Leg muscles

[Snuffyg]

Hi I have been getting bad spasms in my legs they stiffen and the muscles tighten and won't let go,I have noticed now that my leg muscles hurt all the time and feel swollen or tight all the time and its affecting my walking too has anyone else experienced this ?

[suziq38]

Yes, this happens to me in the morning, and I am sorry it is happening to you.

I got this rubber resistance tape thing from my PT, and paid a whopping $3.00 for it.

I put it, like a long towel, under my foot and pull hard while I am lying down.

I also stretch every morning and do Tai chi. The is a slow martial arts. It can be done quickly, for defensive moves.
When you do this exercise slowly, it really helps stretch your muscles out.

Works for me.

Everyone is different.
You need to check in with an MS specialist for some assistance or other help.

[Snuffyg]

Stretching

Thanks for your advice I have been stretching but this aching and heaviness doesn't seem to go away as long as it doesn't affect my walking to badly that's what worries me

[hunterd]

what kind of rubber resistance bands were they? Does this help with edema also?

Yes, this happens to me in the morning, and I am sorry it is happening to you.

I got this rubber resistance tape thing from my PT, and paid a whopping $3.00 for it.

I put it, like a long towel, under my foot and pull hard while I am lying down.

I also stretch every morning and do Tai chi. The is a slow martial arts. It can be done quickly, for defensive moves.
When you do this exercise slowly, it really helps stretch your muscles out.

Works for me.

Everyone is different.
You need to check in with an MS specialist for some assistance or other help.

[KATHY SUE]

Reply to Leg muscles

Hi there. I am constantly having spasticity and pain in my leg muscles. My hamstrings are so tight that I walk like the tin-man. Never can get any relief. Legs constantly move at night. I do stretches, however, it comes back within a few minutes. I take baclofen but I think it is not working. I hear your trouble loud and clear. I too am trying to find something to relieve it.

[rdmc]

Call your neuro. For those with spasticity, there are a couple different anti-spasticity meds on the market. They help a lot, main side effect can be sleepiness.

[Snuffyg]

Hi Kathy sue I have just been prescribed baclofen in the hopes it would help I must admit that's exactly how I feel when I walk like a tin man it's horrible but thanks for sharing that when the muscles contract there is absolutely nothing you can do

[vhmnoles]

Leg Muscles

I guess it's somewhat reassuring to read these threads and find out I am not alone! I've been dealing with this for quite some time and regardless of how much I try to stretch, the muscles just seem to rebel and tighten up that much more. Neither baclofen nor valium helped. New Dr. recommended trying xanaflex since it can be taken on an as needed basis vs. maintenance schedule. It has helped some, especially at night.

[Snuffyg]

I know what you mean and although its horrible its nice to know I am not alone in this, I am fairly new to the spasticity and I wondered does it affect people more at certain parts of the day for me it seems to be worse at night and in the morning not that it really goes away at all

[rdmc]

I guess it's somewhat reassuring to read these threads and find out I am not alone! I've been dealing with this for quite some time and regardless of how much I try to stretch, the muscles just seem to rebel and tighten up that much more. Neither baclofen nor valium helped. New Dr. recommended trying xanaflex since it can be taken on an as needed basis vs. maintenance schedule. It has helped some, especially at night.

Zanaflex and Baclofen are relatively short acting meds. In other words, their effect wears off rather quickly. And that does allow you and the doc to tweak the dosage.

Zanaflex comes in as low a dose as 2 mg....the usual dose is 4 mg. You usually start out with a low dose and then increase the dose as needed...and it can be tweaked to provide more mgs at times when your spasticity is worse...all under a doctor's supervision, of course.

I took Zanaflex for years and found it very effective, but I took a small dose, several times a day, to keep from being too sleepy. after years it seemed to lose it's efficacy and the neuro switched me to Baclofen. Overtime I increased the dose of Baclofen, but when I reached max dose...they recommended a pump, which I now have.

Spasticity is a hallmark of MS, as well as other neurological conditions. You need to work with your neuro to try to manage it, either through meds, stretching, pt...but in my experience, it never eased without medication...stretching would work, but only for a short while. The problem with not managing spasticity is that, at least in my case, it can alter your gait and almost like a domino effect start to cause spasm and pain in other areas because your muscles aren't being used in a "normal" way.

Hope you find the right med or method that works for you.

[Snuffyg]

Thanks for that I have been started on baclofen and told to come back in two weeks to see how the spasms are going he also told me to keep a diary of when they happen how many a day and how severe they are.they do seem to be getting worse but hopefully the medication will help I am most concerned about the walking as afterwards it is very difficult