My legs are so tight… I can barely bend my knees and ankles when walking, particularly up hill. They are also going out so I walk almost like there’s a 45degree angle as a gap between my legs, it’s so painful, I’ve had tight calves since I was 15 but now it’s extended to my thighs and this type of waking is causing my low back havock… I just want to know I what I should do, I don’t know what this could be, I’m just suffering with the tightness, I actually feel the most disabled I have in a long time… this seems to have coincided with a nasty cold so I don’t know, do colds exacerbate symptoms? Are there any stretches of these muscles I could do? Any supplements that could help? I’ve googled, but I don’t know what will help so I thought I’d come here and ask whether anyone has had similar problems and see what they did. I’m in so much pain right now, I just don’t know what to do with myself! Sorry for this… I’ll appreciate anything!
Hi I know exactly how you’re feeling and the pain becomes torturous at times. My legs are so tight and rock hard all the time and they get so sore. I feel like I’m walking like the tin man from the wizard of oz. Walkjngs hard enough with trying to walk with rigid legs! There are exercises that help stretch your ligaments and muscles. Have you been referred to a physio? Your gp can do it and they would be able to help you & give you exercises to do. There’s also muscle relaxants that can help. Baclofen is one I’ve used on and off over the years. It did help me at first so that’s something you could talk to your gp about trying. Cold,virus’ any type of infection definately does exacerbate ms symptoms. Your cold really won’t be helping you just now at all. Only thing I can really offer is go see your dr and ask about a prescription for baclofen. Tell him how much pain you’re in aswell, and he should offer you painkillers. In the meantime have you got any ibruphofen? It’s not ideal but it’s something that might help you.
Hi Anonymous,
I also know how you are feeling. I too have a bend of about 1 -20 degrees in both knees and a bend in both legs from there and it is agony.
I was given co-codomol 30/500mg in order to cope with the pain. Now since my diagnosis I only use pregabalin.
I agree with libertine you need to go to your gp and ask for pain relief.
Robert.
During my last relapse I had tightness and spasticity where my leg was turning inwards. This caused loads of pain in my hip and knee and ankle. All I did, and it might not work for everyone, is at intervals when resting I tried flexing the muscles the other way. Not easy at all and so painful. I’d do this say once a day at first. I increased it over time, it took 7 weeks, and now I’ve got more movement back but I still have movement problems which I think I’m stuck with. Make sure you’ve got your pain relief sorted, that’s the first thing. Then maybe something like Diazepam to relax the muscles. I hope it helps xxxxx
Hi Beverly,
Good info, too late for me though but maybe will work for someone else.
Robert
Thank you everyone, Sorry about the late reply, Libertine, your symptoms sound very similar to mine, I already have a physio but he’s been avoiding me, saying he’d ring back and doesn’t.I think because for the time I was seeing him he said nothing serious was going on and now that I’ll be seeing a neurologist, he’s probably thinking I’ll be angry at him or something, he is young so I don’t think that helps. The other person I see in the building told me he’d chase him up but I’ve had no phone call. I think I’ve given up on him, I’ve got an appointment with neuro at the beginning of August and an appointment with podiatrist for insoles not long after. I’m hoping I’ll get a new referral to physio as I’m in so much pain, my legs hurt to bend at knee, I can but I tend to have legs elevated, I used to be able to sit with one leg tucked under the other or crossed but that’s impossible now and hurts so much if I try to force them. I am trying to stretch them and will continue to do so, thank you for the tip Beverly! As for seeing the GP I won’t get an appointment before my neuro appointment if I want to see the one that referred me. Which sucks! Hopefully the neuro may prescribe something? If they don’t and this continues, I’ll make an appointment. I’ll keep stretching for the minute. Can anyone recommend specific stretches or shall I just bend at the knee and try to bring my legs inward when walking? I appreciate the replies, thank you!
What I do, and I have to do it everyday or they’ll seize up. I stretch the tendons. So it’s bending feet upwards,towards you, as hard as you can. Then pointing the toes as had as you can. Then moving the ankles round and round in different directions. It works for me, keeps them moving. Xx