Preventing leg pain

Why prevention matters

Leg pain can affect simple things like walking to the store, climbing stairs, working a full shift, or enjoying a run. It can wake you at night, make you worry about blood clots or circulation, or stop you from doing the activities you enjoy.

Some causes of leg pain are serious and time sensitive, like blocked arteries or deep vein clots. Others are more common and relate to how you move, train, or sit, like bone stress injuries, nerve irritation from the back, or overuse.^{1 2 4 11}

Prevention matters because many risks can be lowered. Not smoking, keeping blood pressure and cholesterol under control, and staying active help protect your blood vessels. ^{2 6 15} Gradual training, good nutrition, and smart recovery lower the risk of bone stress injuries and overuse problems. ^{11 19 20} Small, steady changes can protect both your circulation and your muscles, bones, and nerves over time.

Managing leg pain: what can trigger flare-ups?

The triggers for leg pain depend on the cause, but some patterns show up often.

• Sudden jumps in training or activity. Quickly increasing running distance, hills, speed work, or high impact exercise can overload bones and soft tissues, raising the risk of bone stress injuries and shin pain. ^{11 19 20}
• Long periods of sitting or immobility. Long travel, bed rest, or sitting for many hours, especially after surgery or illness, can slow blood flow in the legs and increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis in some people.^{1 8 9}
• Unmanaged cardiovascular risk factors. Smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and kidney disease increase the chance of peripheral artery disease, which can cause leg pain when you walk. ^{2 6 7}
• Repetitive high load on hard surfaces. Running on very hard ground, sudden changes in footwear, or poor shock absorption can stress the shin bones and feet and contribute to bone stress injuries. ^{11 19}
• Prolonged pressure or tight clothing around nerves. Frequent leg crossing, tight belts, heavy tool belts, or prolonged kneeling can irritate nerves, leading to numbness or burning pain. ^{17 18}
• Fear of movement and long rest after sciatica. When leg pain comes from the back, staying in bed or avoiding all activity can actually slow recovery. Guidelines encourage staying as active as you can and using exercise based care.⁴

Not every trigger can be avoided, but understanding your patterns can help you and your care team adjust activity, training, and risk factors before small problems grow.

Habits that help prevent flare-ups

You do not need to do everything at once. These habits can be added slowly and adapted to your situation.

• Protect your blood vessels. If you smoke, seeking help to stop is one of the most powerful ways to reduce artery disease and clot risk. Keeping blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar in a healthy range also supports leg circulation.^{2 6 7 8 15}
• Walk regularly, at your own pace. Regular walking helps circulation, heart health, and general fitness. For people with stable peripheral artery disease, structured walking programs are a core treatment that can improve walking distance and symptoms over time.^{2 15 16}
• Increase training gradually. Runners and active people can lower their risk of bone stress injury by avoiding big, sudden jumps in distance, intensity, or frequency. Aim for gradual changes and include easier weeks so bones and tissues can adapt. ^{11 19 20}
• Support bone health with fuel and recovery. Eating enough overall, including calcium and vitamin D, and avoiding repeated heavy training in a low energy state can reduce bone stress risk, especially in people with a history of stress fractures. ^{11 19 20}
• Change long sitting or standing positions. On long trips or during desk work, taking short breaks to walk, ankle pump, or gently stretch can support blood flow. After surgery or illness, early safe movement as advised by your team is important to reduce clot risk. ^{1 8}
• Care for your back and nerves. If your leg pain is linked to your spine, staying as active as you can, doing trunk and hip strengthening, and avoiding long bed rest can support recovery and help prevent persistent symptoms.⁴

How Sword supports ongoing strength and mobility

Move is a guided movement program designed to help you stay active by building strength, improving mobility, and supporting stable movement patterns over time. It’s often used after recovery from a flare-up to help maintain progress and support long-term movement health.

Sword offers movement support that fits into daily life, helping you continue building strength and mobility over time. Programs are guided by expert insight and supported by technology designed to help you stay consistent.

• Focus on strength, mobility, and stability
• Designed to support movement between flare-ups
• Guided programs you can follow on your schedule
• Non-invasive, evidence-informed approach

Clinical insight

Guidelines for lower extremity peripheral artery disease recommend supervised exercise therapy and comprehensive risk factor management as first line treatments for most people with claudication. ^{2 15 16} Surgery is usually reserved for limb threatening ischaemia or for those whose walking remains very limited despite a solid trial of exercise and medical therapy. This approach can improve function while lowering overall heart and blood vessel risk.