CFS & Fibromyalgia Related Conditions Possible Causes of Leg Pains With Fibromyalgia By Adrienne Dellwo linkedin Adrienne Dellwo is an experienced journalist who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and has written extensively on the topic. Learn about our editorial process Adrienne Dellwo Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Grant Hughes, MD on May 11, 2020 linkedin Grant Hughes, MD, is board-certified in rheumatology and is the head of rheumatology at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center. Learn about our Medical Review Board Grant Hughes, MD on May 11, 2020 Print Fibromyalgia can cause pain anywhere and everywhere, and to any degree. That makes it really difficult to identify other sources of pain -- we tend to just write them off as fibromyalgia. I've done it more than once, but fortunately, my doctor always asks where I'm hurting and she's been able to hone in on problems I didn't realize I had. Hero Images / Getty Images A recent comment from a reader really caught my eye because it described something I at first attributed to fibro and later learned was something else entirely: "When I get stressed at work or I am having problems with employees, I get unbearable pains down both my legs. It feels like shin splints. This last for several days at a time. I find it hard to walk. I'm almost dragging my feet. When I get home I lay on the couch in a fetal position and rock in pain." -Karen When I described this type of pain to my rheumatologist, she did some poking around on my legs and told me I had something called iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome. It's typically a runner's injury (yeah, I know -- I tried not to laugh!), but I have to wonder if those lax connective tissues we have could contribute to it. Of course, I can't say that is what Karen has, but it's certainly something to ask the doctor about. The good news is, some simple stretching exercises can really help. ITB Syndrome The iliotibial band runs down the outside of the thigh, from the hip to the knee. However, when it's aggravated and ITB syndrome develops, it can hurt clear down into the arch of your foot. When I talked to my doctor about it, the pain was severe and really interfering with my sleep (which was bad enough already, thank you!) After a couple days of doing the right stretches, however, it started feeling a lot better. This can help you get started with ITB stretches: Standing Stretch Other than the stretches, I've had good luck with capsaicin on my calves (be cautious -- it can burn) and with alternating heat and ice right at the hip. I may start getting acupuncture for it as well, at my doctor's recommendation. Other Possibilities Something else that could cause that shin-splint pain, and that's common with fibromyalgia, is myofascial pain syndrome. Triggerpoints.net has a great illustration of how trigger points at the hip (the x's) cause radiating pain (the red areas) down the outside of the leg: Lateral Leg Pain. (That site is a must for anyone with MPS.) Is it possible for fibromyalgia to mimic the pain of shin splints/ITB syndrome/myofascial pain syndrome? Sure. When it comes to pain, fibromyalgia is a jack-of-all-trades. But it's worth looking into other possibilities because those other causes of pain are usually a lot easier to treat. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn about treatment and lifestyle changes to cope with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Vickers AJ, Linde K. Acupuncture for chronic pain. JAMA. 2014;311(9):955-6. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.285478 Bourgaize S, Newton G, Kumbhare D, Srbely J. A comparison of the clinical manifestation and pathophysiology of myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia: implications for differential diagnosis and management. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2018;62(1):26-41.