How is claudication diagnosed?

Claudication is diagnosed by a physician after taking a medical history and performing a physical examination. The physician will look for signs and symptoms of claudication, such as leg pain when walking that resolves with rest.

If the physician suspects claudication, he or she may order tests such as an ankle-brachial index (ABI) to measure blood flow through the arteries, an ultrasound to assess the blood vessels, or a magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) to image the blood vessels.