If the legs hurt when you are walking the cause may be a spinal stenosis.

As we get older and especially if we have been working hard lifting weights or if we had been sitting a lot in our job, the spine changes, often leading to a degeneration of the vertebrae , discs, muscles and ligaments (connective tissues) that together make up the spinal column. These changes may lead to spinal stenosis.

Lumbar stenosis means that the spinal nerve roots in the lower back are compressed and this can produce symptoms of sciatica like  weakness or numbness or tingling, that radiates from the low back and into the buttocks and legs - especially with activity.
 
The typical symptom is increased pain in the legs with walking. Patients with lumbar spinal stenosis are typically comfortable at rest but cannot walk far without developing leg pain. Pain relief is achieved, sometimes almost immediately, when they sit down again or bend over.
For most people, symptoms of lumbar stenosis develop slowly over time (most patients are over 50), with some periods of more severe pain and some with fewer or none, but symptoms are not always progressive over time.

What can I do if I suffer from lumbar spinal Stenosis?

Only in few cases an operation is recommendable. Before operating it should be tried first to use non-invasive techniques of manual therapy. The purpose of physiotherapy is to decrease pain and allow you to gradually return to your normal activities. Physiotherapy for spinal stenosis involves treatment with physical or mechanical means, such as through exercise or heat. Physiotherapy may reduce pain in the soft tissues such as the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, improve function, and build muscle strength. A physiotherapist provides these treatments and will also provide education, instruction, and support for recovery.

He will use techniques of manual therapy to reduce the stress on the joints and improve the range of motion. With special exercises important muscles can be strengthened to help to improve and maintain a good posture.

Your  physiotherapist will design a program specific to your normal level of activity, physical fitness, and severity of pain.