Intermittent claudication (IC) typically refers to lower extremity skeletal muscle pain that occurs during exercise.
Intermittent claudication presents when there is insufficient oxygen delivery to meet the metabolic requirements of the skeletal muscles. Intermittent claudication is a common manifestation of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which includes atherosclerotic stenosis of arteries in the extremities.
Intermittent claudication is commonly localized to the thigh, hip, buttock, and calf muscles. Pain within these muscle groups is reproducibly induced by walking and relieved with rest.
The severity of pain can sometimes correlate with the degree of stenosis or blockage in arteries supplying the lower extremities.
References:
Patel SK, Surowiec SM. Intermittent Claudication. [Updated 2022 Jul 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430778/#