Reviewed By:
Kent C Doan, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr Doan Graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and completed residency training in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Colorado. He completed additional fellowship training in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at the prestigious Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado. He is a practicing Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in complex and revision knee and shoulder surgery at the Kansas City Orthopedic Institute. He also holds an assistant professorship at the University of Kansas City.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
Content updated on Nov 15, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Pain in the calf
Pain in the left calf
Pain in the right calf
Aching in calf even when resting
Calf hurts even when I don't move it
Calf muscle pain
Pain in the back of my leg
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Calf pain may affect either or both calves. The calf is the back of the lower leg. The pain may be pressing, sharp or dull in nature.
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Generally, Calf pain can be related to:
A condition in which a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually affecting the legs. The blood clot impairs blood circulation. Sometimes, the clots can dislodge and travel to an artery in your lung, which is a medical emergency.
Also known as a slipped disc, this condition is characterized by injury to the cushioning discs between the spinal bones in the lower back (lumbar vertabrae) that causes the disc to bulge outward or rupture. The disc bulge puts pressure on adjacent nerves, which causes pain, leg weakness, or numbness. Poor posture, exercising with incorrect form, or occasionally benign non-lifting movement are some possible causes of this disorder.
Neuropathic pain is usually caused by an injury, disease, or problem with the somatosensory nervous system. This is a common long-term pain condition that greatly affects a person's quality of life. The nerves in this system are what let us feel things like temperature, pressure, and pain. This type of pain often feels like a burning, tingling, sharp, or stabbing sensation. It can be triggered by light touch or cold, and can be constant or come and go. It can also get worse when resting or at night. Neuropathic pain is often caused by viral infections like post-herpetic neuralgia, cancer, blood vessel abnormalities, alcoholism, diabetes, nerve pressure, nerve damage from surgery or accidents, and neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis and shingles.
Congenital Hemophilia
Acquired Hemophilia
Sometimes, Calf pain may be related to these serious diseases:
Venous embolism is a condition where a venous clot travels from one location to another. Most commonly, this happens when a deep venous thrombosis (clot) develops in the larger veins of the leg, breaks off, and travels to the lungs (the clot is now called a pulmonary embolism). Causes of venous thrombosis include recent surgery, spinal cord injury or other reasons for immobility, hip or leg fractures or other trauma, cancers, heart failure, stroke, obesity, and inherited risk factors like gene mutations causing blood to clot more easily.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
Q.
What Is the Cause of Calf Pain in Just One Leg?
A.
Injuries from sports, nerve damage in the lower back, blood clots, varicose veins and skin diseases can cause calf pain in just one leg.
References:
Gasparis AP, Kim PS, Dean SM, Khilnani NM, Labropoulos N. Diagnostic approach to lower limb edema. Phlebology. 2020 Oct;35(9):650-655. doi: 10.1177/0268355520938283. Epub 2020 Jul 6. PMID: 32631171; PMCID: PMC7536506.
Lee SJ, Kim OH, Choo HJ, Park JH, Park YM, Jeong HW, Lee SM, Cho KH, Choi JA, Jacobson JA. Ultrasonographic findings of the various diseases presenting as calf pain. Clin Imaging. 2016 Jan-Feb;40(1):1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2015.09.015. Epub 2015 Sep 24. PMID: 26490092.
https://www.clinicalimaging.org/article/S0899-7071(15)00245-4/fulltextReviewed By:
Kent C Doan, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr Doan Graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and completed residency training in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Colorado. He completed additional fellowship training in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at the prestigious Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado. He is a practicing Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in complex and revision knee and shoulder surgery at the Kansas City Orthopedic Institute. He also holds an assistant professorship at the University of Kansas City.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
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