(801) 486-1818Legs, from the hips to the ankles, can be injured during athletic exertion. Overuse or misuse can often cause sprains (when a ligament is torn or wrenched) or even broken bones. The RICE method is a common sequence of at-home treatments for many leg injuries: R-rest, I-ice, C-compression, and E-elevation. In the face of leg pain, visit with one of our chiropractors in Millcreek, Utah to correctly diagnose and treat the cause of your leg pain.
Hamstring Tear
The hamstrings are the group of muscles that run along the back of the thigh and allow your leg to extend or bend at the knee. Pushing your hamstrings beyond their limit can result in injury, yielding leg pain and even bruising. Exercises and stretches meant for rehabilitation can strengthen the hamstring muscles, and increased flexibility can help protect against leg pain caused by hamstring strain.
An imbalance in the muscles, such as is caused by past muscle injury, can put you at risk of hamstring tear. Our muscle reactivation treatments using AMIT can resolve such muscle imbalances.
Problems in Lower Spine
When leg pain is caused by damage to or compression of the sciatic nerve (often by a herniated or bulging disc), it is referred to as sciatica. The sciatic nerve begins in the lower back and branches down both legs to the feet. The subsequent referred pain is sharp, like an electric shock. Such leg pain can be resolved by relieving pressure on the sciatic nerve through spinal decompression and traction.
Poor Circulation and Clotting
The veins in the legs can cause acute leg pain when they do not function properly. Varicose veins (dilated or enlarged veins) manifest when blood pools in the veins instead of circulating back into the heart. The affected veins can be discolored and even painful. Thrombosis refers to when blood clots block arteries or veins, and deep vein thrombosis describes a blood clot in a deep vein. Leg pain, swelling, and numbness result. Regular chiropractic adjustments can relieve the pressure on the veins and mitigate consequent leg pain.
Muscle Cramping
Often occurring when a person doesn’t get enough water, muscle cramping describes when a muscle seizes up. Cramps typically go away on their own, but if you experience leg cramping often, talk with your chiropractor about potential changes in routine.
Tendonitis
Your tendons connect your muscles and your bones, and tendonitis refers to when the tendons become inflamed. It is caused by wear and tear, and when it occurs in the ankles or knees, it results in leg pain. Rest and targeted exercises and stretches can quell leg pain caused by tendonitis.
Shin Splints
When the tissues and muscles around the tibia in your shin become inflamed, it is called medial tibial stress syndrome, or, more commonly, shin splints. The muscles press in against the bone, causing leg pain and tenderness. Shin splints left untreated can trigger stress fractures in the tibia. The risk of shin splints is greater in runners and those whose exercise routines suddenly become more intense, as well as in people with flat feet or high arches. Rest is the best method for recovery and prevention the best medicine. Make sure your shoes support your feet properly and consider exercise that is lower impact.
ACL Tear
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the ligament or band of tissue that connects the femur in your thigh to your tibia. The ACL is most commonly damaged during the play of sports that involve a lot of sudden stopping and changing direction, such as soccer, skiing, and American football. Tearing the ACL causes swelling, limited mobility, inability for the leg in question to bear weight, and of course leg pain. The recommended treatment is rest to allow the ligament to heal and rehabilitation exercises to strengthen it.