Why You May Have Pain in Your Legs
Pain in your legs with activity or at night can be a message you are dealing with low oxygen, depleted minerals, + high blood pressure. Let’s talk about it.
Muscle pain that presents in your thigh, calf, and butt during activity may be claudication. Claudication is due to a lack of oxygen + blood flow and it is often triggered by activity and relieved by rest. It often goes undiagnosed because people normalize the pain as a normal part of aging.
Claudication is said to be caused by narrowed or blocked arteries in your legs or in the body’s main artery (the aorta). It can be intermittent or chronic. The blockages usually happen due to narrowing and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the legs. This is said to be caused by plaque build-up inside the arteries.
Risk factors for developing this include:
Risk factors
Potential risk factors for peripheral artery disease and claudication include:
A family history of atherosclerosis, peripheral artery disease or claudication
Age older than 50 years if you also smoke or have diabetes
Age older than 70 years
Chronic kidney disease
Diabetes
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Obesity (a body mass index, or body mass index (BMI), over 30)
Smoking
Pain is always a message from your body and in this case, it may be presenting because it is telling you that you have reduced blood flow, mineral depletion (like magnesium + potassium) +/or poor oxygenation to your muscles.
If this is ignored, it can lead to worsening high blood pressure over time because of how interconnected our bodies are.
Blood pressure can worsen due to the narrowing of the arteries + chronic stress on your system. Chronic stress causes your body to burn through minerals + energy + further impact blood flow resulting in worsening pain + fatigue. It can be an exhausting cycle.
Typical symptoms include but are not limited to:
Pain, a burning feeling, or a tired feeling in the legs and buttocks when you walk.
Achy legs at night.
Shiny, hairless, blotchy foot skin that may get sores.
The leg is pale when raised (elevated) and red when lowered.
Cold feet.
Impotence in men.
High blood pressure.
Conventional diagnostic/treatment recommendations often include:
ABI (Ankle brachial Index)
Compression stockings
Addressing metabolic issues
Statins + blood thinning medications
If severe, an angioplasty or surgery is often recommended.
Here are some alternatives I would explore for a full body approach (these are options to dive deeper into, given for education, + not medical advice):
Explore your breathing patterns:
Sleep apnea, mouth breathing, + shallow breathing can lead to your body holding onto chronic tension + decrease oxygen throughout your limbs, worsening peripheral issues. This can be supported once discovered.
Explore your mineral status:
This is best done with an HTMA test + blood labs. Low potassium + magnesium can worsen tension in the body + even influence your blood pressure. Topical magnesium for example often helps leg pain.
An HTMA can also reveal how your unique body is using calcium. Calcium can build up in your soft tissues and worsen hardened arteries (which worsens your circulation + makes you prone to vascular + arterial diseases). Learning about your unique pattern helps you build a targeted nutrition plan.
Explore L carnitine + Vitamin E. In some studies L Carnitine has been shown to be helpful to reduce symptoms of intermittent claudication. Vitamin E has also been shown to be protective against atherosclerosis.
Explore fascia work +/or work with a fascial trained therapist.
Fascia is a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place. It does more than just provide internal structure; fascia has nerves that make it almost as sensitive as skin. When stressed, it tightens up. Chronic tension may reduce blood flow + worsen neuropathy type symptoms. There are ways to support the body to release tension in the fascia once this is identified.
Practice arm cranking (31641667)
Arm cranking is a form of exercise that helps support posture stability + function. It is a great alternative for a season if chronic pain is preventing you from moving as much as you would like + has been found to lower blood pressure.
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References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/claudication/symptoms-causes/syc-20370952
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430778/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9070558/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8874674/#:~:text=This%20observation%20suggests%20that%20vitamin,by%2014%25%20%5B31%5D.
