External Iliac Arteriopathy - An Uncommon Cause of Leg Pain in Cyclists

Can high intensity cycling damage arteries in your legs? That's something that Elizabeth Quinn, About.com's Guide to Sports Medicine and a competitive cyclist for over 20 years is finding out the hard way.

Turns out Elizabeth was recently diagnosed with External Iliac Arteriopathy -- damage to the arteries of the pelvis, groin or lower leg. What happens is that during high-intensity exercise the athlete experiences decreased blood flow due to the constriction or obstruction of the artery in the affected leg which in turn produces feelings of pain, burning, and weakness.

This problem is not very well known, but what researchers have found is that a combination of factors are involved:

• An extremely high blood flow
• Repetitive hip flexion
• An aerodynamic cycling position

Together these factors combine to create a continuous, repetitive flexing of the artery while under pressure, which may cause lasting damage over hundreds of hours of high-intensity training.

Note that researchers have seen this malady really just limited to elite cyclists who ride and train like you and I never will. But if you're one who really likes to go out there and hammer, if you're experiencing unexplained leg pain and weakness, it might be worth asking your doctor about this.

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Image of Tom Boonen by John Spooner/Flickr