and women develop more between ages 40 and 70.
The main cause of OA is tissue damage, and in the body's attempt to repair itself, chemicals accumulate in the joint. The cartilage may swell and tiny cavities weaken the bone. Bone overgrowth on the joint edges causes pain on movement as the smooth cartilage changes to a rough and pitted surface. Symptoms in joints such as the knees include a deep aching pain that worsens with activities.
Thrombophlebitis
Thrombophlebitis is the result of a blood clot that develops in a vein close to the skin's surface, known as superficial thrombophlebitis or in the deep larger veins, known as deep venous thrombosis, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The calf of the leg is a common location for thrombophlebitis, especially after sitting for an extended time or following major surgery.
Symptoms of thrombophlebitis include pain, warmth and tenderness in the area over the vein. Complications of superficial thrombophlebitis are rare, but deep vein thrombosis can cause blood clots in the lungs or chronic leg pain.
