The shin is part of the leg from the knee to the heel, the pain in which can be caused by the defeat of any of its components: muscles, tendons, ligaments, vessels, periosteum. Because the pain in the legs below the knee - a fairly common phenomenon, and they can arise for a variety of reasons. In most cases, such pain is episodic, often not requiring serious treatment and caused by excessive physical stress or micronutrient deficiency. But this problem can also arise due to injuries and illnesses.
Why do the legs hurt below the knees?
Let's consider the main reasons for which the legs below the knees can hurt.
Defeat of the calf muscles
In the first place - this is a great physical exertion, which can cause pain in the muscles, and sometimes severe convulsions. In addition, cramps in the calf muscles can be caused by a deficiency in the body of certain trace elements (potassium, calcium, magnesium). These causes of pain in the muscles of the legs below the knee are quite easily amenable to elimination. More serious are the cases of the appearance in the muscles of inflammatory processes, as well as the pain caused by various injuries and strains.
Lesion of ligaments and tendons
The most common cause in this case is sprain. But variants of damage and inflammation of ligaments and tendons, usually requiring long-term treatment (for example, ruptures) are possible.
Injuries and diseases of bones and joints
This category includes dislocations, bone fractures and diseases such as arthritis, arthrosis, inflammation of the knee menisci. If the leg bone is lower than the knee, then this is an alarming symptom, because unlike muscle pains - this is usually a sign of a serious illness or injury.
Disorders of blood vessels and nerves
Venous thrombosis, varicose veins, constriction of blood vessels, pinching and nerve damage.
Other reasons
This list includes causes that are not the result of direct damage to the legs below the knees, but can cause pain in them. Such factors are violation of water-salt balance in the body, inflammation of the subcutaneous adipose tissue, radiculitis , pregnancy.
Treatment of pain in the legs below the knee
The pain can be different in type, periodicity and place of origin, but it is always unpleasant sensations, because if the leg is hurting below the knee, then, naturally, it has to be treated.
The easiest, resolvable problem is muscle pains or cramps. If they are the result of physical overstrain, then no specific treatment except for massage and gentle treatment is required. If the legs below the knee hurt at night, and convulsions occur, then this symptom is most likely caused by a deficiency of trace elements and requires the intake of vitamin preparations.
If the leg below the knee is hurting from the front, this usually indicates an inflammatory process in the tendon tissues or joints, the development of which is usually associated with exercise and received with this microtrauma. With such symptoms, the most gentle regimen is prescribed, up to the application of fixative bandages, and
Long aching pain in the leg below the knee, as a rule, is a symptom of the developing inflammatory process, arthrosis, arthritis , rheumatoid condition. Direct symptoms can be removed using ointments with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.
Given that the pain in the legs can have a wide variety of origins, in cases where acute pain does not stop more than 2-3 days, or is constantly worse, accompanied by swelling, restricts mobility, you need to immediately consult a doctor and not self-medicate.