eaglesandcycling

I seem to get it almost nightly from several minutes to an hour or more. Any tips how to relieve it?

badger1

Raise your saddle.

Rolla

My brother and I both suffer from it, as did our father, so I think it's hereditary more than cycling related. I know that there is medication available to treat it, and my brother says it's related to Parkinson's somehow, but neither of us have gone the pharmaceutical route.

When it strikes -- usually at night when I'm lying down -- I stand up and move the affected leg (usually the left), locking and unlocking the knee for three or four minutes. If I'm lucky, that relieves it long enough for me to fall asleep. My wife says it continues throughout the night, but it seldom wakes me. I've had it for years, so I'm more or less used to it, but the worst is when it happens on an airline flight when the 'fasten seatbelt' sign is on.

eaglesandcycling

nice..guess youre reading my other post

Koyote

What makes you think it's related to cycling?

eaglesandcycling

i took 5 months off of cycling due to perineum issues and started up about 6 weeks ago, cycling regularly. i didnt experience RLS much at all during that 5 month break. but yah, maybe it isn't related

Koyote

If it's causing you problems, you should see a neurologist rather than soliciting opinions from strangers on the internet.

Ghazmh

The first line of defense against restless legs syndrome is to avoid substances or foods that may aggrivate or worsen the problem. Stay away from alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. This may help relieve your symptoms. In addition, review all medications you are taking.

Rolla

The two aren't mutually exclusive. Given that there's no definitive cause and that simple self-care actions can alleviate symptoms, why not see what works for others?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...%20temporarily.

scottfsmith

It sometimes seems that cycling makes it a bit worse for me. But it is alcohol that really does it.. all bad episodes involve booze and the more the booze the worse it can be.

If it is really bad I hit my legs with a percussion message gun for five minutes, and I am back to sleep in five additional minutes every time.

mackgoo

I get it on occasion, not from cycling. I've found if I take an aspirin it goes away and allows me to sleep. Why I don't know.

Daniel4

I seem to have it. But it's been gone for a while.

When I had it, it would get me when I lie down to sleep. It starts with a tickle at the back of my femur and my leg would jerk. I would isolate the specific muscle and tense it up real good. That would be enough to let me fall asleep.

Then I would notice I get this on my rest days or when there are long periods between my workouts at the gym. Maybe it is indirectly related to my cycling because on my cycling days where I would go for long distances, my legs wouldn't be getting the same type of strenuous workouts as in the gym.

So I started doing RDLs to specifically target my hamstrings. Gotta get a really good stretch in but be careful not to pull the hamstring. And on other days, do barbell squats.

So far so good. I haven't felt it in a few months now. I don't know if it really was Restless Leg Syndrome or something else but it was enough to worry me.

raceboy

Truth for me. My restless leg symptoms went away completely after a few months of stopping the booze. My theory now is that it was a symptom of alcohol withdrawal.

Rolla

My brother doesn't drink alcohol at all, and his RLS is much worse than mine. I'm going to see if CBD has any effect. THC doesn't seem to help, but my diligent research continues.

msu2001la

She's got the jimmy legs.

prj71

I would take one of those drugs you see on the TV commercials. You'll be so busy with the side effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and blurry vision that you won't even notice your restless legs.

MoAlpha

If you're willing to travel to Baltimore, these guys are pretty good and have a nice summary of the current knowledge on this page.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neur...ls/causes.html

Here's the full list of top centers from the RLS Foundation

1. Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD
2. Houston Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, TX
3. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
4. Innsbruck Medical University, Austria
5. Stanford, Palo Alto, CA
6. Emory, Atlanta, GA
7. Yale, New Haven, CT
8. Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN
9. Scripps, San Diego, CA
10. Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Switzerland
11. Massachusetts General, Boston, MA
12. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pittsburgh, PA

Expertise in this disease is spotty and not every "specialist" knows what they're doing.

Erzulis Boat

My GF and her mother (86 yo) have had it for all their adult lives. They still cannot point to any cause. My GF says that perhaps very strenuous exercise will stave it off for the evening, but even then there is no guarantee. Strange condition!

It is not every night, but enough to be an issue.

holytrousers

Could be Iron deficiency.

Digger Goreman

Mine goes away with either a couple of bananas, or a Calcium-Magnesium supplement.

Dudelsack 

Beat me to it.

One theory is hot sauce might help, or Hot Shots.

I get it and it comes and goes. Mine is probably from a serious case of caffeine addiction. If war cuts off our coffee supply, I’m a goner.

holytrousers

Yes, i think coffee and tea are main culprits. I'm seriously considering quitting both of them once and for all. Time for some change. I think lentils are a generous good source of iron.

Chrisyang

I got that, thank you.

Pratt

I'm getting it from not riding. Now that Spring is here, I think it will subside.

kunoichi

I tried every home remedy you can imagine (well, not quite but it sure felt like it) and finally let my doctor prescribe me Requip. No side effects, no insomnia due to restless legs. But then I would be up as long as 3-4 hours each night with the restless legs before the med. It all depends on your particular aversion to prescription medication.