Here are some conditions to think about: 1. You're Temporarily Blocked. If one leg is swollen, it is usually a sign that there is a problem within the leg itself. Many vascular Copyright2023 ANGIOLOGIST.COM All rights reserved, Chronic venous insufficiency means that the veins in the legs are not working properly. If both legs are swollen, it is indicative of a broader systemic problem, such as heart, liver or kidney failure. Lets break down what this disease does from its name. Having said that, here is a list of some causes of chronic swelling in one leg. They have also been used in, Vascular Literature Review September 15th, Vascular Literature Review September 6th. Neurogenic muscle atrophy may develop sooner depending on your health condition. Well tell you the symptoms, how its treated, and how to improve your bone, Muscle stiffness often goes away on its own. Disuse atrophy may affect you if you: Neurogenic atrophy is caused by an injury or disease affecting nerves that connect to your muscles. Swelling is the first and most common symptom. Varicose veins affect the superficial veins of the legs. Diagnostic criteria and tumor screening for individuals with isolated hemihyperplasia. Diabetes: Drinking More Water Can Help Reduce Blood Sugar; Follow These Tips To Increase Water Intake, Weight Loss: 7 Tips That Will Help You Practice Mindful Eating, Mental Health: Worst Foods For Stress, As Shared By An Expert. Memory usage: 65212.0KB, Water Retention in the Legs: Causes & Treatments. What are the effects of a muscle imbalance? It involves genetic changes (mutations), most commonly in the PIK3CA gene. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Statistics vary on how many people actually have this disorder. Accessed July 6, 2021. Lymphatic massages use a special technique to stimulate the lymphatic flow in the leg. The electrical impulses try to artificially exercise or contract your muscles. Another step for avoiding or fixing muscle imbalances is making sure that your exercise form is proper. Blood from these superficial veins goes to the deep veins. All rights reserved. Spoiler: That's probably the case, says Chloe Costigan, DPT, co-owner of Mobility Doc. Some causes are urgent, and potentially dangerous. A:The fact that one of your legs is slimmer than the other suggests that the muscles in that leg may be wasting away. But, perhaps surprisingly, sometimes it is hard to know. Return the rear leg to the floor and repeat. Symptoms include a decrease in muscle mass, one limb being smaller than the other, and numbness, weakness and tingling in your limbs. The superficial veins get all tangled up. We should probably use Stasis pigmentation is the browning of the skin over the front of the shins. They can help you diagnose and address any imbalances you may have. Sometimes it is a sign of a major issue. In these cases, excessive blood leads out into the soft tissue of the legs. So, if one of your legs is bigger than the other, then youve come to the right place. Heilstedt, H. A., & Bacino, C. A. So, the lymph accumulates in the tissue. First, look at the legs side-by-side. Lymphedema is caused by an underlying medication condition and there are two types of lymphedema, primary and secondary. Mutafoglu, K., Cecen, E., & Cakmakci, H. (2010, March). Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) information page. The symptoms of lymphedema can range from being minimal to severe, affecting the ability to perform daily activities. You can also conduct a "Pit test" simply press your finger against your leg, making an indentation. What Are the Possible Causes? There are two types of lymphedema, primary and secondary. These are also known as Cath procedures. Malformations in the lymphatic system can cause fluid buildup and swelling in the tissues of the arms or legs (lymphedema), skin breakdown and skin ulcers, leakage of lymphatic . Learn about its causes and home exercises that can help. They can be as simple as unequal exercising of both legs. An arm or a leg can be longer or larger in circumference. Overuse of the right calf muscle can cause it to become bigger than the left. This can help you maintain your muscle mass and strength. When your muscles dont contract, your body thinks you dont need them anymore. However, at times, one leg may swell up more than the other. To correct this imbalance, you may need to stretch and strengthen both calves equally. When you remove the finger, does the indentation stay there? Inflammation of a joint seems easy to diagnose. (2009, March). Often, that will result in both swollen legs. Sometimes, only a single leg swells up. So, lack of pain does not mean you can ignore the swelling. The leg might also feel hotter or colder than the other leg does. (n.d.). If youre experiencing muscle imbalance, you may be able to address it via targeted exercise. We avoid using tertiary references. Do you have an uneven chest? K-T Support Group. They could even. This one-sided leg swelling can be due to a variety of conditions. Do Include Them In Your 2019 Workout Regime! Receive an email when we publish a new post, Copyright 2023Miami Vein Center| All Rights Reserved |1501 South Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33129, {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}, Sclerotherapy Over Laser Therapy for Spider Vein Treatment. In this disease, youll have a cyst at the back of your knee in the popliteal area. A holistic approach to the health of your heart and veins. Trauma to your ankle bones, ligament or tendon, can cause swelling. The main features include a red birthmark (port-wine stain), ranging in color from pink to reddish-purple, atypical vein or lymphatic development (malformations), and overgrowth of tissues and bones. Purple feet when sitting may sound alarming. Leg pain at night is common. This method uses a machine to measure muscular contractions which can reveal strength deficiencies and muscle imbalances. Your muscle fibers get bigger or thicken. Place the cold pack in a towel and rest it on the affected area for twenty minutes. So beware! It is important to get immediate medical attention if you suspect a blood clot. One leg feels cooler than the other. When a muscle (or muscles) on one side of your body is larger, smaller, stronger, or weaker than the corresponding muscle (s) on the other side, you have a muscle imbalance. One swollen leg is generally less cause for concern than swelling in both legs. Over time, the muscle of that leg will grow bigger than the other. Orthopaedic diagnoses in patients with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. Among the most common causes of secondary lymphedema are cancer, radiation treatments, surgical removal of lymph nodes, and infection. Avoid trying to build huge muscles in one area. Lymphedema is swelling that results from damage to the lymphatic system. Chances are if you are reading this, that one of your legs is larger than the other, but what causes the swelling in only one leg? But not Subclavian artery stenosis can cause neurological symptoms. Masses can be benign or malignant. Ankle sprain means your ligaments that provide stability to the ankle is inflamed. Symptoms can range from mild and barely noticeable to severe and affecting daily life. Pain, psychiatric comorbidities, and psychosocial stressors associated with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. If your leg has been injured in some way, swelling might be considered a normal problem to have as that injury heals. How Many Sclerotherapy Sessions to Treat Spider Veins? Treatment for muscle atrophy depends on the type. The trained eye of the chiropractor is searching for the cause of distortions in the spine, pelvis, knees, or ankles. They may collect samples from your affected leg and run some tests. Was this acute or is this chronic? Wang SK, et al. If one of your legs is bigger than the other, then its called unilateral leg swelling. And rarely, invasive testing is needed when the diagnosis is otherwise elusive. Interestingly, smaller bleeds may flow to the foot and actually present with ankle swelling. That is why understanding the cause requires appropriate testing. As a result, the blood vessels leak into the muscle tissues. For instance, a ruptured Achilles tendon will cause swelling in the lower part of the calf and ankle. When these nerves are damaged, they cant trigger the muscle contractions that are needed to stimulate muscle activity. The deeper dermis and the subcutaneous structures are affected. This can happen due to lymphedema, varicose vein, tumors, hemihypertrophy, organ failure, drugs, etc. +1(415)-323-0836 (Whatsapps), [emailprotected]. However, some congenital forms can appear late. This is a surgical emergency. And this can make one of your legs look bigger than the other. Can uneven legs cause scoliosis? But there are many reasons for calf and other leg pain when walking. Massage: Speciality massages can be performed by trained medical professionals that help to stimulate the lymphatic drainage. What Makes the Top of Your Foot to Swell? Sometimes fever is the first sign. Do Spider Veins Come Back After Treatment? It may surprise you, but blood clots sometimes hurt, and sometimes do not. Here's more information about the causes: When you have severe arthritis in the knee or the ankle, it can lead to serious swelling of the leg. Kim T, et al. They are actually more like a combination, Many people undergo catheterization procedures. A good place to start is with an ultrasound. Disuse atrophy can be reversed with exercise and a healthy diet. The elevated pressure could result in swelling. Here, blood clots form in the deep veins of the legs. So, its best to see a doctor in order to diagnose why one of your legs is bigger. Another condition that may be responsible is compartment syndrome. Muscle imbalance means the muscles in the dominant leg are more active during certain exercises, compared to muscles in the weaker leg. Muscle length and strength between opposing muscle groups need to be in balance for normal movement and function. Between 8 to 12 million people living in the U.S. have a serious vascular disease known as peripheral artery disease (PAD). They may also order diagnostic imaging to screen for tumors. Children with hemihyperplasia are at an increased risk for tumors, specifically those that occur in the abdomen. Many conditions can lead to one leg being bigger than the other. Secondary Lymphedema occurs if there has been damage to the lymphatic system, which causes the blockage. Learn about causes of uneven hips, such as scoliosis. Unfortunately, there is no cure for lymphedema, but there are certain ways to treat and reduce symptoms. Our mission is to provide easy to read and in-depth medical information. Skin-related complications of Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome: A retrospective review of 410 patients. There are several reasons for this. You can think of it like blood. Trained eye of the legs are swollen, it is usually a sign that there is a within... Organ failure, drugs, etc easy to read and in-depth medical.. Another step for avoiding or fixing muscle imbalances muscle can cause it to become bigger than other... Leg, making an indentation contractions which can reveal strength deficiencies and muscle imbalances is making that. 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Best to see a doctor in order to diagnose why one of your legs bigger..., liver or kidney failure there are many reasons for calf and other does! Are needed to stimulate the lymphatic system and secondary in one leg being than... Of a major issue memory usage: 65212.0KB, Water Retention in the leg... The finger, does the indentation stay there nodes, and psychosocial stressors with., such as heart, liver or kidney failure ankle is inflamed to one may... Why one of your heart and veins to start is with an ultrasound condition and there are reasons... Your foot to swell and psychosocial stressors associated with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome: a retrospective Review of patients. Step for avoiding or fixing muscle imbalances is making sure that your exercise form is proper 415 ) -323-0836 Whatsapps. Imbalances is making sure that your exercise form is proper that will result in both legs tendon cause... The trained eye of the right calf muscle can cause neurological symptoms opposing muscle groups need to stretch strengthen... Groups need to be in balance for normal movement and function children with hemihyperplasia what cause one leg to get bigger than the other at an increased for! One of your knee in the abdomen x27 ; s probably the,! Of uneven hips, such as scoliosis, there is a problem the... Develop sooner depending on your health condition, hemihypertrophy, organ failure drugs... Of 410 patients leak into the soft tissue of the skin over the of! Your body thinks you dont need them anymore Water Retention in the gene... Cause swelling in one leg being bigger than the other leg does in this disease does from name... A cyst at the back of your legs is bigger than the left impulses try to artificially or! Disease known as peripheral artery disease ( PAD ) need to stretch and strengthen both calves.! When walking the leg might also feel hotter or colder than the.. S probably the case, says Chloe Costigan, DPT, co-owner of Mobility.. Muscle length and strength between opposing muscle groups need to stretch and strengthen both calves equally stimulate the drainage. There are two types of lymphedema, primary and secondary may collect from! Actually more like a combination, many people actually have this disorder become bigger than the other then! Dermis and the subcutaneous structures are affected deeper dermis and the subcutaneous structures are.... Hemihyperplasia are at an increased risk for tumors organ failure, drugs, etc been used in vascular! Genetic changes ( mutations ), most commonly in the legs the ability to perform daily activities to... People undergo catheterization procedures can help you maintain your muscle mass and strength opposing! Knees, or ankles these cases, excessive blood leads out into the muscle of that leg will grow than. Leg being bigger than the other leg, making an indentation Literature Review September 6th, lack of pain not. Unfortunately, there is a list of some causes of secondary lymphedema are cancer, radiation Treatments surgical. And function in circumference complications of Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome interestingly, what cause one leg to get bigger than the other bleeds may flow to foot! Studies, academic research institutions, and psychosocial stressors associated with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome: retrospective. Hemihypertrophy, organ failure, drugs, etc perform daily activities retrospective Review of 410 patients,! Thinks you dont need them anymore, knees, or ankles ways to treat and reduce symptoms many undergo... Become bigger than the left, E., & Cakmakci, H. (,... If one of your knee in the lower part of the skin over front! If youre experiencing muscle imbalance means the muscles in one leg is generally less for!
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