Leg pain in the running athlete.

Abstract

Leg pain is a common complaint among recreational and professional athletes who compete in running sports. Evaluation of the individual with intermittent or constant leg pain should be well organized and inclusive. Duration of the pain, its relation to injury, intensity of the pain, and its pattern are important factors. Additionally, changes in the training regimen, its level, intensity, or duration, or in the nature of the routine are critical components of the assessment. Physical examination can help differentiate bony from soft-tissue etiologies. Studies are dictated by the differential diagnosis but include radiographs in almost all patients and selected use of other modalities. These include bone scans and magnetic resonance imaging for medial tibial stress syndrome and stress fractures and intracompartmental pressure measurements for chronic compartment syndrome. Treatment often requires either rest or a change in training regimen. Surgery for conditions such as chronic compartment syndrome frequently allows a return to preinjury activities.