Leg Pain? It May Be Your Spine.

If you’ve been sidelined by leg pain, the root cause may lie in your spine.

It makes sense that pain in your limbs can be traced to a problem with your back—your spinal column is full of nerves that affect all parts of your body. MetroHealth neurosurgeon David Ben-Israel, MD, says that people often ask him about mystery pains in their legs and are surprised to find what they have is a spinal issue.

Here are some common sources of pain related to your backbone:

How can problems with my spine cause pain in my legs?

The nerves running down your spinal column emerge at your lower back, called the lumbar spine, passing through narrow bony channels. These channels can become compressed, or narrowed, pressing on the nerves and causing pain to radiate down your legs.

If my legs only hurt when I walk, could that be related to my spine?

Yes. When the central spinal channel narrows, it’s called central spinal stenosis, and that pressure could lead to a condition called neurogenic claudication, which is a fancy way to say intermittent leg pain. So, if you walk for any distance, it may hurt. But the pain tends to go away when you sit down, or when you lean forward (like leaning into a grocery cart). This is because it opens up that canal in the lumbar spine and takes some of the pressure off the nerves. This is not the only thing that can cause leg pain when walking so make sure to ask your doctor about other causes as well such as vascular claudication.

What if my legs hurt even when I’m sitting down (or especially when I’m sitting down)?

Then you might have radiculopathy. This means you have a specific nerve being pinched, and it can hurt either during activity or while at rest. Where it hurts depends on the path of the nerve. Many people have pain down the side and back of the leg (sometimes called sciatica). You also have nerves that wrap around the front of your leg and reach all the way down to your toes.

What can I do about this type of pain?

You can start by seeing your primary care doctor. They can look for certain signs to make sure nothing more serious is going on. They may take an X-ray to check out your bones and your alignment. There are dozens of structures in your lower back that can cause pain or discomfort so your pain may not be nerve related. Your primary care provider might give you a prescription for a strong anti-inflammatory and refer you to physical therapy as an initial treatment. This helps a lot of people.

If it doesn’t help, consider seeing a spine specialist at the MetroHealth Spine Center. A scan called an MRI shows us exactly what’s going on with the nerves. Depending on the results, you may benefit from certain medications or spinal injections that help with pain.

So, I don’t have to live with the pain?

Absolutely not. There are many treatment options that can help. Only a small percentage of people need surgery. And if you do need surgery, we have a team of highly trained spine surgeons who are here for you. Don’t let fear stop you from seeing someone and getting relief from your pain!

One Stop for the Right Care

At MetroHealth’s Spine Center, we tailor care for each patient’s needs. We work with you to find the best solution for your pain, your lifestyle and your needs. Our comprehensive team provides a full range of care from surgery to non-surgical options, including rehabilitation and pain management. Our goal is to get you feeling better and back to your active lifestyle.