What causes pain in the legs below the knees. Why do legs ache below the knees: causes and treatment at home? Tumors of bones and muscles

Up to the feet, quite varied.

So if pain syndrome appears only occasionally, and you know exactly the reasons for its occurrence, then there is nothing to worry about: it is enough to give good rest feet, take a relaxing bath and the pain will recede. But it happens that uncomfortable aching sensations haunt a person constantly. In this case, the symptomatology is a signal of a serious illness that needs to be diagnosed as soon as possible in order to start timely complex treatment.

Features of the anatomical structure and causes of pain

The area of the leg below the knee is called the lower leg. This part of the lower limb includes a bone structure, many muscles and ligaments, as well as blood vessels and nerve plexuses.

Therefore, the reasons due to which below the knee can be caused by violations in the work of any component of the limb.

In order to make it easier to diagnose the disease, doctors conditionally divided the lower leg into 2 sections:

The anterior section, which is located in front below the knee, is filled with muscle tissue;
The back section, in which there are ligaments, nerve fibers and blood vessels.

There are 5 main reasons why the legs hurt below the knees:

Excessive physical activity or injury to the legs that occurred earlier. If the damage is minor, then they do not cause severe pain. However, their consequences, combined with excessive power loads, cause inflammation, which manifests itself in swelling of the anterior leg.
Diseases caused pathological changes in the spine, in which it is compressed nerve root. The pain syndrome manifests itself in back section during rotation of the trunk or palpation.
Bursitis - inflammation kneecaps. Occurs after osteoarthritis knee joint or . In the course of the disease, cartilaginous structures undergo changes, inflammatory fluid accumulates in them. A pronounced edema begins.
Varicose veins. One of the most dangerous and insidious diseases, during the development of which the leg below the knee hurts. Blood that does not circulate well through the vessels stagnates in them, forming blood clots. In this case, the lower leg aches constantly, while the syndrome intensifies in the evening.
vascular thrombosis. dangerous disease has two clinical pictures of development: arterial and venous. With venous thrombosis, pain in the extremities increases within 3-5 days. The legs become hot to the touch, acquire burgundy at first, and then Blue colour. Arterial thrombosis manifests itself rapidly. Appears in 3-4 hours sharp pain in the legs, limbs become pale and numb. In case of failure to provide medical care, the tissues die.

Other triggers

There are other reasons for the manifestation of pain in the lower leg. They lie in such diseases:

Obliterating atherosclerosis

In the process of development of ischemia of muscle tissue, arterial obstruction occurs. That is, the intensity of blood flow and lumen in the vessels of the arteries is significantly reduced - the lower leg begins to hurt. Pain worsens after physical activity. To stop the pain, the legs need to rest.

If left untreated, the disease progresses to pathological form: the time frame for the manifestation of the pain syndrome increases, the skin of the legs peels off, ulcers appear on them. In this case, only surgery can save the patient's life.

Physical overvoltage muscle tissue.

Occurs due to uneven and excessive physical activity. Most commonly seen in people with overweight, as the load on the muscle and bone apparatus of the lower leg increases.

inflammatory processes.

Inflammation in ligamentous apparatus causes myositis, which manifests itself due to hypothermia. The legs hurt in the back of the lower leg and are uniform and permanent.

Micronutrient deficiencies.

Pain in the leg below the knee is manifested by a lack of calcium, magnesium and potassium. It is localized in the back of the lower leg and is accompanied. Most often, such manifestations of pain syndrome are diagnosed in women who long time stick to strict diets. In this case unbalanced diet leads to the fact that the right minerals poorly digested and rapidly excreted from the body.

Arthritis and arthrosis.

These diseases affect, but the pain can be localized in the lower leg. specific feature of these diseases is the reaction of the limbs to the change of weather: the joints ache and seem to twist.

Osteoporosis.

The disease occurs due to a lack of calcium in the body. Due to the insufficient amount of this necessary element, the bones become brittle, prone to frequent. Osteoporosis causes pain in the bones of the legs. The disease often affects women at the time of menopause.

Polyneuropathy.

This disease is a consequence of complications of diabetes mellitus. The pain syndrome is sharp and constant, independent of physical exertion. The patient experiences coldness and numbness of the extremities.

Osteomyelitis.

Disease infectious nature striking bone tissue. The pain is severe and intermittent. The disease requires fast and qualified treatment.

There are several more reasons why the leg hurts in the shin area:

Prolonged or uncontrolled use of potent drugs;
arterial disease;
Diseases caused by rheumatism;
Tumor processes of various localization;
Paget's disease;
Hernia lumbar spine.

Symptoms and concomitant manifestations of diseases

If the legs below the knees hurt regularly and are accompanied by the following symptoms, you should urgently seek medical help:

There are difficulties in straightening and bending the legs;
There is discomfort during movement, a feeling of stiffness;
The manifestation of puffiness, any discoloration of the skin, hematomas, the appearance of purulent discharge;
The appearance of pain in the muscles of the legs below the knee at the time of climbing or descending the stairs;
Severe pain at the moment when the leg is supported;
The pain syndrome is sharp, cutting, constant.

If the legs ache below the knees due to serious illnesses, the clinical picture is complemented by concomitant symptoms:

Wide localization of pain: from 10 to 15 cm. The more extensive the localization, the larger the area of the affected lower leg;
During the period of physical activity, the pain intensifies, at the time of rest it recedes;
In smoking patients, the symptoms are more pronounced, since their circulatory disorders are more pronounced;
With osteomyelitis, purulent discharge appears;
Limited mobility of the joints and feet.

Methodology of therapeutic measures

The treatment process and its methods depend on why the legs ache, that is, on the specific disease. The duration of therapy and the choice of medications are determined on an individual basis, taking into account accompanying symptoms and the presence or absence of chronic diseases.

In addition, given the anatomical structure of the lower leg, in which several structures are involved, medical measures it is advisable to carry out in a complex way, combining physiotherapy, therapeutic gymnastics and massage. In some cases, surgery is indicated.

Drug treatment is most often aimed at eliminating pain and inflammatory processes from the affected area of the leg.

AT without fail patients are prescribed a vitamin-mineral complex to maintain the necessary balance in the body.

Doctors may also prescribe the following groups of drugs:

Medicines that relieve swelling;
Drugs that reduce muscle tone;
Means to improve blood circulation;
Hormonal preparations and cytostatics;
Anticoagulants are used to treat thrombosis;
Insulin is used to treat diabetes.

Physiotherapy helps relieve tension in the limb, partially eliminate pain and inflammation, and improves blood circulation.

To eliminate the symptoms in the lower leg, treatment is used by such procedures:

Ultraphonophoresis;
laser glow;
Magnetotherapy;
Mud treatment;
Paraffin therapy;
Treatment with mineral waters.

Therapeutic gymnastics and massage are used only as directed by a doctor, since in some diseases, during the manifestation of which the lower leg may ache, excessive exposure to the leg worsens the patient's condition.

Surgery is resorted to if previous therapy has not alleviated the condition or the disease is at a stage when other treatment will be ineffective.

Varicose veins require long-term treatment, during which a tight fixation of the lower leg with a bandage is necessarily used, as well as ointments designed to strengthen the walls of the veins.

In the treatment of atherosclerosis medications prescribed only by a doctor!

Physicians recommend to patients in combination with drug therapy gradually change your lifestyle: move as much as possible and change your diet. You need to give up smoked and fatty foods, sausages, eggs. It is important to adhere balanced nutrition, gradually reducing the intake of foods containing cholesterol. Vegetable oil in this diet should be key product, since its use helps the already formed atherosclerotic plaques to dissolve.

Prevention methods

Many reasons why the legs hurt in the lower leg area make us think about the prevention of diseases that cause such unpleasant symptoms.

Try to wear comfortable shoes made of natural material with low heels;
Sitting at work or at home, do not cross your legs, this position leads to squeezing of blood vessels;
Watch your weight;
Start treatment of flat feet at the first of its manifestations;
When resting lying down, raise your legs up more often;
Walk more often and go barefoot.

Evening relaxing foot baths and foot massages will help relieve tension and ensure healthy sleep.

Every day, the legs, their joints, muscles and tendons experience high physical stress. As a result, pain in the area lower extremities is not uncommon. It happens from time to time in everyone's life.

By evening, even among the young and completely healthy people there may be pain, a feeling of heaviness and swelling in the legs, especially in the area below the knees. These phenomena are more common in people whose activities are associated with long work on their feet (sellers, surgeons, couriers, porters).

The reasons why pain in the legs below the knees may appear are very diverse.

They may belong to the following groups of pathologies:

any diseases of cardio-vascular system ;
diseases of the lumbosacral spine(spinal hernias, osteochondrosis, deformities);
mechanical injury ligaments, tendons; nervous diseases (neuralgia, pinched nerves), etc.

Excessive load on the lower extremities can also cause pain below the knee.

This phenomenon is often observed in athletes after training, when wearing uncomfortable shoes, as a result of long walking or standing. In these cases, the pain is associated with functional disorders, it passes quite quickly after rest or as a result of changing shoes to comfortable ones.

If the pain in the legs and knees is very pronounced, then an injury can be suspected - a bruise, dislocation, or even a fracture.

But more often, pain and heaviness are due to vascular diseases of the legs - thrombophlebitis or varicose veins.

If the legs hurt very much and this is accompanied by whitening of the limb, thromboembolism of the arteries or veins of the lower limb should be excluded.
With vascular diseases of the legs, in addition to pain, cramps can occur.

At venous congestion conditioned varicose disease, pain below the knee has a dull character, accompanied by swelling, heaviness in the legs, especially after a long walk or standing. These symptoms are the first sign of venous insufficiency.

Thus, if the legs below the knees hurt, this may be due to a lot of factors. Specific reasons may be:

Important: if you often experience pain in the legs below the knees, which is accompanied by swelling, redness, a violation of general well-being, or occurs after injuries, consult a doctor.

The specialist will find out the cause of the pain syndrome and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Diagnostics

To determine the cause of pain in the legs, use following methods research:

radiography;
arthroscopy, etc.

If you suspect vascular diseases legs, CDS of blood vessels, contrast angiography, radionuclide diagnostics are performed.

Sometimes even when using modern methods surveys fail to detect true reason pain in the legs below the knees. In this case, you can consult an osteopath. This specialist is complex treatment, which is aimed not only at the symptoms or a specific disease, but also at the whole organism as a whole. After all, any disease causes a change in the activity of all systems and organs.

Treatment

Therapeutic tactics completely depends on the cause of the pain, which requires examination to identify. Treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis or in a hospital, depending on the severity of the disease. Therapy may include drug treatment, physiotherapy, physical therapy and other methods.

In some cases, surgery is necessary.

If pain and swelling in the legs appear at the end of the day, it is recommended elevate the legs(for example, put them on a cushion or bench). This technique will improve the outflow of blood from the veins below the knees. After rest, it is useful to do foot baths with sea salt.

Well relieve pain below the knees and eliminate the feeling of heaviness in the legs warm baths. To activate blood circulation, you can wipe your legs with a piece of ice wrapped in a cloth. Wipe should be shins, calves, ankles, ankles, feet.

Many diseases of the bones and joints of the legs develop against the background of excess weight.

Therefore, it is worth correcting your daily menu to normalize body weight. If you cannot lose weight on your own, then consult a nutritionist.

Sometimes you really need to know: find out everything possible reasons and diseases.

You can read about what an ankle ligament tear is.

Not every person absorbed in the cycle Everyday life, gives importance to heaviness and fatigue in the legs. The patient comes to the doctor's appointment only at the moment when the legs begin to hurt so much that it becomes difficult to move. Legs may ache from knee to foot. Sometimes soreness is caused by uncomfortable shoes, overwork, or weather sensitivity. But severe pain below the knee can signal a variety of diseases.

When it comes to the area of the leg between the knee and the foot, this refers to the shin. Anatomical structure The lower leg includes two tibia bones - large and small, as well as a group of muscles, vessels and nerves. Damage to one or more elements, as a rule, gives rise to pain.

Causes of Pain from Knee to Foot

Legs below the knee can hurt due to the following provoking factors:

Inflammation of the knee and ankle joint caused by arthritis or arthrosis

Both diseases characterized by joint damage However, arthrosis causes degenerative disorders only in the articular structures. Arthritis, in addition to the destructive effect on the joints, has Negative influence to the work of internal organs.

Typical symptoms of arthritis and arthrosis:

Inflammation provokes enlargement of the joint which may cause it to deform. In the final stages of the disease, the bone tissue is reborn, and the joints that have accumulated fibrous deposits lose their usual shape.

Varicose veins of the leg

Varicose veins - insidious disease. Many mistakenly believe that only bulging leg veins indicate the onset of the disease. To avoid having to resort to surgical intervention , it is worth paying attention to the condition of the lower extremities. Often varicose veins are observed on one of the legs. This is typical for the first stages of the disease. As the disease progresses, the following symptoms join it:

Venous and arterial thrombosis of the lower extremities

The disease appears rapidly, therefore, requires urgent medical attention. Severe redness is a sure sign of pathology.

The first symptoms in case of venous thrombosis, occur 2-3 days after its onset. The patient begins to complain of heaviness in the legs and arching pain when bending the knee joint. A swollen leg develops redness in a few days. because of elevated temperature inside the leg, it becomes hot to the touch. Redness is replaced by blueness over time. Man feels severe pain from the knee to the foot, which prevents him from straightening his leg and stepping on the surface. In no case should the development of gangrene be allowed, because in this case there is a risk of losing a leg.

With arterial thrombosis symptomatic picture formed at an even faster pace. Just a few hours later skin covering below the knee becomes cold. Blood circulation is disturbed and the leg takes on a white tint. without applying for qualified help within the next five hours, the patient will experience tissue death. Self-medication will not bring any results, therefore, with the slightest sign for thrombosis, you should go to the hospital.

Obliterating atherosclerosis

Another reason why the leg will ache from the knee to the foot may be atherosclerosis obliterans. Problems of the cardiovascular system give rise not only to swelling below the knee and post-thrombophlebitis syndrome, but also obliterating pain. With this type of atherosclerosis, the main blood flow through the vessels and arteries is disrupted. Narrowing of the internal lumen of blood flow is caused by cholesterol plaques. These processes can cause intermittent claudication and severe pain below the knee to the foot. The pain syndrome is aggravated by long walks.

If not treated, then later on the legs may form trophic ulcers. The skin in the shin area will constantly dry and peel off. The diagnosis can be confirmed with biochemical analysis blood that will show current level cholesterol. The disease is more common among people with diabetes and high blood pressure, heredity plays a significant role. Without a timely medical assistance the patient risks being left without a limb due to complications such as gangrene and necrosis.

Polyneuropathy

One of the reasons pain in the leg and foot is polyneuropathy. There is a similar disease as a complication of type 2 diabetes. They also suffer damage to the peripheral nerve endings people who abuse alcohol. Toxins formed during the breakdown of alcoholic products disrupt the nutrition of the tissues of the lower extremities. In this case, a whole group of symptoms is observed:

Lack of vitamins and microelements

Unbalanced diet and passion various diets creates a deficiency in the body nutrients . There is a shortage of elements such as calcium, magnesium, potassium. For this reason, a person may have pain in the legs and cramps in calf muscles Oh. Lack of calcium often leads to night cramps. So that the lower leg stops hurting, you need to massage problem area and the spasm subsides.

Traumatization

It happens that after training in the gym or jogging, the leg begins to hurt. Pain develops immediately after the end of classes or after 8-10 hours. Most likely, the cause of pain is muscle strain. The pain covers the area below the knee, but can also be localized in the thigh. Damaged muscles slightly tense and increase in size; when probing, patients indicate discomfort. The leg area is swollen.

Muscle rupture looks much more dangerous. It is formed as a result of sprains or excessive contraction in the region of the ankle joint. Mostly the gap develops in the zone of transition of the tendon into the muscle. There are three degrees of muscle tear: mild, moderate, severe. At the last degree, there is a complete detachment of muscle fibers from the attachment site.

muscle tear characteristic of episodes when the limb suddenly bends in a direction different from the directed force. This can happen when braking hard while running. At the same time, at the place of the rupture, the leg suddenly begins to hurt, as if a direct blow had been struck on it. As the size of the hematoma and edema increase, soreness will increase.

Exercise stress

Often legs start to hurt professional conditions labor when a person is in a fixed position. Sellers, machine operators, hairdressers are forced to stand on straight legs for the entire shift. By the end of the day, heaviness appears in the lower extremities, the legs swell and begin to ache. The same type of physical activity creates conditions for stagnant processes in the legs, especially below the knee, which makes the pain unbearable.

Athletes often experience leg pain. During strength exercises and training, they experience tremendous stress on all joints. The affected limb can hurt both at the same time and constantly.

Diagnosis and treatment

To reveal the true cause of the pain, and choose the right treatment strategy, we need modern diagnostic tests. All of them are carried out after the patient has already been examined by a traumatologist and passed the necessary tests.

Diagnostic methods include:

Selection of medical and restorative procedures directly depend on the reason for which the legs began to hurt. Depending on the nature of the pain and the severity of the disease, the doctor prescribes either an outpatient or inpatient regimen.

Therapy similar diseases includes methods such as:

Medical treatment
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy

There are difficult cases when the only correct solution is surgery.

Every person sooner or later has such a problem: the legs hurt from the knee to the foot. There may be several reasons for this - both completely harmless (fatigue after a heavy labor day), and serious ones, the treatment of which cannot be delayed. Therefore, if pain in the legs, localized below the knee, is alarming, you should immediately consult a doctor for further examination.

Causes and localization of pain

The causes are mainly divided into two broad categories: pain from overwork that disappears after rest, and pain caused by serious pathologies such as arthritis, vein diseases.

Dynamics of destruction of cartilaginous tissue.

In most cases, the legs below the knees hurt on the side, back or front due to fatigue, heavy load on the legs, or improperly selected shoes, with high heels among women. In a word, such factors can be easily eliminated, and the pain can be removed with the help of therapy, massage or relaxation. If there is at least one of these factors, you can not worry about the serious origin of discomfort in the legs. To reduce them, you can resort to help.

Another cause of severe pain is the ligaments below the knee joint. Of course, such a problem also needs to be eliminated, but it does not carry potential danger. However, if the legs below the knees hurt for too long, you should not postpone a visit to the doctor.

The lower leg consists of the tibia and fibula, the knee joint above and the ankle joint below. Bones are surrounded by muscles, numerous ligaments and nerves. Damage to all of these tissues can cause pain below the knee. In most cases, discomfort occurs due to the process of destruction of the joint or its weakening. There is one more serious reason- phlebeurysm. It could also be nerve pain.

In some situations, for example, if a blood clot has formed in the leg, it is impossible to delay making an appointment with the doctor, since any moment can turn into an instant fatal outcome.

The main causes of discomfort in the legs:

injuries and damage to muscle tissue below the knee to the foot;
neurogenic pain (sciatica);
damage to the leg bones, knee joint or foot bones;
venous thrombosis;
rupture of the popliteal cyst ();
superficial vein thrombosis;
post-thrombophlebic syndrome;
lymphostasis;
squeezing the soft tissues of the leg below the knee and others.

Why there may be pain in the legs, you can learn more from the video:

Varicose veins of deep and superficial veins

This disease is quite difficult to diagnose immediately, as it makes itself felt already on late stages development. It is caused by overwork. circulatory system, in which too much passes through the vessels a large number of fluids, veins dilate and cause pain in the legs, often at night. If the disease is not treated, so-called spider veins- dead veins and capillaries inside soft tissues that no longer function. Varicose veins are often confused with other diseases, such as high blood pressure. The main symptoms of varicose veins are:

heaviness in the legs, which increases towards the foot;
Cramps in the legs;
pain in the calves and other muscles of the leg from the knee to the foot;
Edema that appears towards the end of the day, especially if it was spent on the feet and in uncomfortable shoes. Pass after a while after rest, especially in a horizontal position.

One of the causes of varicose veins is pregnancy, when the load on the legs, including the feet, increases greatly.

This disease develops rapidly. AT severe cases against its background, venous thrombosis occurs - much more dangerous phenomenon which requires an urgent visit to the hospital. With it, the disease begins to progress even faster, develops within a couple of days. The legs begin to hurt unbearably, go numb, whine, and the skin on them turns very red, and then turns blue. At the same time, the legs from below, in front and behind, swell strongly, pulsate, become hot. There is a sharp pain that makes it impossible to walk.

If such a condition is let out of control and no measures are taken, after 3-4 days tissue death occurs, the skin on the legs turns white, since there is no more blood supply in it. AT best case a person loses a leg, as gangrene forms, in the worst case, a fatal outcome occurs.

Discomfort below the knee due to nerve damage

Sometimes pains in the leg are neurogenic in nature, appear most often in the calves and have certain clear symptoms. Most often this occurs with lesions and pinching of the cutaneous or sciatic nerve. A disease of this origin is very easy to distinguish from the rest.

The sciatic nerve is the largest and densest in human body. It passes through the skin, muscles and other soft tissues legs. The nerve causes pain when it is destroyed, damaged or pinched as a result of injuries. In this case, the legs from the knee to the foot in men and women begin to hurt mainly on the back of the leg. Unpleasant sensations can be localized from the inside or outside legs. There is a burning sensation, tingling, and shooting pain, localized both in one and in both legs at once. There is also numbness or goosebumps in the lower extremities. All of these symptoms can spread to the knee and foot as well. Weakness and convulsions appear, a person is not able to perform elementary actions due to the pain that interferes with him.

Arthritis, arthrosis, joint damage

The lower leg is perceived as the distance between two joints - the knee and ankle. They are both very susceptible various injuries. A huge load rests on the knee, the weight of the entire human body. With the passage of time, the joint wears out, and closer to old age, problems begin with the destruction of the articular tissue, and the leg begins to hurt. Arthritis often affects not only the articular nodes, but, originating in them, passes to internal organs. The situation is aggravated if a person has an increased body weight, since in this case the pressure on the left knee and the right one increases many times over.

The foot is also a very traumatic place: because of its complex structure it breaks down very easily. The ankle is often tucked up in the process of walking, and happens. All this is reflected in the joint in a negative way. The load is slightly less strong on this joint, but since it is very thin, over the years it loses its performance and begins to hurt.

Symptoms of joint dysfunction:

Sharp and severe pain when moving the leg, which occurs in the articulation area and spreads along the nerves to the entire limb, is possible Blunt pain. This symptom is more pronounced in early stages; from the onset of the disease, many patients do not give mild pain values.
speaks of the processes of destruction in the joint, which are restored only through long-term treatment.
The more the disease progresses, the less mobile the knee or ankle becomes: pain and destruction processes make it difficult to move at full strength.
Edema and other types of deformation are possible as the pathology develops.

Lack of vitamins and minerals

Everyone knows the great positive value trace elements, vitamins and minerals on the human body and on all its individual parts. Medicine knows a rather large list of diseases that develop precisely due to a lack of nutrients in the blood and tissues. If the leg hurts below the knee, perhaps this is the reason.

First of all, pain and discomfort can be caused by a lack of calcium, which is a building block for bones. Magnesium is also important, so along with pain, strong prolonged cramps in the legs can occur, especially at night.

If the patient is wondering why the legs below the knees hurt in front, behind or on the side, it may be worth measuring the blood sugar level. Sometimes unpleasant feelings provoked by diabetes. This phenomenon is called polyneuropathy of the lower extremities. Especially often nagging pain in the legs occurs with diabetes stage 2 and above, when the disease affects not only the internal organs, but also the bones, nerves and muscle fibers. Sometimes it may appear strong feeling burning sensation in front of the leg below the knee in the ridge area tibia; numbness and cold limb syndrome occur, the leg can ache a lot. This disease is easy to recognize because the leg begins to hurt regardless of physical activity. The level of pain varies arbitrarily, but unpleasant feelings are always present.

There is a pathology called polyarthritis obliterans, when pain in the legs is caused by vasoconstriction and the formation of plaques on their walls. The patient feels severe pain in the leg and is unable to walk without limping. This is especially noticeable when standing for a long time or walking. Moreover, it is worth giving the legs a few minutes of rest, as the pain in the feet and lower legs disappears. This does not mean that in this situation it is not necessary health care. If treatment is delayed, the pain will increase over time, ulcers will appear on the skin, and pain will accompany the patient even in a state of complete rest.

Pain management and disease prevention

To get rid of discomfort in the legs, you need to resort to the help of a doctor. When nerves or soft tissues are damaged, they resort to therapy that will help restore them. It can be physiotherapy, taking medications, and so on. Serious surgical intervention should be resorted to only when the process of decay has begun in the leg. Everything else can be solved in more loyal ways. Some diseases are quite difficult to diagnose in the early stages, as they do not cause discomfort and pain. It is worth listening to your health and not ignoring the signals that the body sends, because pain is clear sign the fact that in some of the systems human body There has been an error that needs to be fixed.

Disease prevention

In order not to experience unpleasant pain You need to take good care of your body. First of all, it is worth excluding shoes that are not the right size, constant strong physical exertion on the legs, and you also need to monitor nutrition and follow a diet. It is useful to practice physical therapy, sports, swimming, and taking vitamins. It is worth limiting smoking and drinking alcohol.

Neurologist M. M. Shperling talks about common neurological and lower leg problems:

Pain in the leg from the knee to the foot is a very common phenomenon. The causes of this symptom in various age categories are not the same. In young people, leg pain is often triggered by excessive physical exertion and injuries. But in middle-aged people, diseases of the vessels of the lower limb are a common cause of pain.

Causes of pain

The lower part of the leg from the knee to the foot is called the lower leg. The lower leg is formed by two bones: the tibia and the fibula. From above, the patella is adjacent to these bone structures. From below, the tibia and fibula, together with the talus of the foot, form the ankle joint. Distinguish between the anterior and posterior surfaces of the leg.

We can safely assume that almost every person is familiar with pain in the lower leg. Indeed, excessive physical activity, when what is called the whole day on the legs, in the evening it makes itself felt with pain in the lower leg. But behind the pain can hide and independent diseases, which is extremely important to identify in a timely manner.

All probable causes The occurrence of pain in the lower leg can be divided conditionally into the following categories:

Shin injuries

In medical practice, leg injuries are quite common. Athletes - runners, football players, figure skaters are especially susceptible to this injury. Trauma of the lower leg is a collective concept that includes:

lower leg (tibial or fibula, patella);
shins;
shin bruise;
Stretching or tearing of the muscles of the leg;
shins.

As a rule, the definition of the diagnosis of "shin injury" is not difficult. The onset of pain is preceded by a blow to the leg, a fall on it, or strong physical exertion. The injury is accompanied by swelling of the lower leg, the formation of hematomas, and limited mobility of the leg. In case of fractures, the lower leg can be deformed, take an unnatural position, which is noticeable even to the naked eye. In order to confirm or refute a fracture of the lower leg, it is necessary to do.

Diseases of the vessels of the lower limb

From the state, tone of the vessels of the lower limb depends on the full blood supply, nutrition of the tissues of the lower leg. With a disease of the vessels of the lower leg of a person, a feeling of heaviness in the legs and even pain at the end of the day are disturbing. Diseases such as:

obliterating;
Obliterating endarteritis;
Acute veins of the lower leg;

Chronic occlusive arterial disease

Atherosclerosis and obliterating endarteritis are classified as chronic occlusive diseases of the arteries. These diseases, although they have various reasons, mechanisms of development, but are manifested very similar symptoms. The basis of occlusive diseases is gradual narrowing arteries, which ends with vascular obstruction. As a result, the blood supply to the tissues of the limb is disrupted, which leads to the development of trophic disorders and the appearance of pain.

Symptoms obliterating endarteritis similar to symptoms of atherosclerosis obliterans. So, chronic occlusive diseases are manifested by the following symptoms:

Increased fatigue of the legs;
Chilliness of the feet;
Paresthesia (numbness, crawling sensations on the skin);
Pallor of the skin (marbling) and cyanosis of the toes;
Intermittent claudication (intermittent walking with forced respite due to the resulting acute pain in the calves, which disappears after a short rest);
Pain in the lower leg, foot at rest and at night - are noted in the later stages of the disease;
Thinning of the skin, trophic ulcers;
Atrophy of the leg muscles.

Phlebeurysm

Pain in the leg from the knee to the foot can also be a manifestation varicose veins veins of the lower extremities. normal current blood is coming along the veins of the legs from the periphery to the center, and along the communicating veins - from superficial to deep. With varicose veins, on the contrary, the blood flow is directed from the center to the periphery, from the deep veins of the leg to the superficial ones. This is the so-called perverted blood flow. As a result, venous insufficiency develops.

On the initial stage human diseases are only disturbed by a feeling of heaviness, fullness in the legs after physical exertion and at the end of the day. However, these symptoms disappear in the morning after rest. In the future, varicose veins are clearly visible on the lower leg, swelling of the lower leg and foot develops, calf cramps, trophic ulcers on the skin occur. As the disease progresses, pain in the lower leg becomes a faithful companion of a person who gets him around the clock.

Acute vein thrombosis

Most dangerous cause the onset of pain from the knee to the foot is acute. When a person’s lower leg is concerned about pain and the presence painful hardening on the lower leg along the vein, difficulty walking. With deep vein thrombosis of the lower leg, the following are noted:

Swelling of the lower leg;
Blueness of the leg;
Bursting pains in the lower leg, aggravated by movement;
General weakness;
Increased body temperature.

The most formidable complication of acute deep vein thrombosis is the possibility of detachment and its entry into pulmonary artery, which can lead to death.

That is why, if, in addition to pain in the leg from the knee to the foot, a person has the above symptoms, you need to contact a surgeon to prevent complications of the disease.

Inflammatory diseases of the bones and soft tissues of the leg

The cause of pain in the leg from the knee to the foot may be hidden directly in the pathology of the bones of the lower leg. So, inflammation of the bone tissue of the lower leg is called. Infection of the bone can occur endogenously with the penetration of bacteria from existing purulent foci in the body. This type of osteomyelitis is typical for childhood. Another way of bone infection is exogenous, when bacteria enter the bone tissue from environment at open fractures, operations on the lower leg.

Osteomyelitis of the leg begins acutely. At the beginning of the disease, a person notes inexplicable weakness, malaise, fever, chills. After a few days, there is intense pain in the lower leg, which intensifies with the slightest movement. The lower leg is swollen, the skin is red and hot to the touch. The purulent process can also affect the knee or ankle joints. In the absence of treatment and the presence of a non-opening abscess, sepsis develops.

With inflammation of the skeletal muscles, myositis develops. The disease can be provoked by trauma, toxic effects, infectious diseases( , ), diseases connective tissue etc. The main signs of myositis of the lower leg are:

Aching pain in the leg, aggravated by movement and touching the affected muscles;
Often in sore muscles dense nodules and strands are palpable;
There may also be local redness of the skin of the lower leg and some swelling.

Infection of the soft tissues of the lower leg can also cause pain in the leg from the knee to the foot. For example, it can capture a large area of the lower leg, which causes spilled burning pains on the leg. characteristic feature disease is the appearance on the skin of a red spot with uneven boundaries in the form of flames. The shin in this area is edematous, the skin is hot to the touch. It also suffers general well-being human: fever, weakness, malaise are noted.

tibia is also accompanied painful sensations in the lower leg. This is a purulent diffuse inflammation of the soft tissues. Phlegmon is manifested not only by pain, but also by swelling of the leg, redness of the skin. General intoxication signs are also noted. Lack of treatment can lead to the development of sepsis.

Diseases of the spine

The muscles of the lower leg are innervated by two main nerves: the tibial and common peroneal. These nerve fibers originate from the sciatic nerve in the area of the popliteal fossa. In its turn sciatic nerve originates from the sacrum nerve plexus formed by the spinal nerves. Defeat nerve fibers at any level from spinal nerves, ending with nerve branches directly in the shin area, can manifest as a pain syndrome.

Damage to the spine in the lumbosacral region can lead to compression of the spinal nerves and, as a result, the appearance of pain in the lower leg. These are diseases of the spine such as:

Protrusion of the intervertebral disc;

When squeezing the spinal roots at the level of the lumbosacral spine, pain occurs that radiates to the buttock, thigh, lower leg, and foot. Any careless movement provokes an increase in pain. Paresthesias are also noted in the form of numbness, a feeling of crawling on the surface of the skin of the leg.

Diseases of the peripheral nervous system

Non-inflammatory lesion peripheral nerves called neuropathy. In general, neuropathies can occur with compression, traumatization of the nerve, metabolic disorders body, toxic effects.

With compression (compression) of the peripheral nerves in the anatomical constrictions (channels) by the surrounding musculoskeletal structures, such pathological condition how tunnel neuropathy . So, with compression of the common peroneal nerve, a person is disturbed by pain along outer surface shins and feet, paresthesia in the form of numbness, crawling sensation in this area. There is also a violation of the extension of the foot and fingers, difficulty in abducting the outer edge of the foot. When walking, a person raises his leg high, this gait is called "horse gait".

When squeezed tibial nerve tarsal tunnel syndrome develops in the tarsal canal. Symptoms of this disease are pain in the area of the inner ankle and foot (sometimes in the lower leg), a violation of sensitivity in this area in the form of burning, tingling of the skin, impaired movement of the foot, and a change in gait.

In their practice, physicians often encounter diabetic neuropathy lower limbs. Patients with diabetic neuropathy are concerned about pain in the lower leg and foot, crawling, skin burning, night cramps in the calf muscles. With long-term neuropathy, atrophy of the leg muscles occurs, and non-healing trophic ulcers appear on the skin.