How to get rid of YOUR Leg Pain.
A few things you can do at home to help your leg pain if you can’t get in to see us right away
1) Rest as much as possible. The best thing that you can do when you start having leg pain is to rest. Stop whatever you are doing and get off of your feet for a few hours. You don’t have to stop using it, just rest it and find out if that helps.
2) If you have a physical job, then you may need to take some time off from work. Talk to me about getting a doctor’s note to excuse you if necessary.
3) Consider taking a day or two off from your normal exercise routine. If you usually exercise every day, then you may want to take day or two off until your leg is feeling a bit better.Make an appointment with me as soon as possible.
4) Elevate your leg. Elevating your leg can help to reduce swelling and it may also help to relieve some of the pain. If you notice that your leg is swollen, then you may want to elevate your leg. If you are sitting, then you can put your feet and legs up on an ottoman with a couple of pillows under your legs, or you can lie in bed and place a couple of pillows under your legs and feet.
5) Ice your leg. Using an ice pack can help to numb the pain in your leg. Do not put ice directly on your skin. Make sure that you wrap the ice pack in a thin towel and then place the pack on the affected area of your leg. You can leave the ice pack in place for up to 15 minutes, but then you should give your leg a one hour break from the cold.
6) If you exercise, and you feel up to it… here’s a few exercises that will help stretch your legs.
EXERCISES YOU CAN DO
–Lunge. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and take a big step forward with one foot. Keep the other foot behind you. Both feet should be facing forward. Your front knee should be bent at a 90 degree angle and your back leg should stay straight. Hold this stretch for about 10 seconds and then do the stretch on the other side. Do this only after you’ve talked to me and we feel you’re ready.
–Forward bend. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and slowly begin to bend forward, keeping your knees straight, but not locked. If you can touch your calves or your toes, then do so and hold the stretch there for the count of 10. Even if you can only reach your thighs or your knees, you should still feel a stretch in the backs of your legs. Be careful as you’re only stretching. You do not have to do these a lot unless you’re up to it.
–Quad stretch. To do a quad stretch, stand near a wall or sturdy chair and place one hand on the wall or chair for balance. Then, bend one of your legs and bring your foot up towards your butt. Grab your toe with your hand if you can and hold the stretch. If you cannot reach your foot, then you can also try placing your toe against the wall to help stretch your quadriceps.