Venous leg ulcer

A leg ulcer is a long-lasting (chronic) sore that takes more than four to six weeks to heal. They usually develop on the inside of the leg, just above the ankle.

The symptoms of a venous leg ulcer include pain, itching and swelling in the affected leg. There may also be discoloured or hardened skin around the ulcer, and the sore may produce a foul-smelling discharge.

See your GP if you think you have a leg ulcer, as it will need specialist treatment to help it heal.

Your GP will examine your leg and may carry out additional tests to rule out other conditions.

Read more about how a venous leg ulcer is diagnosed.

What causes venous leg ulcers?

A venous leg ulcer is the most common type of leg ulcer, accounting for over 90% of all cases.

Venous leg ulcers can develop after a minor injury, where persistently high pressure in the veins of the legs has damaged the skin.

Read more about the causes of venous leg ulcers.

Who's affected?

Venous leg ulcers are estimated to affect around 1 in 500 people in the UK, although they become much more common with age. It's estimated that around 1 in 50 people over the age of 80 has one.

You're more at risk of developing one if you've previously had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or find it difficult to walk because of a problem such as:

• osteoarthritis
• a leg injury
• obesity
• paralysis

You're also more at risk if you've recently had an operation on your leg, such as a hip replacement or knee replacement.

People with varicose veins (swollen and enlarged veins) also have a higher risk of developing venous leg ulcers.

How venous leg ulcers are treated

Most venous leg ulcers heal within three to four months if they're treated by a healthcare professional trained in compression therapy for leg ulcers. However, some ulcers may take longer to heal, and a very small number never heal.

Treatment usually involves:

• cleaning and dressing the wound
• using compression, such as bandages or stockings, to improve the flow of blood in the legs

Antibiotics may also be used if the ulcer becomes infected, but they don't help ulcers to heal.

However, unless the underlying cause of the ulcer is addressed, there's a high risk of a venous leg ulcer recurring after treatment. Underlying causes could include immobility, obesity, previous DVT, or varicose veins.

Read more about treating venous leg ulcers.

Can venous leg ulcers be prevented?

There are several ways to help prevent developing a venous leg ulcer in people at risk, such as:

• wearing compression stockings
• losing weight if you're overweight
• exercising regularly
• elevating your leg when possible

These measures are particularly important if you've previously had a leg ulcer because you're at increased risk of having another one in the same leg within months or years.

Read more about preventing venous leg ulcers.

Other types of leg ulcer

Other common types of leg ulcer include:

• arterial leg ulcers – caused by poor blood circulation in the arteries
• diabetic leg ulcers – caused by the high blood sugar associated with diabetes
• vasculitic leg ulcers – associated with chronic inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus
• traumatic leg ulcers – caused by injury to the leg
• malignant leg ulcers – caused by a tumour of the skin of the leg

Most ulcers caused by artery disease or diabetes occur on the foot rather than the leg.