About a week ago I started getting aching muscles in both legs, my right leg is totally ok now but my left leg has got worse and I can hardly walk. It doesn't feel at all like nerve pain, its more dull and aches, worse when I put weight on it although improves slightly once I get going. I feel it mostly in low part of buttock and thigh. Impossible to walk my dog though. Im ok sitting and getting up although I feel some discomfort in the buttock sitting and in bed I feel discomfort on my left hip but not enough for me to need painkillers and it doesn't stop me from sleeping. Had a dexa scan very end of last year and all ok. I had sciatica a few years ago, it doesn't feel like that and I can raise my leg 90 degrees without pain which I believe is the test for sciatica. No problems with muscles anywhere else in my body which worried me initially as I have just dropped to 12.5 Pred and my first thought was PMR. Really strange, has me confused because it doesn't feel like a pulled muscle either. Any thoughts, advice, solutions very welcome please.
Leg problem giving walking difficulties - PMRGCAuk
Leg problem giving walking difficulties
Do your muscles feel knotty when you run you hand over them?
Thanks for replying Jinasc, no the muscles are not knotty at all and nothing visual either. After reading PMRpro reply Im convinced she is right.
Yes...not always but often
It does sound like the start of piriformis syndrome - judging by the location at least
spine-health.com/conditions...
It can happen without pinching the sciatic nerve and leading to sciatica but the piriformis muscle becomes tight and achy. There are stretches that might help relieve the discomfort. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome is also a possibility:
yourphysio.org.uk/condition...
Thank you Pro, sounds very much like it so will start the exercises right away. I have actually read other posts where you have mentioned Piriformis syndrome but not taken too much notice. Is it something we are more prone to for some reason, maybe steroids? I know you are probably going to say "how long is a piece of string" but any idea the length of time this usually takes to improve. I so miss my dog walks, its the only thing that keeps me sane.
It can be part of myofascial pain syndrome - and that is more common alongside PMR and possible part of PMR.
I've never had it that it affects my walking so I don't really know - when it starts for me I try to get it sorted either by the physio or the pain clinic, both of whom do a very good job here. I was surprised how quickly the clam exercise made a difference though
Hi can I ask what myofascial pain and piriformis syndrome are?I see you mention before and wondered - I get some oddities with my body since the PMR started but it's not the same as pmr symptoms. But insignificant sort of twinging here and there (nothing I can't deal with) - so was just curious when I saw it mentioned here again.
So thought to myself, just ask 😁😁
webmd.com/pain-management/g....
spine-health.com/conditions...
spineuniverse.com/condition...
webmd.com/pain-management/g...
will give some basics - sorry, my bedtime!!!!!!
Ah thanks - you didn't need to worry about replying straight away - could hsve waited. But thank you 😊 x
I like to have my inbox empty before I go to bed - one less to face in the morning 
Ah I get that - I try to do that at work but sometimes time takes over but I do first first thing otherwise. But so have to keep that inbox tidy 😁😁
Even so, I get back to 30+ emails first thing - I'm in bed before the UK and then the USA comes along ...
Oh that's not good - get the reason for clearing before you do finish for the day, otherwise you'd have loads!
May as well stay up then 😉😉
Sorry to trouble you again but yesterdays blood test showed CRP of 6 up from less than 1 and I was wondering if this leg problem could be the cause of the increase rather than GCA as I'm not having any problems with that. Currently on second weeks of 12.5 Pred and then on to l2.5/10 alternate days. GP put up some co-codamol for me yesterday but I haven't taken any yet. Understand nsaids shouldn't be taken with steroids. Have rheumy consultant phone appointment next week.
It could be if your GCA is now manifesting as PMR symptoms which does happen as the pred dose reduces - it is masked by the higher GCA doses.
Oh dear, that was my very first thought as I did have some hip and shoulder pain before I was diagnosed (took a very long time) and that all went away with the 60mg steroids. It was all very confusing as I had pneumonia as well. Is it possible to have PMR in just one leg or is that how it starts and then progresses. Apologies for so many questions Pro just trying to be prepared and understand for my appointment next week.
It's unusual for PMR to be one-sided - but it CAN often start more noticeably in one place and then spread. If you were diagnosed with GCA and put on high dose pred then the PMR would be swamped and disappear.
It sounds like it could be Piriformis syndrome. The treatment appears to be a series of special exercises/ stretches/ massage. A physiotherapist’s input would be good. I hope you get it sorted out soon, it sounds both painful and inconvenient. I bet your poor old dog is bewildered. It will be good to get back to your walks.
Thanks, yes it all sounds very likely and just one more thing to upset the applecart 😀 I just knew that I would get help and advice here though, such valuable input from everyone and so appreciated.
Hi Happy Diamonds,I can totally relate to what you are going through. A few months ago I was in a very similar position. I had to attend a friend's ordination and couldn't walk up the aisle!! I ended up going to a physio and I now do the exercises she gave me on a daily basis and I am okay.
Good luck!
I had leg problems with pmr Osteopath helped me greatly but 3 months on after hard. Massage and pulling I developed Achilles tendinitis and use a balm earth muscle&joint relief balm elder and horsechestnut with terebinth and arnica
My PMR symptoms are what you described...buttock, thigh and calf pain
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