Many times, we have the feeling of heavy and even painful legs, both in the morning when getting out of bed, as well as throughout the day or in the evening, at bedtime. It is important to correctly assess the pain of the legs, to discover the cause and to treat it properly.

In this condition, the lower limbs, especially the legs, do not receive enough blood, most commonly due to the narrowing of the arteries. As manifestations, there is a feeling of weakness, numbness or muscle cramps while walking. Also, the sensation of cold feet is common.

Giving up some habits such as smoking and taking appropriate medication helps in treating the condition. Some people may instead need surgery.

This condition involves the formation of a blood clot in a vein, usually in the thigh or lower leg. As symptoms, pain and swelling of the foot appear, as well as reddening and more intense heating of the foot, compared to the unaffected leg. It is necessary to urgently go to the physician because the blood clot can migrate into the lungs causing pulmonary embolism. With proper treatment, deep vein thrombosis can be prevented and/or treated.

It occurs when there are problems in the peripheral nerve which can be injured somewhere on their trajectory. Peripheral nerves are the connection between the central nervous system (brain and spinal marrow) and the effector structures (muscles, glands). The most common cause is diabetes, but there are other conditions, medications, injuries or infections that can cause peripheral neuropathy.

If the nerves in the legs are affected, manifestations such as: stinging, tingling or a feeling of weakness and/or pain in them occur. Because it is possible to make balance and gait to be difficult, physical therapy, through specific exercise programs, helps increase muscle strength and improve balance. Also, certain medications, recommended by a doctor help relieve pain.

Electrolytes are minerals such as sodium, potassium and calcium that help muscles function properly. Through excessive sweating or after treatments that accelerate diuresis, electrolytes may be lost and muscle cramps and/or numbness and weakness may occur in the legs.

Proper hydration, as well as foods rich in these minerals can help prevent electrolyte imbalances. If muscle cramps persist, a visit to the physician is necessary.

Sciatica is a condition of the sciatic nerve, which manifests with pain in the entire lower limb, from the hip to the legs, caused by the brushing (pinching) of the sciatic nerve at the level of the lumbar spine, following a slipped (herniated) intervertebral disc or a slipped vertebrae. The symptoms usually manifest themselves only on one side of the body, weakness/numbness and/or pain can occur in different parts of the affected leg. Anti-inflammatory drug treatment together with physical therapy is the basis of the treatment in sciatica.

Arthritis is a condition that affects the joints and causes pain, swelling and stiffness. When arthritis affects the hips, knees or ankles, walking, and other daily activities will become difficult to perform and will be accompanied by pain. Maintaining body weight within normal limits, as well as daily exercise, helps the joints to remain flexible.

It happens often during physical activities, without proper warm-up beforehand. The pain is intense, and the area is delicate to the touch. Rest, locally applied ice, in sessions of 5-10 minutes 3-5 times / day, as well as muscle relaxing and pain reliever medication help restore the affected muscle.

This injury occurs when the ligaments are stretched or even torn, the ankle sprains being quite common. The injured area swells, hurts and does not support body weight. The best way to treat an ankle sprain is rest, locally applied ice, in sessions of 5-10 minutes 3-5 times/day, compressive bandages at the level of the injured ankle, as well as lifting the foot on a pillow/support above the level of the heart (its elevation). An x-ray of the affected ankle as well as a specialist medical consultation are required.

It happens when the muscles and tissues around the tibia become inflamed, which causes the inner edge of the bone to hurt. It is a common condition for athletes. Flat feet, rigid arches or inappropriate footwear are favoring factors of periostitis. The best treatment is rest, ice applied locally, in sessions of 10-20 minutes several times a day, as well as anti-inflammatory medication.

Stress fractures are small cracks in the bones, which occur as a result of excessive physical effort. These are common in the case of performance athletes who are subjected to high intensity training, a situation in which the muscles around the bones are overworked and do not cushion the impact of the movement as they should. Rest along with physiotherapy and physical therapy is the best treatment for a stress fracture, but it can take up to 6 weeks for a complete recovery. Make sure that the fracture is completely healed before resuming physical activity in order to avoid relapses and/or other injuries.

11. TENDINITIS

Tendons are flexible cords that connect muscles to bones. Inflammation of the tendons (tendinitis) manifests itself with intense pain. Tendinitis is an injury caused by wear, which can affect the hips or knees or ankle. As in the case of a sprain, the best way to treat tendonitis is: rest, locally applied ice, in sessions of 5-10 minutes of 3-5 times/day, compressive bandages at the level of the affected area, as well as raising the affected leg on a pillow/support, above the level of the heart (its elevation). Anti-inflammatory medication also helps reduce pain and inflammation.

When the veins have to work hard to send blood back to the heart (the return circulation), they swell and become colored blue or dark purple. As manifestations, the sensation of heavy, painful and even hot legs appears. It is more likely that varicose veins will appear with time or in case of increased body weight, in pregnancy or if one stands a lot. Losing weight, exercising as well as wearing compression stockings help.