Persistent leg pain or cramping while walking is often dismissed as a sign of ageing, muscle fatigue, or arthritis. However, it could actually be an early warning sign of an underlying heart or blood vessel disease. Pain in the calves, thighs, or buttocks during physical activity should never be ignored, especially if it improves with rest.
This type of pain, known medically as intermittent claudication, is often the first symptom of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)—a condition in which the arteries supplying the legs become narrowed.
How Leg Pain Can Signal Heart Disease
PAD develops when cholesterol and fatty deposits build up inside the arteries, narrowing them and reducing blood flow to the legs. This process is known as atherosclerosis. When the arteries supplying the lower limbs become narrowed, the leg muscles do not receive enough oxygen-rich blood during physical activity, resulting in pain, tightness, or cramping that usually goes away after a few minutes of rest. Importantly, atherosclerosis rarely affects just one part of the body.
Atherosclerosis is a systemic condition. When plaque builds up in the arteries of your legs, there is a very high probability that the arteries supplying your heart and brain are also affected. Patients diagnosed with Peripheral Artery Disease face a significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke, making early diagnosis and treatment extremely important.”
Key Symptoms to Watch For
While PAD may not always cause obvious symptoms, some important warning signs include:
· Pain while walking (Claudication): Pain, cramping, or heaviness in the calves or thighs that starts while walking or climbing stairs and improves with rest.
· Cold feet or legs: One foot or leg feels noticeably colder than the other.
· Changes in the skin: Shiny skin, pale or bluish discoloration of the feet or toes, or loss of leg hair.
· Slow-healing wounds: Sores, ulcers, or cuts on the feet or toes that heal slowly or not at all.
Who Is Most at Risk?
The risk factors for Peripheral Artery Disease are very similar to those for heart disease. You are at a higher risk if you:
· Smoke or have smoked in the past
· Have diabetes
· Have high blood pressure or high cholesterol
· Are above 50 years of age
· Have a family history of heart or vascular disease
· Timely Diagnosis Can Save Lives
Detecting PAD early can help prevent serious complications such as heart attack, stroke, and even limb loss. Diagnosis usually begins with a simple, painless test called the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI), which compares the blood pressure in the ankles with that in the arms to identify reduced blood flow.
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease. It may include lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, following a heart-healthy diet, participating in structured walking programmes, and controlling diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol with medication. In advanced cases, minimally invasive procedures such as angioplasty or stenting may be required to restore blood flow to the affected leg.
Never ignore leg pain that appears while walking and disappears with rest. Sometimes, the first warning sign of heart disease begins in the legs. Paying attention to these symptoms early could protect not only your mobility but also your heart and your life.
—Author is a BLK-Max Heart & Vascular Institute, Chairman Pan Max – Electrophysiology, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, Delhi
