Chronic leg pain in the athlete.

Chronic leg pain in athletes results from various conditions. Proper diagnosis requires careful examination, knowledge of the various presentations, and appropriate use of diagnostic studies. These conditions can often coexist, making accurate diagnosis difficult. Most exercise-induced leg pain responds to conservative nonsurgical treatment; however, certain syndromes such as chronic compartment syndrome or popliteal artery entrapment syndrome are more appropriately treated surgically to improve the athlete's ability to return to full participation.