When Leg Pain Requires Surgery: 3 Signs to Watch Out For By Phil Raasch

If you played a lot of sports growing up, it’s easy to dismiss pain and discomfort in your legs as old injuries and pains acting up. Similarly, even if you weren’t overly active in your youth, just knowing that aches and pains are a part of growing older might make you dismiss leg pain for a long time. However, if you’re ignoring something like peripheral arterial disease, that pain is a sign that your body is doing damage to itself, and the longer you go without getting treated, the more damage you’ll do to your body.

Leg pain could be an old injury – but it could also be the result of damage to your muscles and tissues. Get to a doctor or see a surgeon specialist as soon as possible to determine if you need surgery to improve your pain. When it comes to your health and pain management, it’s best to err on cautious side of things. It’s better to have a specialist tell you don’t need surgery than to go without a specialist visit and later find out your ability to walk is going to be inhibited because you didn’t act fast enough. If anything, you’ll at least be able to discuss ways to manage your pain.

Frequent Cramps

Cramps in your legs may be associated with a vascular problem in which your muscles aren’t receiving adequate blood flow. Blood, and the oxygen and nutrients it delivers, must be circulated for healthy, pain-free tissue. If your blood vessels are thick and rough instead of smooth, blood has more difficulty circulating throughout your body, and your legs, being quite far from your heart, may be the first area that experiences the cramps due to inadequate circulation. Over time, these cramps may be an indicator of permanent damage to your tissues and muscles. Angioplasty and stenting are two options your surgeon may recommend to improve the blood flow in your legs.

Non-Healing Wounds

If you injure yourself on your thigh, calf, ankle or foot and the wound seems to be taking an abnormally long time to heal, it could be because there isn’t enough blood flowing through your legs to properly form clots to heal your wound. If you’re already experiencing leg pain on a frequent basis, or any odd leg sensation, such as numbness and tingling, and you have a wound on the lower body that won’t heal, speak with a doctor or go straight to a surgeon specialist as soon as possible. Fast action is needed not only to avoid an infection and get the wound healing, but also to determine the underlying causes and improve the blood flow in your legs before there’s further damage.

Decreased Hair Growth

Paying attention to the hair on your legs might be the last thing on your mind when you’re experiencing frequent leg pain, but it can be another indicator of inadequate blood circulation. Watch for thinning leg hair, or if you shave your legs, pay attention to how quickly it takes to grow back and how thick it is when it does. If the hair is taking longer and is thinner, it may be a sign your leg pain is the result of a serious vascular condition.

After a few days or weeks or recovery, you’ll likely need physical therapy following leg surgery. However, while you’ll need to take it easy for a while, eventually, you’ll be able to walk, stand and sit pain-free. Surgery may be a last resort, but it’s often the most effective – or only way – to stop pain.

About the Author: Phil Raasch is a health and living blogger and a nurse from the Florida area. He recommends anyone experiencing leg pain find surgical health experts to discuss treatment.

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