Peripheral artery disease (P.A.D.) is a disease in which plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, fibrous tissue, and other substances in the blood.
Painless swelling may affect both legs and may include the calves or even the thighs. The effect of gravity makes the swelling most noticeable in the lower part of the body. Foot, leg, and ankle swelling is common when the person also: Is overweight.
Runners and other athletes are also prone to calf tightness, as the calf muscles are constantly firing to stabilize the ankle and both absorb each landing and push the heel back off the ground. Interestingly, calf tightness can also be symptomatic of weakness elsewhere in the leg. If your glutes and/or hamstrings are weak, your calves will often try to make up for that weakness, which means the muscle gets overused, which in turn exacerbates calf tightness.