
Leg pain
Get expert care for all types of leg pain, including sports injuries, stress fractures and chronic exertional compartment syndrome, at The UVM Medical Center.

Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Center
There are many causes and types of leg pain. You may experience occasional, dull aches or constant pain that affects your ability to walk and play sports. If your leg pain has no obvious cause (such as an injury) and does not go away, you should see an orthopedic specialist.
Our team at the UVM Medical Center uses advanced diagnostic tools to pinpoint the cause of your pain. That allows us to plan a treatment that targets the source of your pain and brings you the best relief.
For leg pain associated with sports injuries or excessive use, our orthopedic team includes some of the region's top sports medicine experts. Our advanced expertise helps us identify common injuries such as exercise related leg pain (ERLP) and chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS).
Leg Pain: What You Need to Know
- Experienced, trusted expertise. Our team includes board-certified orthopedists and sports medicine physicians. We treat patients of all ages and some of the area's leading sports teams, including athletes from the University of Vermont, St. Michael's College and the Vermont Lake Monsters. That range means we have experience diagnosing and treating many types of leg pain.
- Advanced diagnostic tools. We are the only orthopedic team in the Burlington area that offers compartment pressure measurements. We perform this test right in our office. It's a targeted test for chronic exertional compartment syndrome, or CECS, a common cause of leg pain.
- Expert surgeons. Many types of leg pain can be treated with rest, pain medication and physical therapy. Others – such as a fracture or CECS – may require surgery. Our surgeons are all board-certified and fellowship-trained and experienced in the most advanced techniques used today for orthopedic surgery.
- On-site rehab and physical therapy. Our rehabilitation and physical therapy specialists are part of the UVM Medical Center team. You can work with an expert who coordinates closely with your physician to tailor your program to your recovery, health needs and individual progress.
Leg Pain: Meet Our Orthopedic Team
Causes of Leg Pain
- Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS)
- Exercise related leg pain (ERLP)
- Stress fractures
- Shin splints
- Sprain and strains
- Tendinopathy (tendinitis and tendinosis)
- Broken bones
Diagnosing Leg Pain
Your physician will conduct a physical examination. Depending on the location, symptoms and type of leg pain you are experiencing, your physician may order additional tests:
- Imaging test, such as an X-ray or MRI, takes pictures of bone and tissues in your legs to pinpoint an injury, such as a fracture or tear
- Compartment pressure measurement is a catheter-based test that measures the pressure in muscle groups in your legs. This test can detect swelling that can constrict nerves and blood vessels, causing leg pain associated with chronic exertional compartment syndrome, or CECS.
The UVM Medical Center has the only orthopedist group in the area to offer compartment pressure measurements in the office.
Leg Pain Treatment
We develop personalized treatment plans for every patient. Your treatment will depend on the exact cause of your leg pain. In most cases, and even in the case of some injuries, surgery is not necessary. We may recommend rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medications and/or physical therapy.
If we diagnose you with CECS, the only treatment option available today is a surgery called fasciotomy. This procedure involves an incision on both sides of the leg and creates more space in muscle spaces called fascia, to relieve the pressure on nerves and blood vessels causing the pain.
Contact Us
Find a doctor at the UVM Medical Center or call us at 802-847-2663.