Leg Pain?

Chronic leg pain is not always caused by intermittent claudication and pinpointing the cause is not an easy task. The chart below can be one tool for distinguishing between the different types of leg pain. Be sure to see your health professional with any concerns for any of these conditions. For more information on intermittent claudication, visit our web site at www.vdf.org.

Claudication versus Other Causes of Leg Pain*

Clinical Condition	Location of Pain	Association with Exercise	Relieved By
Intermittent claudication	Calf, hip, buttock or thigh	Always	Stopping
Lumbar spinal stenosis	Calf, hip, buttock or thigh	Yes, and also when standing	Flexing or moving the spine
Herniated disc	Radiates down the leg	Varies	Varies. Aspirin or anti-inflammation drugs
Osteoarthritis	Hips, knees, ankles	Varies. Not always reproducible	Varies. Aspirin or anti-inflammation drugs