Most people easily ignore or attribute leg pain while walking to age, being out of shape or overexertion.
But if the pain always comes on when you walk and goes away as soon as you sit down or stand still, that’s different.
This kind of pattern almost always suggests claudication, as the arteries in your legs are not supplying enough blood.
Knowing what to look for matters because catching it early makes a real difference.
Schedule an appointment with Heart Vascular & Leg Center today.
Claudication has a very specific feeling. It is not simply muscle pain.
Here’s what most people notice:
The cycle repeats. Walk, pain, stop, relief. Because your leg muscles demand more oxygen while you are moving than the narrowed arteries can supply.
Call us at 661-324-4100 to book your appointment!
Claudication usually comes from peripheral artery disease, or PAD. Fatty deposits build up inside the arteries that supply your legs. As they narrow, less blood gets through.
Your leg muscles manage fine when you’re sitting or standing. But the moment you start walking, they need more blood than those narrowed arteries can deliver. That’s when the cramping starts.
Where you feel claudication depends on which arteries are affected.
Most common spots:
Some people feel it in one area. Others notice it in multiple spots.
Not all leg cramps require a physician but claudication does. Delaying too much allows those arteries to become even narrower, and that can cause severe issues.
See a specialist if:
At Heart Vascular & Leg Center, we focus on PAD treatment using minimally invasive procedures.
This is aimed at restoring blood flow and averting amputation. The case of each patient is unique and thus, the treatment becomes customized.
What to expect during your visit:
Most procedures are outpatient. You go home the same day.
Book an appointment through our website or call us at 661-324-4100!
Claudication is a sign that your body is telling you something must be done. It does not disappear by neglecting it.
Through proper management, however, PAD can be dealt with and you can resume normal activities without pain, restricting the kinds of activities in which you engage.
Contact Heart Vascular & Leg Center in case you are experiencing pain in your legs that is affecting your normal routine. We can help!
Schedule Your Appointment With Heart Vascular & Leg Center Today
Is claudication the same as a leg cramp?
No. Normal cramps can occur at random and have no specific pattern. Claudication always occurs during walking or any kind of exercise and stops when the person rests.
Can claudication be reversed?
Even if narrowing of the arteries cannot always be completely ‘reversed,’ a state where blood can flow through and symptoms are absent can be attained.
Both in lifestyle changes and interventions, they play roles.
How fast does it actually develop?
That varies between individuals; some have a very slow development over years while others rapidly worsen. It is best caught early so that it does not advance.
What if I leave it alone?
Eventually, in someone with PAD who does not receive treatment, limb ischemia could set in!
This is where the limbs do not get enough blood and start hurting even at rest or develop non-healing wounds. This can eventually lead to tissue death.
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