Leg pain that comes on with walking and forces you to stop is one of the commonest complaints in sports and exercise medicine, especially in older people. The medical term is claudication. Many people link it to blocked arteries — but there are actually two distinct types: vascular and neurogenic — and getting the [...]
Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome, or PAES, is an uncommon but important cause of exertional leg pain in young people. It occurs when the popliteal artery is compressed by the surrounding muscles or tendons behind the knee, particularly during exercise. Left undiagnosed, this repeated compression can lead to popliteal artery occlusion, damage, or thrombosis. Because [...]
Calf Pain While Running: What Are the Possible Causes? Many runners ask, "Why do my calves hurt when I run?" Calf pain while running can be frustrating, and it isn't always a simple muscle problem. The causes range from muscle tears to stress fractures, nerve entrapment, and blood vessel narrowing. This guide covers the [...]
Superficial peroneal nerve entrapment is a relatively uncommon cause of outer leg pain. It's often misdiagnosed or overlooked because its symptoms can mimic more common conditions such as shin splints, exertional compartment syndrome, lower-leg tendonitis, or nerve impingement from the spine. This guide explains the anatomy, causes, differential diagnosis, clinical assessment, and treatment of [...]
Iliac artery endofibrosis (IAE) is a rare but significant condition affecting endurance cyclists and runners. This vascular disorder — associated with repetitive strain and high-intensity exercise — can compromise blood flow to the legs, causing pain and reduced performance. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatment is essential for athletes wanting to maintain performance and [...]
Unexplained muscle pain, cramping, and tiredness in active people can stem from many conditions that affect energy production — anaemia, diabetes, or hormone abnormalities, among them. One rare muscle condition that affects physical performance is McArdle's disease. So what is McArdle's disease, how do we diagnose it, and how is it managed? McArdle's disease [...]
Pain below the kneecap has many causes — patellofemoral pain, knee arthritis, and tendonitis among them. A less common cause is saphenous nerve entrapment near the knee, which can lead to significant discomfort and reduced mobility. So what causes saphenous nerve pain, and how is it treated? What is the saphenous nerve? The [...]
Two of the most common causes of shin pain in runners and athletes are shin splints and stress fractures. The symptoms overlap, so telling them apart can be tricky — yet it matters, because the two are treated very differently. Here's how we determine shin splints vs stress fractures, and how we treat each. [...]
The soleus muscle is a large, powerful, deep muscle in the calf, vital for everyday activities such as walking and running. Some people have an extra soleus muscle in the lower calf, called an accessory soleus muscle. Sometimes this accessory muscle causes problems, including unexplained pain in the calf and ankle. So what is [...]
Multiple nerves supply the front, sides and back of the foot. These nerves can be pinched by joints, muscles and tendons within the foot, causing pain, numbness, and pins and needles. What are the most common causes of a pinched nerve in the foot, and how do we manage these conditions? Common causes of [...]
