“I move, therefore I am.” – Haruki Murakami
Almost everyone experiences the leg pain of sore, overused muscles occasionally. And many know the pain and crippling effect of sprained joints or tendons in their legs.
For athletes and physically active people especially, leg pain ranks with foot pain for being a hindrance to exercising and working out. But chronic leg pain is not only debilitating, it can be a symptom of something far worse than “sore muscles.”
What’s Really Behind Chronic or Recurring Leg Pain
The good news is that most leg pain is a result of wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues. That’s good news because these conditions can be both effectively treated and prevented.
However, some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine. Chronic or recurring leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, varicose veins or poor circulation. For many physically active people and athletes, knee pain and “pinched” nerves can wreak havoc in their legs.
This is why we will often rely on Active Release Technique® for treating the underlying causes of leg pain. Unlike the typical physical therapy approaches, Active Release Technique®, or ART®, is an unique soft-tissue treatment system developed by Dr. P. Michael Leahy.
ART® is one of the most well-known techniques among practitioners of bodywork and it works primarily by breaking up scar tissue adhesions and other unhealthy tissues that can develop in your body.
Adhesions can occur when muscles – leg muscles, for example – are repeatedly put under an unusual amount of stress, such as running, squatting or jumping. In response, the body attempts to reinforce these muscles by increasing tension and building up layers of collagen fibers.
In addition to the response to muscle stress, damage to the muscle tissues can result in scarring and, in some cases, scar tissue adhesion. This can cause pain by itself or entrap nerves and tendons in the body.
One of the most effective means of treating these conditions is through Active Release Technique®. According to an article by the Journal of Physical Therapy Science,
“Active Release Technique (ART) is a manual therapy for the recovery of soft tissue function that involves the removal of scar tissue, which can cause pain, stiffness, muscle weakness, and abnormal sensations including mechanical dysfunction in the muscles, myofascia, and soft tissue. The effectiveness of ART has been reported for carpal tunnel syndrome, Achilles tendonitis, and tennis elbow, all of which involve soft tissue near joints in the distal parts of the body.”
Common Leg Aches and Pains
There are, of course, more common and easily treatable causes of leg pain. Chief among these are muscle cramps – often in the calf, shin splints, and tendonitis. A common injury for many athletes and runners is an inflamed Achilles tendon, a result of overworking the calf muscles.
Another common and unfortunate case of leg pain can be sciatica. This can be the result of a narrowed spinal canal, but is more often due to a bulging or herniated disc that puts pressure on nearby nerve roots, leading to symptoms of sciatica. These include:
- Burning, cramping leg pain when standing or sitting
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Fatigue
- Weakness
The pain may begin in your back or hip, and then extend down into your leg. Unfortunately, while rest is often the cure for other types of leg pain, it doesn’t help sciatica.
With cases of sciatica, ART® can be used to reduce the pain, and break up adhesions and scar tissue of the muscle that may be entrapping the nerve. In addition, this can help reduce any muscle spasms that are contributing to the problem.
There Is Hope for Relief From Chronic Pain
Are you experiencing leg pain after working out? It may not be that you’re just “overdoing it.”
We invite you to call for an appointment. During your initial consultation and assessment we will learn all we can about your present pain and condition, along with any history of discomfort, as well as your current level of activity.
Treating and relieving your leg pain starts once we understand where and how your pain started.
A full examination will help us determine which form of treatment is best suited to get you on your road to recovery. Your trust in us is key, as is your honesty. Ultimately, getting your body healthy and working properly is the only way to achieve total recovery.
Our goal is to work through the sequence of pain and dysfunction in order to get your body healthy and working properly and to achieve total recovery.
We know that, with time and patience on your part, it is possible to bring relief from pain. Our overall goal is to identify why and how your pain exists and then correct it with as little discomfort as possible, so you can return to life without fear of it returning.
Contact us now at (707) 636-4404 or use our online booking form to set up a consultation and an office walkthrough. At the end of the day, we are here for you and to help you achieve a happy and healthy life.