Differtinal diagnosis of lower extremity Pain

Intermittent claudication (calf)	Calf muscles	Cramping pain	After same degree of exercise	Quickly relieved	None	Reproducible
Chronic compartment syndrome	Calf muscles	Tight, bursting pain	After much exercise (e.g., jogging)	Subsides very slowly	Relief speeded by elevation	Typically heavy-muscled athletes
Venous claudication	Entire leg, but usually worse in thigh and groin	Tight, bursting pain	After walking	Subsides slowly	Relief speeded by elevation	History of iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis, signs of venous congestion, edema
Nerve root compression (e.g., herniated disk)	Radiates down leg, usually posteriorly	Sharp lancinating pain	Soon, if not immediately after onset	Not quickly relieved (also often present at rest)	Relief may be aided by adjusting back position	History of back problems
Symptomatic Baker's cyst	Behind knee, down calf	Swelling, soreness, tenderness	With exercise	Present at rest	None	Not intermittent
Intermittent claudication (hip, thigh, buttock)	Hip, thigh, buttocks	Aching discomfort, weakness	After same degree of exercise	Quickly relieved	None	Reproducible
Hip arthritis	Hip, thigh, buttocks	Aching discomfort	After variable degree of exercise	Not quickly relieved (and may be present at rest)	More comfortable sitting, weight taken off legs	Variable, may relate to activity level, weather changes
Spinal cord compression	Hip, thigh, buttocks (follows dermatome)	Weakness more than pain	After walking or standing for same length of time	Relieved by stopping only if position changed	Relief by lumbar spine flexion (sitting or stooping forward) pressure	Frequent history of back problems, provoked by increased intra-abdominal pressure
Intermittent claudication (foot)	Foot, arch	Severe deep pain and numbness	After same degree of exercise	Quickly relieved	None	Reproducible
Arthritic, inflammatory process	Foot, arch	Aching pain	After variable degree of exercise	Not quickly relieved (and may be present at rest)	May be relieved by not bearing weight	Variable, may relate to activity level