Walking- or stair-climbing-induced leg cramps
Any athlete will tell you leg cramps are just the name of the game. But if the pain is tied to walking, relieved by rest and hits consistently when you stride or climb stairs, don’t brush it off as soreness – those cramps could be caused by peripheral artery disease, or when blood flow to the legs gets impinged due to clogged arteries, says Bove, a member of the American College of Cardiology Patient-Centered Care Committee.
If the condition goes undiagnosed, the cramps can get more painful and even lead to the loss of your leg, according to the American Heart Association. “When symptoms persist or recur,” Bove says, “a medical checkup will help to find the answer.”
