Spasticity in my legs

[cupcakeg]

I have spasticity in my legs and as of August 2012 I began having pain in my legs that is keeping me awake at night. Dr ordered a lumbar MRI to see if there's something going on, but I haven't received the results yet. When I try to rest my body by sitting or lying down I get pain in my hamstrings up to my lower back, as well as, a feeling of unrest. It's almost like a feeling of numbness, but without tingling. All I can say is that it keeps my awake every night and I need to find something to help. I would prefer to try exercises first.
Any help would be awesome.
Thanks,
Des

[22cyclist]

I have much the same problem and am on a TON of baclofen and zanaflex together. I have some exercises from my PT. I will try to describe them:

1. Hip Flexor Stretch:
Lie on your bed. Hug your knees toward your chest. Hold for at least 30 seconds (one knee at a time). Repeat 3 times each leg.

2. Lying on your back on a bed. Bend your knees and drop one leg over the side of the bed. Hold onto your ankle with a folded sheet wrapped around it. Gently draw your foot toward your buttock. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times each leg.

3. Gastrocnemius stretch: (to stretch calves)
Sit on you bed with one leg straight, and one knee bent indian style. Hook a folded sheet over the bottom of the ball of your foot on the straight leg, and pull the ball towards you to feel the stretch in the long calf muscles. You can also stretch the back of your thigh by reaching for your toes at the same time. Make certain your knee is straight.

Hold for 30 secs. Repeat 3 times each leg.

Good luck! Sorry no pictures.
Lisa

[hunterd]

Try yoga, the gentle stretching will not only help to loosen you up, it sounds like it may help you out (IMO). This is pretty much the same thing that 22cyclist said.

[Alpharetta]

Just part of the program

I had extreme spasticity, had worked up to 60 to 80 mg of baclofen every day not too mention the 4 to 6 Motrin it took to get from the bed to the bathroom in the morning. What really changed for me was going on ampyra.

Still need a little baclofen now and then but it helped tremendously. Not that it works well for everyone, but it did for me.

Keep up with yoga and try to get on a recumbent bike, they both help.