What Causes Leg Cramps After Walking?

Leg cramps after walking can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'worrying' to 'life-threatening'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

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Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose leg cramps after walking, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "leg cramps after walking" as a symptom. Here are six possibilities:

Low Progesterone
Intermittent Claudication
Vitamin D Need
Mineral Need
Atherosclerosis
EFA Need

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

recent onset hypertension

very angry/hostile disposition

having hot flashes

anxiety related to menstrual cycle

very tender calves

low aerobic exercise level

severe muscle weakness

pain in chest or left side

short-term memory failure

carbohydrate craving during cycle

elevated estrogen levels

being postmenopausal

... and more than 60 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of leg cramps after walking:

Cause	Probability	Status
EFA Need	95%	Confirm
Vitamin D Need	74%	Possible
Mineral Need	27%	Unlikely
Atherosclerosis	5%	Ruled out
Low Progesterone	3%	Ruled out
Intermittent Claudication	0%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

If you indicate muscle cramps/twitching or severe muscle cramps/twitching, The Analyst™ will ask further questions including this one:

Do your leg muscles cramp after walking, becoming better after rest?

Possible responses:

→ Don't know
→ No
→ Yes, sometimes/moderately
→ Yes, often/severely

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate absence of leg cramps after walking, leg cramps caused by walking or severe leg cramps caused by walking, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Atherosclerosis

EFA (Essential Fatty Acid) Requirement

General Mineral Requirement

Intermittent Claudication

Atherosclerosis decreases the supply of blood and oxygen to the legs, causing people with intermittent claudication to experience leg pain after walking a certain distance.

Initial symptoms of intermittent claudication are pain, aching, cramping, or fatigue of the muscles in the lower limbs that develop during walking and are quickly relieved by rest. Symptoms typically occur in the calf but may also be located in the foot, thigh, hip, or buttocks. In more advanced stages, the painful symptoms are present even at rest and are worsened by elevating the legs.

Progesterone Low or Estrogen Dominance

Vitamin D Requirement

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