Most leg pain results from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues. Some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine. Leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, varicose veins or poor circulation.
Take a Salt Bath
Soak your legs for 15 to 20 minutes in lukewarm water with Epsom salts, which helps relax muscles and ease swelling. If you don't have a bathtub, try to find a bucket big enough to fit at least one leg at a time, with the water covering your legs up to your knees.
The main cause of heavy legs is generally poor blood circulation. Blood circulation problems generally occur in the lower part of your body, especially your legs. This is because the lower section of your body needs to fight against gravity to transfer the blood back up to your heart.
Leg Pain Could Indicate Vein or Artery Disease
Often, leg pain is misdiagnosed as simply muscle aches or arthritis. The reality is leg pain and cramps may be signs of a more serious underlying disease; therefore, you should discuss your leg challenges with a vascular specialist.
But if that pain persists, it may be time to talk to your doctor. Chronic leg pain is a primary symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD), a common and treatable condition in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to your limbs and can threaten your heart.
Dr. Knepper says walking encourages small arteries in the legs to enlarge, which increases blood flow. “Keep in mind that the pain you might feel while walking is not causing further damage,” he says. If your doctor approves, you can begin a simple walking routine that will start to improve your leg health.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Vitamin B1 deficiency can cause heavy and tired legs after running, muscle cramps, fatigue, and odd sensations in your legs and feet. Some foods rich in vitamin B1 include whole grains, vegetables, legumes, milk products, and meat.
Having a magnesium deficiency can be a cause of muscle cramps. And it's common for people to need more magnesium. But, based on clinical studies, magnesium supplements have not proven to be an effective treatment for muscle cramps. There are still things you can do, with or without magnesium, to alleviate leg cramps.
Try the following home treatments when your leg pain is from muscle cramps, fatigue, or overuse: Rest your leg as much as possible, and elevate your leg with pillows. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to help ease discomfort as your leg heals.
Depending on the cause, leg pain can vary from moderate to severe, and the symptoms may be continuous (non-stop) or intermittent (come and go). Leg pain can be acute, meaning it comes on quickly and then goes away. Or it can last for weeks or months. Then it is called chronic leg pain.
Drink at least 16 ounces of water or healthy drinks, such as coconut water, green or black tea, and chocolate milk. Or you can choose a low-sugar sports drink. These drinks contain electrolytes, such as potassium and sodium, that can prevent and relieve muscle cramping.
If you get sore muscles once in a while, you can take acetaminophen or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen to help ease the discomfort.
Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) can cause aching legs at night due to high pressure in the veins and stagnant venous blood from sitting or standing all day. Proper daily leg elevation can help relieve this pressure. Nervousness and restless leg syndrome usually result in legs that feel heavy, jittery, and shaky.
You may particularly experience leg cramps in your calf muscles and thigh muscles. You may also have involuntary contractions like muscle spasms. Dehydration also decreases blood volume. That means your muscles and organs have less blood flow, resulting in cramps and spasms.
Increased risk of leg pain and numbness
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a complication that can develop when the arteries in your legs get too narrow due to buildup from high cholesterol levels. PAD can cause numbness and tingling in your legs or feet.
Things you can do about leg cramps yourself
Paracetamol or ibuprofen can help to ease muscle soreness after a cramp, but they will not help when it's happening as they take too long to work.
If you're trying to combat leg cramps or even just relax before bed, one of my favorite forms is magnesium glycinate. It's highly absorbed and well tolerated without producing a laxative effect. Recently, one customer told me it's been so effective at reducing her leg cramps, magnesium glycinate has changed her life.
Although further research is needed on magnesium and muscle cramps, taking 300 mg of magnesium daily may help decrease symptoms.