Exercising and taking part in sports is generally good for your overall health and circulation, particularly your legs. However, intensive training and competing in sports regularly at a high level can lead to a range of sports-related leg problems.

Our simple guide to leg problems looks at injuries in sport and treating sports injuries, including how wearing compression hosiery has an important role to play in sports injury treatment.

What leg problems can you get from sport?

Injuries caused by sport include:

• Shin splints: this is pain at the front of the shin which starts early on during a training session, but eases when you stop exercising.
• Stress fractures: these also cause pain during training. It starts slowly during a session, but then persists once training is over. It also gets worse and more severe over time if training continues.
• Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS): this is a burning sensation or a feeling of tightness or cramp in the muscles. It gets worse during a session and also persists afterwards.
• Tendon degeneration: this is pain in the affected tendon area. It is felt after exercising, and then most of the time as the condition gets worse.

Sports injury treatment

Treatment for leg problems in competitive sports is a specialist area. Doctors and specialist physiotherapists can work out a programme of rest, training, orthotically designed footwear, physiotherapy, compression support and medical pain relief.

When to see your pharmacist

Talk to your pharmacist about any painkillers or anti-inflammatories that will help, and how any medicine you are taking will interact with other drugs – such as antibiotics.

When to see your doctor

If you are experiencing regular pain during or after exercise, sport or training, your GP can identify and manage your condition. If not, he or she will refer you to a specialist in sports medicine so that you can be correctly diagnosed and treated.