Leg Pain While Walking, Intermittent Claudication

CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL

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

This pain indicates inadequate blood flow to the muscles due to narrowing or blockage of the arteries. It is a common manifestation of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and can significantly affect the patient’s quality of life.

Pathology	Suspicion Diagnosis	Confirmatory Diagnosis
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)	Leg pain while walking, relieved by rest, weak or absent pulse.	Abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI), arterial Doppler, angiography.
Spinal claudication	Leg pain while walking, relieved by sitting or leaning forward, leg weakness.	Spinal MRI, electromyography (EMG).