Purplish lower legs

Lucky71A
Lucky71A Member Posts: 7
in Chat to our Helpline Team

I have knee arthritis but I can’t do walking like I used to I am getting I will say purplish lower legs.

I try to keep my legs moving and have a little pedal machine

Comments

  • claudsl
    claudsl Moderator Posts: 161

    Hello @Lucky71A

    I can't say I have ever experienced this, I think it would be a good idea to contact your GP for advice.

    Good luck, Claudia x

    Need more help? - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,924

    Hello @Lucky71A

    Thank you for posting on Chat to Helpline. I hope you found Claudia's post helpful.

    I am sorry to hear you have arthritis in your knees which is making walking more difficult. It sounds as if this may be osteoarthritis (OA). If you are unsure, you could always clarify this with your GP.

    You mention that your lower legs are becoming purplish in colour. As Claudia has said, it may be a good idea to make an appointment with your GP about this to ensure you get the right diagnosis and treatment. We are not medically trained.

    Pain and reduced mobility limits daily activities and can drag you down. This can feel very frustrating when you are unable to be as active as you used to be. Your pedal machine sounds good. The right kind of gentle exercises can help you to move more easily and be in less pain. Walking, cycling and swimming in moderation are types of low impact exercise which are good for arthritis.

    Referral to a physiotherapist or the musculoskeletal (MSK) service may be worth considering. You could talk to your GP about this and explore other treatment options. Referral to an orthopaedic specialist may also be helpful.

    Pacing yourself and balancing activity with rest is important too so that you don't overdo it and aggravate your symptoms. Eating a healthy balanced diet and keeping a healthy weight will help to put less strain on your joints.

    You are welcome to call our Free Helpline on 0800 5200 520, 9am-6pm weekdays, if you would like to talk things through informally and in confidence. We are not medically trained.

    You are also welcome to post on our  https://community.versusarthritis.org/categories/living-with-arthritis-forum  forum if you haven't done so already. This is a positive and supportive space where you may receive more responses to your post.

    I hope you find the information given below of some help.

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-of-the-knee/
    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/

    Please keep posting and let us know how you are getting on.

    Best wishes,

    Fiona, Helpline Advisor

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