Leg Pain When Walking, Intermittent Claudication

CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL

Intermittent claudication is a symptom characterised by pain, cramping, or fatigue in the leg muscles triggered by exercise, particularly walking, and relieved by rest.

This pain indicates inadequate blood flow to the muscles due to the narrowing or blockage of arteries.

It is a common manifestation of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and can significantly impact the patient’s quality of life.

Pathology	Suspected Diagnosis	Confirmatory Diagnosis
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)	Leg pain when walking, relief with rest, weak or absent pulse.	Abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI), arterial Doppler ultrasound, angiography.
Spinal claudication	Leg pain when walking that is relieved by sitting or leaning forward, leg weakness.	Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine, electromyography (EMG).