Expert Advice   Print Version Q. After I retired last year, my wife and I began walking for exercise to help the back problem I have had for years. I have noticed over the past few months that I get a burning pain in my legs after walking about 10 minutes. It goes away if I rest but then comes back again. Is this something I should be worried about? A. It depends on the position you use to rest and how long it takes for your pain to go away. If your pain goes away gradually when you rest in a sitting position, you may have a problem in your low back called spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a term to describe a narrowing of the spinal canal, which can happen with disc problems, bone spurs, tumors, or infection. This problem is much more common in elderly people (over the age of 60) but can occur in younger people who have abnormally small spinal canals as a type of birth defect. The narrowing usually causes back and leg pain that gets worse with activities like walking. This explains why people with spinal stenosis often get relief when they sit down. The sitting position opens the space around the painful nerve root. As the pressure is relieved, leg symptoms tend to go away. If you simply stop walking and the pain goes away quickly, the problem may not be in your back. It may be from a lack of blood supply to your exercising muscles, a condition called intermittent claudication. Leg symptoms of aching, cramping, or tiredness usually start soon after exercising, and they go away quickly with rest (less than five minutes). Unlike spinal stenosis, people with intermittent claudication usually get relief if they stop the activity, even if they don't sit down. The lack of blood supply is usually from hardening in the blood vessels that supply the lower limbs, a condition called arteriosclerosis. Whether your pain is from spinal stenosis or intermittent claudication, you should see your doctor. Print Version		Anatomy and Function of the Spine Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis Diagnostic Tests for Spine Problems Q. When can I play golf, ride a bike, or go hiking after spine surgery? A. It depends on the type and location of your surgery. A micro-discectomy… Clicking on any of the links will take you to a Web site to which this Privacy Policy does not apply. You are solely responsible for your interactions with such Web sites. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

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