Occasional rls after heavy excercise

[bluesky21]

Hi all, thankfully my rls is only occasional, but I've noticed it seems to be when I have done more exercise than normal and have stiff leg muscles. This time I have been digging the garden and walking, resulting in stiff leg muscles, which then triggered the rls for a few hours when trying to relax in bed.

Can anyone recommend any muscle treatments (voltarol etc?) that might work, I just tried ibruprofen and herbal sleeping tablets but can't say they worked. Have read all the ususal avoiding caffeine/alcohol etc but don't think they're an issue, seems directly linked to overworked muscles in my case. Tried stretching too when it starts but didn't help either.

any ideas?

[LotteM]

I don’t mean to be mean, but I would suggest: try to avoid heavy excercise, especially late in the day. And maybe start a simple training programme so that you can ‘stand’ somewhat heavier exercise. Stretching during and immediately after exercise may also help a little, a bit comparable to cooling-down. Oh, and maybe warming-up before? Just thinking out loud......

[Kells22 in reply to LotteM]

I noticed this the other day after a big run! I take Dihydrocodeine though. Maybe you could try some over the counter co codamol? It’s an opioid based medication that is recommended for rls.

[lou_lou89]

I have this issue too! The more I exercise the worse it gets! But I don’t want to stop exercising in the evening as it’s my only time if I Day I can do it.

[fnabi in reply to lou_lou89]

Same.

[Kells22 in reply to lou_lou89]

Maybe try over the counter co codamol? It’s recommended for rls

[Eryl in reply to lou_lou89]

See my answer to buesky21.

[involuntarydancer]

So far as exercise is concerned this is a frequently expressed problem and I would second LotteM and say avoid overturning yourself and gradually work up to a level where you can more easily absorb extra exercise. More generally get your iron levels checked as a low serum ferritin can exacerbate rls symptoms.

[involuntarydancer in reply to involuntarydancer]

I meant ‘overstretching yourself’ not ‘overturning yourself’!

[Eryl]

As a cyclist I regularly do heavy excersise, in fact ym egs are still painfull afet last Sunday's ride (50+ miles at over 14 mph). It hasn't brought on any rls. When people excersise, they tend to eat and drink more. Professional cyclists take sugary foods because they're producing around 300w of power for two or three hours. As a hobby cyclist I can produse a little over 100w for a few hours, and 300 w in a 50 yd sprint. At that rate my body metabolism can easily keep up with the requisements, so all I need is water to replace lost fluids. If you do not excersise regularly the extra movement may have brought on some inflammation in some tissues. More inflammation (especially in the nerve endings) would have been brought on by sugar from any sweet snacks and drinks you may have consumed. The result, rls. Try to reduce your sugar intake, take more regular excersise, and don't think that you need to eat differently just because you've done a bit of gardening.

[Mum007]

I’ve been fell walking today. 6 hours continual and 4 fells (Lake District hills to the none walkers). I get the same feeling later on. Co -codamol as the others have said works and a top up of an iron bisglycinate tablet an hour before bed usually helps.

[bluesky21]

Thanks all

[alexask]

Perhaps you could do with some Magnesium supplementation - especially if you have been sweating a lot.

[Tapir]

I too have noticed that excessive exercise increases the likelihood of an RLS attack and I have found that re-balancing the sodium:potassium ratio helps me enormously. I use re-hydration sachets available, in the UK, from Boots and other similar places. The powder is dissolved in about 200ml warm water before taking by mouth. The powder consists of sodium chloride, potassium chloride and some buffers to get the correct pH and ionic strength for absorption by the body. This often relieves my RLS within minutes. I say "often" because nothing is certain with this awful affliction. Hope this helps

[bluesky21]

thanks all, I think the phrase 'heavy exercise' was a bit misleading, I don't do nearly the level of exercise that some of you do, mine wasn't intentional, just making the most of a sunny weekend in the garden. I walk a lot with my dog so not inactive, but I will try to strengthen my muscles generally to make them better behaved (have ordered Darcy Bussell's beginners pilates dvd, hopefully I will look like her too before too long as a bonus!)

I also have some cocodamol on hand to try if it triggers again. Will also start taking my multivitamins etc again to keep topped up with levels of various things.

thanks again

[LotteM in reply to bluesky21]

Everything is relative! Apparently the whole day of gardening was too heavy for you. I guess it would be for most of us as gardening involves movements and standing in bent positions that we rarely do.

Tops for the dvd. The challenge is to stick with it. I use an app, but stopped the exercise during my past very bad weeks; too exhausted.