Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Center

 (802) 847-5819

192 Tilley Drive
South Burlington, VT 05403-4440

Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

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

The UVM Medical Center team includes fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine experts. Many of our specialists went through rigorous training at some of the nation's top-ranked orthopedic hospitals.

Causes of Leg Pain

Our experts specialize in diagnosing and treating the following common orthopedic 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.

Craig S. Bartlett, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Michel Y. Benoit, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Surgery of the Hand (Orthopaedic)
Carol L. Blattspieler, NP
Orthopaedic Surgery
Stephanie A. Burch, PA-C
Orthopaedic Surgery
Lorelei B. Camp, NP
Orthopaedic Surgery
Douglas M. Campbell, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Mark D. Charlson, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Sara T. Child, PA-C
Orthopaedic Surgery
Nathan K. Endres, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Sports Medicine
Seth W. Frenzen, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Brittany Granara, NP
Orthopaedic Surgery
Tracie Hammond, PA-C
Orthopaedic Surgery
Robert Hemond, PA-C
Orthopaedic Surgery
Andrew S. Kaplan, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Jennifer W. Lisle, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
David J. Lunardini, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
James D. Michelson, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Robert D. Monsey, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Claude E. Nichols, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Sports Medicine
Katie Norton, PA-C
Orthopaedic Surgery
Travis L. Redman, PA-C
Orthopaedic Surgery
Lauren B. Richard, PA-C
Orthopaedic Surgery
Patrick C. Schottel, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Adam B. Shafritz, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery
Surgery of the Hand (Orthopaedic)
Mbuyi M. Smith, NP
Orthopaedic Surgery
Cassandra Thibault, NP
Orthopaedic Surgery
Ross W. Thibodeau, PA-C
Orthopaedic Surgery
Kristine J. Thomas, PA-C
Orthopaedic Surgery