- With Mayo Clinic emeritus hypertension specialist
Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.
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Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.
Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.
Dr. Sheldon Sheps, emeritus professor of medicine and former chair of the Hypertension Division in the Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, has been with Mayo Clinic since 1960.
Dr. Sheps, a Winnipeg, Manitoba, native, is board certified in internal medicine and specializes in hypertension and peripheral vascular diseases. He developed a multidisciplinary approach with specially trained nurses, dietitians, technicians and educators to help form a team approach to the treatment of patients with abnormal blood pressure.
"I have always believed in involving the patient and family in their health care," he says. "I have asked for their understanding of the illness and issues and for participation in decisions. The Web is a natural extension of that, and now many more people can be informed."
Dr. Sheps chaired the sixth working group, and participated in the fourth, fifth and seventh groups, that developed the then-latest guidelines for hypertension under the auspices of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). He helped write the latest American Heart Association (AHA) report on blood pressure measurement. He chaired an AHA group that produced an online accreditation for blood pressure measurement for health professionals. He has co-authored books, newsletters, CD-ROMs and other Mayo Clinic health information material and joined Mayo Clinic's Web team in 1998. He was medical editor-in-chief of both editions of the "Mayo Clinic on High Blood Pressure" book; the last edition was published in 2003. He was also medical editor-in-chief of "Mayo Clinic 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure,'' published in 2008.
He was section editor for each of the first three editions of "Hypertension Primer" for the American Heart Association.
Dr. Sheps was also chairman of the Science Base Subcommittee, National High Blood Pressure Education Program, and was a consultant to the Hypertension Initiative of the World Health Organization. In 1997, he was honored with the Individual Achievement Award on the 25th anniversary of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program of NHLBI. In 2009, he was honored as a Distinguished Mayo Alumnus.
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Question
Leg pain after prolonged standing or sitting: A concern?
Lately, I've had a lot of leg pain, especially when sitting at my desk or standing in line at the store. I'm 55 and I don't think I have any health problems. Should I be concerned about this new aching?
Answer
from Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.
New, persistent leg pain certainly warrants a visit to your doctor for evaluation. Leg pain can have many causes, but your description of aching after prolonged standing or sitting suggests a possible buildup of fluid in the leg veins (venous congestion).
Venous congestion occurs when the valves in your leg veins don't work properly to keep blood moving efficiently from your legs to your heart. Instead, blood pools in your legs and feet, causing pain and, frequently, swelling.
Past inflammation of a vein (phlebitis) may damage the valves and lead to venous congestion. Poor valvular function in the leg veins also contributes to varicose veins, which are distended veins visible just beneath the skin. Varicose veins may cause venous congestion.
People with venous congestion typically describe the pain as a burning or cramping sensation, mainly in the calf. The pain worsens after periods of prolonged sitting or standing. Obesity and lack of activity contribute to the problem.
A doctor can determine the cause of your leg pain based on your medical history and a physical examination. If venous congestion is causing your leg pain, treatment may include:
- Wearing compression hosiery
- Increasing physical activity
- Elevating your legs above heart level for 15 to 30 minutes when they're aching.
Electric toothbrush: Better than a regular toothbrush?
- Brewster DC. Chapter 35. Management of peripheral venous disease. In: Goroll AH et al. Primary Care Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:285.
- Creager MA et al. Chapter 243. Vascular diseases of the extremities. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Textbook of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2880402&searchStr=varicosity#2880402. Accessed Sept. 30, 2009.
