Leg Pain Care at UVM Health
Leg pain can range from a dull, constant ache to severe pain that interferes with your ability to walk and exercise. There are many underlying causes of leg pain. At University of Vermont Health, we use advanced diagnostic tools to identify the source of your leg pain and find the most effective treatment for you.
Your care is in the hands of expert sports medicine physicians and foot and ankle surgeons who work together to create comprehensive, personalized care plans to help you find relief and continue to participate in the activities you love.
Why Choose UVM Health?
As one of the leading orthopedic programs in the region, we offer:
- Advanced tools: The team at UVM Health offers compartment pressure measurements, an important tool for diagnosing chronic exertional compartment syndrome that isn’t widely available in other health systems.
- Team approach: Foot, ankle and leg surgeons partner with sports medicine physicians to offer full-spectrum care. This collaborative care approach allows us to effectively address all underlying causes of leg pain.
- Research emphasis: As part of a health system anchored by an academic medical center, our physicians are active researchers, many of whom are training the next generation of experts. We are at the forefront of research into orthopedic care.
Causes of Leg Pain
Sometimes leg pain is the direct result of a traumatic injury. In other cases, it develops over time. The most common causes of leg pain include:
- Achilles tendon tears: Partial or complete tears in the thick band of tissue that connects the calf muscles to the heel
- Calf muscle tears: Sudden injuries to the muscle tissue that starts behind your knee and extends to your heel
- Exertional compartment syndrome: A rare condition that occurs when your muscles swell too much during exercise, causing pain
- Stress fractures: Cracks or breaks in your bones
Diagnosing Leg Pain
When diagnosing leg pain, your provider examines your legs, ankles and feet. They’ll ask about your symptoms, including when they started, how they’ve progressed and what, if anything, relieves them.
Then we use several tests, including:
Leg Pain Treatment
Leg pain usually improves with rest and at-home cold therapy. But if leg pain is ongoing, you may need more specialized treatment. Our team starts with noninvasive options, only progressing to surgery when it’s the most effective choice. Your leg pain treatment plan may include:
You may need to wear a brace, cast or special boot. These devices keep your foot and leg stable while you heal.
A physical therapist can teach you exercises that improve your mobility and strength. Physical therapy can help relieve pain and reduce your risk of future injury.
In rare cases, you may need a fasciotomy to treat exertional compartment syndrome. During a fasciotomy, your surgeon makes small incisions in your fascia without damaging your muscle tissue. This allows your muscles to expand during exercise without pain.
Most stress fractures heal without surgery, but occasionally surgery is needed to stabilize the bones with plates, screws or rods.
Supportive Care at Home
We provide support to families in Chittenden and Grand Isle counties caring for older adults and people with chronic conditions.
Locations Near You
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1110 Prim Road
Colchester, VT 05446
75 Park Street
Elizabethtown, VT 12932
101 Adirondack Drive
Suite 1
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
187 Park Street
Suite 2
Malone, NY 12953-1233
6 San Remo Drive
South Burlington, VT 05403-6378
1311 Barre Montpelier Road
Suite 400
Berlin, VT 05602
192 Tilley Drive
South Burlington, VT 05403-4440
1311 Barre Montpelier Road
Suite 400
Berlin, VT 05602
206 Cornelia Street
Suite 201
Plattsburgh, NY 12901-2779
