5 Warning Signs Your Leg Pain Could Point to Peripheral Artery Disease

Leg pain can feel like a twinge when you stand, sit, or walk. Or it can feel like a shooting pain running up or down your calves. It can also show up as a deep ache that never quite seems to fade. If you have ongoing leg pain, it’s important to rule out serious medical conditions. 

According to Dr. Shawn Ahmed at Apex Endovascular in Fort Collins, Colorado, recurring or chronic leg pain could be an early sign that you have a potentially serious condition called peripheral artery disease, known as PAD. Here are five warning signs that PAD could be the source of your leg pain, and guidance on what you should do next.

PAD basics and associated risks

There are two types of blood vessels in your body: arteries and veins. Arteries pump freshly oxygenated blood through the body, from the major arteries in the torso to the peripheral arteries in the arms and legs. Veins carry blood back to the heart, where it’s redirected to the lungs for reoxygenation, returned to the heart, and pushed out through the arteries again.

Peripheral artery disease is a narrowing of the arteries farthest away from the heart, most frequently in the lower legs. Atherosclerosis (a build-up of plaque inside the arteries, commonly caused by excess fats and cholesterol) causes the narrowing, which makes it harder for blood to pass through the arteries.

This leads to a lessening of blood supply in the lower legs, which causes pain as well as contributing to dangerous health issues. The insufficiency can cause small wounds to fail to heal, leading to sores and ulcers on the lower calves and/or ankles.

A wound can become septic or gangrenous, requiring amputation. Between 51% and 93% of lower limb amputations can be traced back to PAD. Knowing the warning signs and seeking a PAD diagnosis can help you catch problems early and protect your limb health.

5 warnings signs that leg pain could be PAD-related

There are several distinct types of leg pain that could point to PAD:

1. Leg pain that comes on while walking and stops when you rest  
2. Pain accompanied with tightness or ‘heaviness’ in the legs when exercising
3. Cramping pain when you stand up or try to climb stairs 
4. Pain accompanied by itching in your lower legs and ankles
5. Aching or burning pain in the lower legs, feet, and/or toes when lying flat

Leg pain relieved by lying on your back in bed with your legs and feet dangling over the side can also be linked to PAD; gravity helps pull extra blood into your lower limbs, temporarily relieving symptoms.

To learn more about leg pain and PAD, schedule a consultation with the team at Apex Endovascular by calling 970-508-8439 or by booking an appointment online.