Can knee arthritis cause pain in the lower leg?
Disease description:
I am a 31-year-old male who has recently been experiencing occasional knee pain while walking. Concerned, I consulted a doctor, who diagnosed me with knee arthritis. Can knee arthritis cause pain in the lower leg?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Lin Yunfei
Calf pain can occur in knee osteoarthritis. Patients with knee osteoarthritis often experience leg pain, primarily due to the condition affecting the knee joint itself. Pain develops in the knee joint, causing the calf muscles to remain in a state of high tension as a protective mechanism to stabilize the joint and alleviate knee pain. Over time, this sustained muscle tension may lead to strain in the calf muscles, resulting in calf pain. Therefore, knee osteoarthritis can cause calf pain in patients. For such patients, applying local heat therapy and massage is usually effective in relieving muscle soreness.
