Lower Leg Pain and Associated Symptoms
We can divide lower leg pain into two types: anterior and posterior. In other words, it could be your shin or your calf that hurts.
When your shin hurts, the pain is located in the front, where you can find the bony part of the lower leg, some muscles, and several ligaments. When your calf hurts, you mainly have muscle in the posterior part of your lower leg, so it is more likely a muscle-related problem.
So, let’s break down pain into calf pain and shin pain and examine other signs and symptoms that you may also experience and what they probably mean:
- Calf pain: This is the type of pain located on the back of your lower leg. It can be due to many different causes, including strains, sprains, bruises, and even diseases such as gout or cancer. You can even have a distant problem that reflects on your calves, which is the case of sciatica pain. If you suspect that you might have a more severe injury, like a fracture, it is essential to call your doctor immediately.
- Shin pain: This type of lower leg pain is located at the front of your leg. It can be triggered by any number of issues, but the most common ones are strains, sprains, or fractures. There’s a common condition out there known as shin splints, which is the most likely cause of this type of pain in athletes and physically active people.
- Dull pain: After considering the location of pain, it is also important to evaluate its characteristics. In other words, whether it is dull, sharp, or burning pain. Dull pain is a type of long-standing and usually low-grade pain that feels more like a type of discomfort than outright pain. It doesn’t make patients go to the emergency room, but it can be quite disturbing. Dull pain sometimes feels like you are carrying a heavy load with your lower legs. It is more common when you have circulation problems in your legs, and it can also be triggered as you recover from the acute and sharp pain.