How does intermittent claudication typically present during activity?

How does intermittent claudication typically present during activity?

• A. Pain during walking, resolving within 1-2 minutes of rest.
• B. Pain at rest in legs.
• C. Numbness in arms.
• D. Swelling of ankles.

Answer: (A)

Intermittent claudication results from exercise-induced muscle ischemia due to narrowed arteries from peripheral arterial disease. When you walk, leg muscles demand more oxygen, but the restricted blood flow can’t meet that need, causing cramping or aching pain in the calves, thighs, or buttocks. The pain is triggered by activity and reliably relieved by rest as blood flow improves and the muscles’ oxygen debt is paid off. The typical pattern is pain that starts with walking a certain distance or time and then subsides within a minute or two after stopping. This contrasts with symptoms that occur at rest, numbness in other areas, or swelling, which point to different problems.

Intermittent claudication results from exercise-induced muscle ischemia due to narrowed arteries from peripheral arterial disease. When you walk, leg muscles demand more oxygen, but the restricted blood flow can’t meet that need, causing cramping or aching pain in the calves, thighs, or buttocks. The pain is triggered by activity and reliably relieved by rest as blood flow improves and the muscles’ oxygen debt is paid off. The typical pattern is pain that starts with walking a certain distance or time and then subsides within a minute or two after stopping. This contrasts with symptoms that occur at rest, numbness in other areas, or swelling, which point to different problems.