There is a wide range of conditions which can result in aching legs.

Frequently described as a vague but uncomfortable sensation that is a type of pain or ache. Location is frequently non-specific.

Most of the leg pains result from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints, ligaments, tendons or muscles. Occasionally leg pain can be related to lower back problems.

Frequent vascular causes include varicose veins (Chronic Venous Insufficiency), Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and its long term consequences (chronic swelling), lymphatic swelling (Lymphoedema) as well as Peripheral Vascular Disease (poor inflow of blood to leg due to diseased arteries).

Most leg pain results from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues. Some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine. Leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, varicose veins or poor circulation.

Some common causes of leg pain include:

• Achilles tendinitis
• Achilles tendon rupture
• ACL injury (tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee)
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Baker’s cyst
• Bone cancer
• Broken leg
• Bursitis (joint inflammation)
• Chronic exertional compartment syndrome
• Claudication
• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
• Gout (arthritis related to excess uric acid)
• Growing pains
• Growth plate fractures
• Hamstring injury
• Herniated disk
• Infection
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis)
• Knee bursitis (inflammation of fluid-filled sacs in the knee joint)
• Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
• Meralgia paresthetica
• Muscle cramp
• Muscle strain
• Night leg cramps
• Osgood-Schlatter disease
• Osteoarthritis (disease causing the breakdown of joints)
• Osteochondritis dissecans
• Osteomyelitis (a bone infection)
• Paget’s disease of bone
• Patellar tendinitis
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome
• Peripheral artery disease
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Posterior cruciate ligament injury
• Pseudogout
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory joint disease)
• Sacroiliitis
• Sciatica
• Septic arthritis
• Shin splints
• Spinal stenosis
• Sprains and strains
• Stress fractures
• Tendinitis
• Thrombophlebitis (a blood clot that usually occurs in the leg)
• Torn meniscus
• Varicose veins

Ongoing symptoms warrant further investigations and referral to a vascular surgeon.