Leg pain can be caused by a variety of problems that may be confused with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), such as:

• Spinal stenosis.
• Tendinitis.
• Stress fractures.
• Arthritis.
• Nerve damage in the legs (peripheral neuropathy) caused by diabetes or heavy use of alcohol.
• A pulled muscle.

Other conditions can also cut off blood flow to the leg and produce symptoms similar to PAD. Some of these include:

• A blood clot (embolism) in the leg.
• Swelling of muscle tissue that cuts off blood flow (compartment syndrome).
• An aneurysm that blocks the large blood vessel in the abdomen (aorta). This can result in poor blood flow to the leg.