What Is Claudication?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
3. How Does Claudication Progress?
At first, claudication occurs only during exercise or physical activity and usually occurs after a specific period of time, often in a predictable pattern. For example, if you take walks regularly, you may notice that the pain starts after you travel two blocks. The pain usually gets better if you stop the activity. For this reason, claudication is often described as intermittent.
Over time, as the plaque buildup in your arteries gets worse, the blood flow can decrease even further. As a result, the muscles in the affected limb may not get enough oxygen at baseline, and the pain of claudication may persist even at rest.
Advertisement
