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A good example of claudication

 •  • by Paul Ingraham
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You know what hurts? A blood shortage. Oxygen-starved muscles don’t work so good! Or feel so good. The symptoms are known as “claudication.” Brindisino et al just reported a good example…

Cyclists get plenty of overuse injuries and are usually referred to physical therapists for any persistent pain that doesn’t have an obvious medical cause. In this case, a 57-year-old recreational amateur cyclist had been suffering thigh and leg pain for two months. The patient failed a couple basic tests for endurance of the leg muscles — painful and weak — and had reduced blood pressure in the lower limb. A blockage in a leg artery was identified and surgically repaired, and the patient fully recovered within three months.

“Clinicians should consider vascular conditions, even in endurance sports.” Indeed.

I just cited this as a good example of claudication for my article 38 Surprising Causes of Pain. Claudication is one of the ways!

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