Pain in the Legs? Exercise and Visit Metro Vascular Centers : Active women often experience muscle cramps as a result of their physical activity. Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC) are a largely unexplored territory, and to treat cramps in the legs, abdomen, and arms associated with physical activity, doctors often recommend proper stretching, proper hydration, and rest if they get too bad.
These cramps typically feel like stiffness of the muscles and can present themselves as visible bulging and knots under the skin. They go away within a manner of minutes, but their effects can be felt for hours or days afterwards.
Although painful, there is little worry about the impact on the body over the long-term. However, more generalized, dull pain that persists in limbs may be a sign of more serious issues or the pathway to more serious issues. For women over the age of 65 who experience leg pain, treatment can be especially troublesome. As women age, exercise becomes an issue. Along with the tremendous toll that aging takes on the body, having painful legs can impact the ability to exercise. This shows in statistics – as only as many as 34% of elderly people consider themselves to be physically active.
Unfortunately, lack of exercise because of occasional pain can lead to longer-term pain and health impacts, including Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). PAD presents itself as pain, which at first is just generalized but eventually can lead to ulcers on the leg, changes in toenails and skin tone and quality, and change in the color of the skin itself. This is especially present after exercise, which can lead women to neglect exercise to alleviate pain.
Sticking to an exercise regimen in coordination with your doctor’s expertise is especially important in a woman’s early forties, as the male versus female ratio of PAD indicates that women are more prone to this disease in their forties and fifties then men. Starting an exercise regimen before the onset of other age-related issues can help prepare the body for aging.
It is especially important for women to work with their doctors concerning exercise and leg pain to stave off PAD because of its ill health effects as the disease progresses. PAD is caused by plaque buildups on arterial walls, which causes poor circulatory health. If left untreated, this can worsen symptoms, preventing exercise and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Because women have an increased likelihood of stroke over the course of their lives, any leg pain should be discussed with their doctor.
If you are experiencing symptoms of PAD, your doctor will likely refer you to specialists – like those at Metro Vascular Centers. With proper treatment, PAD outlook is optimistic, and women can go on with their regular lives.
Related Videos about Pain in the Legs :
Vascular Leg Disease – The Nebraska Medical Center
Understanding Peripheral Vascular Disease
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR4ncezVFcI
Exercises For Improving Blood Circulation In Legs
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Ask a Cardiologist: Is leg pain a sign of vascular disease?
Related Infographics about Pain in the Legs :
Pain in the Legs? Exercise and Visit Metro Vascular Centers
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