Pain when walking

If a person experiences pain when walking, this may indicate various disorders in his body. Painful sensations can be different - stabbing, pulling, burning. Also, the localization and duration of pain depends on the disease that the person suffers from, or on the injury he has suffered.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ], [ 4 ], [ 5 ]

Where do the legs of pain when walking come from?

Of course, first of all, the legs of such pain grow from the same place as those of an ordinary person - from the back. Often, pain when walking occurs due to injuries, bruises or diseases of the spine or hip joints. In addition, pain can be provoked by inflammatory and other phenomena in the nerve endings. If you are tormented by unpleasant pain when walking, then it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the list of diseases that can cause such a symptom:

1. Radiculitis - the name of this disease is well known to many people. In our society, it is generally accepted that radiculitis is a disease of only elderly people. But, unfortunately, in fact, every year this diagnosis only gets younger. Often, professional athletes and people who spend a lot of time in sitting positions - for example, accountants, programmers, etc. - are susceptible to this disease. Radiculitis occurs in the peripheral nervous system. The spinal cord is located inside the spine. Compression of its roots is called radiculitis. Like many other diseases, radiculitis can be acute and chronic. Depending on the location of the compressed roots, there are upper cervical, cervical-brachial, thoracic and lumbosacral radiculitis. The pain with this disease is quite strong, shooting, sometimes preventing you from inhaling or exhaling normally, paroxysmal. Almost all types of radiculitis are characterized by increased pain when walking, but this is especially true for lumbosacral radiculitis.
2. Inflammation of the sciatic nerve. In medical circles, there is a term "sciatica" which refers to this fairly common disease. The sciatic nerve is the largest in the human body. The nerve begins in the lumbar spine, which often bears very heavy loads, and goes down to the foot itself. At the same time, it is divided into small nerves. They are energy transmitters that set the muscles of our legs in motion. A person who has inflammation of the sciatic nerve feels very strong pain in the buttock and thigh, which becomes stronger while walking. Even such innocent actions as coughing and sneezing can cause severe attacks of pain during this disease. Sciatica occurs both by itself as a result of various causes, and as a consequence of the development of other diseases (arthritis, diabetes, etc.).
3. Lumbago is a lesion of the femoral nerve, which results in very sharp, unexpected and often pulsating pain in the lower back and leg. Such painful sensations are felt on the front surface of the hip joint, in the lower back and knee. There are also cases when the pain radiates to the inner surface of the shin and groin. A separate symptom indicating lumbago is weakening of the thigh muscles and loss of the knee reflex. Unfortunately, with this disease, a person feels very strong pain when walking, it is difficult for him to stand and sit. Basically, he tries to sit and lie in certain positions, typical for people suffering from lumbago.
4. Osteoarthritis. Pain when walking can be caused by gonarthrosis - this is the name for osteoarthritis of the knee joints or osteoarthritis of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the first (big) toe. In the first diagnosis, which is often secondary, a distinction is made between osteoarthritis of the joint between the femur and patella (causing pain when walking up the stairs, kneeling, squatting) and osteoarthritis between the femur and tibia (femurotibial, during which the pain when walking increases significantly, and subsides at rest). The second diagnosis appears as a consequence of abnormal phenomena in the forefoot. At rest, the pain is not noticeable, but when walking it causes significant discomfort, especially in advanced stages of the disease.
5. Pain in the tailbone may indicate injuries (even those experienced in the distant past) to the tailbone, salt deposits in it, or the presence of an inflammatory process in the muscle tissue or joints near it. Coccygeal pain can be pulling, aching, dull, or shooting - it all depends on the reasons for its occurrence. Basically, the pain is quite noticeably intensified as a result of prolonged sitting, walking, or tension in the abdominal muscles. Also, people suffering from problems in the tailbone can sometimes feel pain in the lower abdomen, perineum, and thigh. Often people do not understand what causes such pain in the tailbone. You need to remember whether you have had an unpleasant fall on skis or from a bicycle, a long ride in a car, a horse, or a difficult birth of a large child. All these factors could affect excessive flexion or extension of the joint and its rupture.
6. A heel spur is an inflammatory process in the plantar fascia. Very often, people complaining of pain when walking are given this diagnosis. It can be identified by palpation of the heel bone, the fascia that attaches to it, and an X-ray examination. The cause of a heel spur is most often a sprained foot ligament. The pain associated with this syndrome is quite severe, but can be treated with various physiotherapeutic procedures. If such procedures are ineffective, a blockade can be made using an injection of novocaine and a hormone.

Who will cure pain when walking

In addition to the above-mentioned causes of pain in the legs while walking, there are other diseases, but they are quite rare. In the case when pain while walking causes severe discomfort or you do not understand the reasons for its occurrence, you need to consult a doctor. If the injured leg hurts, go to a traumatologist. If you can confidently exclude injury, then you need to be examined by a rheumatologist or consult a neurologist. Do not forget that you should avoid excessive overheating and hypothermia of painful areas.