{"id":1731,"date":"2022-05-05T14:20:18","date_gmt":"2022-05-05T18:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/physioex.impulsionmedia.com\/?post_type=condition&p=1731"},"modified":"2026-03-04T11:40:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T16:40:22","slug":"leg-pain","status":"publish","type":"condition","link":"https:\/\/physioextra.ca\/en\/condition\/leg-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Leg Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Definition and symptoms<\/h2>\n

Leg pain can appear in different forms: burning sensations, tingling, numbness, or sharp pain. It may be constant or occur during certain activities.<\/p>\n

For example, pain caused by the sciatic nerve can radiate from the buttock down to the foot, often accompanied by pins-and-needles or an electric-shock sensation. Periostitis (shin splints), on the other hand, presents as sharp pain or a burning sensation on the inner side of the lower leg.<\/p>\n

Why does my leg hurt?<\/h2>\n
\n

<\/span>Irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve (sciatica)<\/h3>
\nPain caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve typically shows up as tingling, numbness, or even electric-shock sensations in the affected leg, following the path of the sciatic nerve. It often accompanies lower back pain, though not always. This pain may increase when sitting, during prolonged standing, and with hip movements. When more intense, the pain is sometimes felt as a burning sensation.<\/p>\n

Irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve, called sciatica<\/a>, can be caused by irritation of a nerve root at the spine (from a bulge or a herniated disc<\/a>, osteoarthritis, degenerative changes, etc.).<\/p>\n

The muscles at the back of the thigh and the calves can also be the source of irritation of the sciatic nerve.<\/p>\n

Sciatica can be caused by different conditions<\/strong> (learn more<\/a>), for example compression by the piriformis muscle or a herniated disc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Compression of the nerve by the piriformis muscle (piriformis syndrome)<\/strong>
    \nIrritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve can also be caused by a structure in the leg that prevents the nerve from moving properly, such as the piriformis muscle (also called the pyramidal muscle) located in the buttock. When this muscle compresses the sciatic nerve, it is called piriformis syndrome (or pyramidal syndrome).<\/li>\n
  2. Herniated disc<\/strong>
    \nA     herniated disc<\/a> or spinal stenosis (often caused by degenerative changes, such as from osteoarthritis) can also cause sciatica. These conditions may irritate the nerve root as it exits through the foramen between the lumbar vertebrae. Learn more about herniated discs<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

    <\/span>Tibial periostitis (shin splints)<\/h3>
    \nPeriostitis<\/a> is an inflammation of the periosteum, caused by excessive tension during muscle contractions. It presents as localized pain in the middle third of the tibia, on its inner or outer border. It may be accompanied by burning, tenderness to touch, and tissue hardening due to repetitive mechanical stress that exceeds the body\u2019s recovery capacity.<\/p>\n

    Periostitis, also called medial tibial stress syndrome, is quite common among runners. This painful injury generally occurs when the leg muscles are overworked beyond their capacity to adapt. It is common in new runners, when resuming training, or after increasing running volume or intensity too quickly. Other frequent causes of leg pain can stem from a poor running pattern, overtraining, muscle weakness, or a lack of mobility.<\/p>\n

    Learn more about periostitis in runners<\/a><\/em>
    \n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

    Book an appointment<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":10417,"template":"","class_list":["post-1731","condition","type-condition","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLeg Pain: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments | PhysioExtra<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Leg pain? Discover the possible causes, symptoms, and effective treatments. From prevention to rehabilitation, we\u2019re here to help.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/physioextra.ca\/en\/condition\/leg-pain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Leg Pain | PhysioExtra\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Leg pain? Discover the possible causes, symptoms, and effective treatments. 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