The liver performs essential jobs like filtering toxins, regulating hormones, and managing fluids—so when it becomes damaged from conditions such as fatty liver disease, hepatitis, alcohol misuse, or cirrhosis, the effects often show up far from the abdomen. In fact, the legs are one of the first places where liver trouble becomes visible. Symptoms such as swelling, spider veins, intense itching, easy bruising, darkened skin, thinning leg muscles, and slow-healing wounds can all signal serious liver dysfunction. These changes happen because a damaged liver struggles to produce proteins, regulate hormones, support circulation, and manage bile flow.

Leg swelling from fluid buildup, bruising from poor clotting, itching from bile salts, and muscle wasting from protein breakdown are especially common—and often overlooked. Frequent infections and wounds that won’t heal are additional warning signs. When leg symptoms appear along with jaundice, confusion, abdominal swelling, or bleeding, it may indicate life-threatening liver failure. Paying attention to these early clues can lead to faster diagnosis, better treatment, and in many cases, life-saving intervention.