Limping is a term that is often used when it is difficult to walk. In medicine, intermittent claudication generally refers to pain in the lower limb while walking. This can have a vascular, neurological or articular origin.

Limping is a term that has different definitions. Generally speaking, it is used when a person has difficulty walking. It is considered that the walking perimeter is reduced with a decrease in the maximum distance that a person can cover without stopping. It is sometimes said that a person has a limping gait when it is irregular and difficult. Limping is occasionally used to refer to limping.

In medicine, intermittent claudication is usually pain in the lower extremity that appears during walking and goes away with rest. It can be manifested by pain in the leg, thigh, foot, or even the buttock. The pain can be unilateral affecting only one side of the body or bilateral when it affects both sides.

When it comes to intermittent claudication, there are generally three possible causes of pain:

• vascular claudication, which is due to a problem with the blood circulation, such as venous thrombosis, characterized by the formation of a blood clot, or obliterating arterial disease of the lower extremities, caused by atherosclerosis with the development of plaque atheroma in the wall of the arteries;
• claudication of neurological origin, which often results from compression in the spinal cord (spinal cord claudication) or nerve roots (radicular claudication), especially in cauda equina syndrome or narrow lumbar canal syndrome;
• claudication of joint origin, which can be the result of trauma or arthritis affecting the lower back, hips and joints of the lower limbs.

Generally speaking, intermittent claudication results in pain in the lower limbs that occurs during walking and subsides at rest. However, the characteristics of the pain may vary depending on the precise origin of the limp.

Claudication: pain of vascular origin

The pain can be different when it is due to a problem with the venous network or a problem with the arterial network.

When the pain is due to a problem with the venous circulation, it is characterized by:

• a gradual onset;
• a variable distance of appearance;
• a feeling of swelling;
• a slow recovery phase.

When the pain is due to a problem with the arterial circulation, it is characterized by:

• a gradual onset;
• a constant onset distance;
• a sensation similar to a cramp;
• pain localized in a specific area and identical to each painful manifestation.

Claudication: weakness of neurological origin

Of neurological origin, spinal cord claudication and radicular claudication are characterized by:

• a variable appearance ;
• a feeling of weakness, which is manifested by a derangement of the lower limbs;
• variable recovery speed.

Claudication: pain of joint origin

When limping is due to joint damage, it is characterized by:

• pain from the first steps ;
• a slow recovery phase.

How to treat intermittent claudication?

Treatment for claudication depends on its origin. Depending on the diagnosis, the healthcare professional can, for example, prescribe antiplatelet drugs in the event of atherosclerosis and anticoagulants in the event of venous thrombosis.

However, sometimes the limp can be permanent. This is the case with arthritis, a condition for which there is currently no definitive cure. However, there are solutions to relieve the symptoms, such as taking anti-inflammatory drugs.

How to prevent limping?

It is possible to limit the risk factors for claudication by adopting a healthy lifestyle:

• maintain a healthy and balanced diet, in particular by avoiding excess lipids which are responsible for cardiovascular disorders;
• practice regular physical activity, to limit prolonged immobilization of the lower limbs.