What's going on with my legs while I'm sleeping?
March 2, 2018 7:18 PM Subscribe
YANMD, but any thoughts that Metafilter might have on this would be helpful! This has happened to me a few times in recent weeks. I'm a side sleeper, and tend to roll over in my sleep so that my legs are sort of tucked up under me. At some point, I wake up to go to the bathroom, and when I go to straighten my legs, it hurts.
Last night it happened, and it was agonizing. It doesn't hurt until I try to actually move, and the pain fades pretty quickly. It's muscle pain only, no bones or tendons seem to be involved. My best guess on this is that it's related to holding still for several hours, but I haven't noticed any similar pain in my arms or elsewhere. Possibly relevant data: I walk a few miles every day, but otherwise work a desk job. Also, I'm on a pretty restricted diet due to severe IBS. My main concern is that this may be caused by a vitamin deficiency of some kind, but the pain is definitely not a charley horse. I take vitamin supplements as recommended by my doctor: a multivitamin, calcium and vitamin D.
Last night it happened, and it was agonizing. It doesn't hurt until I try to actually move, and the pain fades pretty quickly. It's muscle pain only, no bones or tendons seem to be involved. My best guess on this is that it's related to holding still for several hours, but I haven't noticed any similar pain in my arms or elsewhere. Possibly relevant data: I walk a few miles every day, but otherwise work a desk job. Also, I'm on a pretty restricted diet due to severe IBS. My main concern is that this may be caused by a vitamin deficiency of some kind, but the pain is definitely not a charley horse. I take vitamin supplements as recommended by my doctor: a multivitamin, calcium and vitamin D.
Response by poster: I've had a charlie horse, so I'm familiar with those. This is more centered around the knee area (just above and just below, both in the front and back of the leg), not the calf. But still muscle pain.
posted by backwards compatible at 7:25 PM on March 2, 2018
posted by backwards compatible at 7:25 PM on March 2, 2018
Best answer: I get something similar. It's a cramp. They happen in muscles, tendons etc. Two supplements help me - magnesium citrate in powder form - half a teaspoon or less in a glass of water; and potassium which you can find as 'lite salt' in the supermarket.
posted by Thella at 7:32 PM on March 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Thella at 7:32 PM on March 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I was going to suggest potassium, too, or an electrolyte solution like pedialyte (they have powder packs you can add to water). Gatorade/Powerade type drinks would work but are higher in sugars. Also, look up the symptoms for gout to see if they might apply as well.
posted by Short End Of A Wishbone at 7:37 PM on March 2, 2018
posted by Short End Of A Wishbone at 7:37 PM on March 2, 2018
The most agonizing pain I've ever had around my knee (particularly when waking up) was first thought by my Urgent Care place to be a Baker's cyst, but the subsequent ultrasound revealed that it was Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot, just like they warn you about on long flights. I had not been on any long flights, fwiw. We were lucky we caught it when we did. You may well just have cramps but I'd recommend you get it checked out by a doc just to be safe. Hope you feel better soon!
posted by argonauta at 7:51 PM on March 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by argonauta at 7:51 PM on March 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
Could be you're injuring ligaments in your sleep.. foot gets caught up in blankets and you roll over in your sleep but your foot is caught in the same position facing the wrong way so when your body rolls over you're kind of giving yourself a heelhook/toehold type leglock which puts pressure lets call it on your ligaments in the knee. I've woken up with similar pain and I immediately recognized it as being very similar to having an overenthusiastic training partner/opponent pull off a heelhook or toehold too vigorously before I could tap out. I guess the pain is more in the tendon attachment points above and below and behind the knee, so that's what got me thinking..
I know it sounds kind of off the wall but I thought I'd mention it cuz , you know, lived experience and all.
I now arrange my blankets and such so that I'm less likely to get a foot trapped in my sleep. It seems to be working!
posted by some loser at 8:07 PM on March 2, 2018
I know it sounds kind of off the wall but I thought I'd mention it cuz , you know, lived experience and all.
I now arrange my blankets and such so that I'm less likely to get a foot trapped in my sleep. It seems to be working!
posted by some loser at 8:07 PM on March 2, 2018
Best answer: When this happens to me it's potassium. I have some electrolyte pills and I keep powdered gatorade around to mix into water when I can feel like it's going to happen or I've exerted myself extra that day.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 8:26 PM on March 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 8:26 PM on March 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
Yep, the only time this has happened to me was when I danced all night. In the morning I lay down and had shooting pain in both legs and fell off the couch because I tried to move them and couldn't.
posted by runcibleshaw at 9:06 PM on March 2, 2018
posted by runcibleshaw at 9:06 PM on March 2, 2018
Best answer: This happens to me when a I'm low on potassium and magnesium. My approach is identical to Thella's.
posted by quince at 10:37 PM on March 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by quince at 10:37 PM on March 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks to you all! I think potassium and magnesium is the way to go. I suspected it was something like this, but I wasn't sure what the root cause was.
posted by backwards compatible at 5:56 AM on March 3, 2018
posted by backwards compatible at 5:56 AM on March 3, 2018
What happens if you try flexing your muscles gently for a couple seconds before you actually stretch your legs out? I flex the calves and thighs, circle the ankle, and squeeze my glutes, and it occasionally makes a difference. Sometimes I can feel my replacement knee joint has 'locked up', and then I know to give it a heads-up before actually moving. If that doesn't work, it's a banana and a glass of milk before bedtime.
posted by BlueHorse at 10:21 AM on March 3, 2018
posted by BlueHorse at 10:21 AM on March 3, 2018
Best answer: This is much likelier to happen to you if you are sitting too much and shortening your tendons and ligaments and muscles. I would recommend that you take up doing stretches until you can easily fold over and hold your foot, with a straight leg, if you can't already do this.
I would also make sure that you were wearing good shoes with plenty of impact support, as when you have been wearing bad shoes the knees are one of the first things to go. Look at your most worn out pair of shoes and make sure they are wearing evenly, that they are not worn down more on the outside than the inside, or on the inside than the outside.
Make sure the covers are not tucked in too tightly, and that there are not extraneous objects on the bed when you are sleeping that will prevent you from moving your legs around, like the spare blanket in case you get cold, or your bathrobe, or your affectionate toddler. Before you go to sleep, remind yourself to move your legs around while you are sleeping, and when you are semi-conscious, drifting off, spread your legs around in the bed, changing positions. Get the toddler or the dog to sleep up just below or on the pillow to ensure that you can do this without kicking anybody. This will encourage better circulation which may also help.
posted by Jane the Brown at 10:57 AM on March 3, 2018
I would also make sure that you were wearing good shoes with plenty of impact support, as when you have been wearing bad shoes the knees are one of the first things to go. Look at your most worn out pair of shoes and make sure they are wearing evenly, that they are not worn down more on the outside than the inside, or on the inside than the outside.
Make sure the covers are not tucked in too tightly, and that there are not extraneous objects on the bed when you are sleeping that will prevent you from moving your legs around, like the spare blanket in case you get cold, or your bathrobe, or your affectionate toddler. Before you go to sleep, remind yourself to move your legs around while you are sleeping, and when you are semi-conscious, drifting off, spread your legs around in the bed, changing positions. Get the toddler or the dog to sleep up just below or on the pillow to ensure that you can do this without kicking anybody. This will encourage better circulation which may also help.
posted by Jane the Brown at 10:57 AM on March 3, 2018
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posted by soren_lorensen at 7:19 PM on March 2, 2018