Calf Pain: Or something else? Differential Diagnosis

Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (E00-E90).

Skin and subcutaneous (L00-L99)

Cardiovascular system (I00-I99)

  • Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (pAVD) – progressive narrowing or occlusion of the arteries supplying the arms/ (more commonly) legs, usually due to atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis, hardening of the arteries).
  • Thrombophlebitis (phlebitis)
  • Deep vein thrombosis (TBVT) – formation of a blood clot with occlusion of a vessel.

Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).

  • Leptospirosis (Weil’s disease) – infectious disease caused by leptospires.

Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).

  • Muscle enzyme disorder, unspecified
  • Muscle hardening due to unaccustomed strain
  • Muscle injury
  • Muscular tension, unspecified
  • Ruptured Baker cyst (popliteal: belonging to the popliteal fossa); popliteal cyst) – cysts usually become symptomatic only between the 20th and 40th year of life; however, they can also be observed already in the 1st decade of life; symptomatology: feeling of pressure in the area of the popliteal fossa with occasional radiation into the calf
  • Transfer pain (Referred Pain):
    • From the lumbar spine (LS): L4 + L5.
    • From the knee (e.g. arthropathy/joint disease).
  • Changes in the area of the knee joint
  • Spinal changes, unspecified

Psyche – nervous system (F00-F99; G00-G99)

  • Alcoholic polyneuropathy
  • Motor neuron disease, unspecified (e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS))
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Polyneuropathy, unspecified (alcoholic or diabetic).

Symptoms and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings not elsewhere classified (R00-R99).

Injuries, poisonings, and other sequelae of external causes (S00-T98).

  • Muscle injuries, unspecified
  • Ruptured (torn) Achilles tendon

Environmental stress – intoxications (poisoning).

  • Lead poisoning
  • Strychnine poisoning

Further

  • Sports load
  • Unaccustomed physical stress → muscle stiffness.