You may think that leg pain is a normal part of aging, but it's not normal. In fact, aching and cramping in the legs are often signs of something more serious, like Peripheral Artery Disease. PAD leads to hardened and blocked arteries in the legs, just like heart disease destroys arteries that feed the heart. There are many ways to diagnose and treat PAD.

Why does it hurt?
When a short walk becomes a painful exercise, it could be a sign of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). PAD is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke that shouldn't be ignored, especially because it can be treated.

PAD's symptoms — fatigue, heaviness, pain and cramping in the leg muscles when walking — can be relieved temporarily with rest. But the underlying problem remains: leg arteries clogged with fatty deposits that limit or block blood flow. In severe cases, PAD causes painful lower-limb sores and infections that can lead to leg amputation.

The good news is that we have a number of treatment options (lifestyle changes, medications, and special procedures and surgeries) to restore blood flow, improve mobility and decrease your risk of a heart attack and stroke.

Is PAD causing my leg pain?
A simple, painless test called the ankle brachial index (ABI) can detect PAD. If you experience the above described symptoms and/or have risk factors for PAD (diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tobacco use or age over 50), please call your healthcare provider to find out if you should be tested and what you can do to lower your risk.

Do your legs hurt when you walk?
Check out the symptoms of Peripheral Artery Disease in Southwest's Health Encyclopedia

About Dr. Margo Kozinksi:
Dr. Margo Kozinski joined Cascade Heart in 2006 after moving from Chicago, Illinois. She is a graduate of the Internal Medicine residency, Cardiology Fellowship and Interventional Cardiology Fellowship programs at Rush University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Kozinski is also currently the Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Southwest Washington Medical Center.

Dr. Kozinski is very compassionate and highly skilled in all aspects of Interventional Cardiology, including but not limited to, cardiac catheterization, PTCA/stenting, intravascular ultrasound and physiologic lesion severity assessment. She has a special interest in peripheral artery disease. She performs angioplasty and stent placement of the renal arteries, as well as the vessels in the lower extremities, using the most technologically advanced diagnostic and interventional tools to provide the best possible patient care and outcomes.