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Calf pain when walking
I'm 77 years old, relatively fit and recently diagnosed with PD - tho I've probably had it for at least a year prior to the diagnosis. I do my LSVTBig exercises twice daily and go for a 2-mile walk every other day. On the walks I have calf pain which lasts for about 1/3 mile and then diminishes. Legs remain stiff and weak but I can still do 2-miles on a hilly trail.
Does anybody else have calf pain/cramps?
Jerry in Virginia
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Hi Jerry, since you're getting the calf pain on your walks and it goes away, the cause may be generally muscular that you can treat with rest, ice, compression and elevation. Be sure you're drinking plenty of fluids. Just in case here's a link to some patient information on calf muscle pain and when to call a doctor: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/22274-calf-muscle-pain
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2 ReactionsHello @jerrywo,
First, I would like to applaud you for your exercise program. Exercise is one of the most important therapies for PD.
I'm sorry to hear of your leg discomfort. I also have similar leg cramps and pain. Have you mentioned this to your doctor? Perhaps a doppler of the legs (an ultrasound), would rule out any problems that are not related to PD.
What has your doctor said in regard to this pain?
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1 ReactionHi Jerry-my husband has had PD for about 7 years (72 years old). He has calf pain when walking but we also noticed he has reddish speckles on his calves. He’s been diagnosed with venous insufficiency and has been advised to wear compression socks and to elevate his legs when possible.
He recently had a CTA scan of cardio vascular system since he is not a good candidate for stress test since he can’t get his heart rate above 100. Everything checked out fine, but the venous insufficiency exists.
As mentioned above, stay hydrated-very important.
Not sure if this is helpful, but thought I’d mention it.
Best wishes, Cindy
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1 ReactionThanks to all who have replied so far!
I had a vascular checkup a few days ago and am awaiting an ultrasound test, but the doctor's initial comment was "....99% sure there's nothing wrong". That plus a rheumatology appointment to see if I was having any lingering effects from PMR, which I've had in parallel with PD - nothing there either. So it looks like the leg pain is just something I'll have to deal with. Oh well - so I'll keep exercising and stay hydrated.
Thanks all
Jerry
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3 ReactionsHello @cmdw2600
I appreciate you sharing your husband's experience with leg pain. If you are comfortable sharing more, could you explain how this was diagnosed? Was it with a doppler of the legs, or did the doctor just observe the "reddish speckles" and draw the conclusion from that?
I'm also wondering if he had any cardiac diagnoses prior to the discovery of the venous insufficiency.
I asked my husband to assist me with answering this question. Both his primary care physician and his movement disorder doctor identified the venous insufficiency based on description of symptom (pain) and the spots on the skin. My husband had also had some swelling but I believe that was medicine related.
He believes that he had an EKG with Doppler. Does that makes sense? His cardiovascular system is in good shape according to the recent CTA scan and he is of a healthy weight (maybe a little too skinny). He does have a condition called nOH (neurogenic orthostatic hypotension) where a person’s blood pressure drops upon standing. I believe this can be particular to Parkinson’s patients.
I hope this helps. Cindy
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