Strange 'popping' feeling in legs after exercise

dancinggirl81 · February 2011

As long as I can remember, I’ve gotten strange 'popping' sensations in my legs after really strenuous exercise. It doesn't hurt and it goes away in about 20 mins. Just wondered if anyone else gets that... and if it's normal?? They feel like they're in the muscles, not the joints or knees.

CuteMommy88 · February 2011

haha funny that you ask this!! I do almost everytime after i exercise...my legs are actually doing it right now LOL :laugh: I'm not sure what causes it though

dancinggirl81 · February 2011

Good to know I'm not alone! I hope it's a good thing and not a lack of hydration or something. It means I'm done with a good workout... so that's a great thing!

wocm15 · February 2011

Oh gosh, me too! I learned about it in anatomy (though I've pretty much forgotten everything...) and I think it's something about your muscle fibers continuing to contract even though your brain has stopped sending signals. It is a weird twitching feeling though! I always get it in my thighs!

rockieschick · February 2011

yup same here!

35again · February 2011

Yep, I get it too.

millyliza · February 2011

Same here! I was telling my husband about it and he laughed

isislc · February 2011

I get the same thing. It's your muscles adjusting to the loss of lactic acid. When you work out you tend to break up the lactic acid that has been built up in your muscles. Once that goes, everything kind of moves around and knots up.

That's why it's a good idea to do some massage on the muscles just used so you can limit the amount of soreness and break up those knots and pockets of lactic acid still remaining. I let the kids take a rolling pin and roll out my calves and quads for me after a workout. The call it making "momma cookies". lol

mariasheehan · February 2011

Me too!!!

benign fasciculations

Benign fasciculations or muscle twitches after exercise is surprisingly common. After the muscles have undergone an intense workout, biochemical changes take place as the muscle responds to the stress of exercised Lactic acid builds up in the fatigued muscle and formation of free radicals occur which believe can alter the excitability of muscle tissue. Endurance athletes and runners are particularly prone to the type of free radical formation that can lead to muscle twitches after exercise. Eating more antioxidant rich foods may help to reduce exercise related muscle twitches, although there are no studies to document this.

Or from Medhelp.org

Actually, it is your nerves still firing and making your muscles twitch after strenous exercise, especially after intense aerobic exercise. These muscle twitches are known as fasiculations, which are a small, local, involuntary muscle contractions visible under the skin arising from the spontaneous discharge of skeletal muscle fibers. Fasiculations can be caused by certain motor diseases but are more commonly caused by electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, stress and fatigue. Fasiculations are a normal body response to abrupt changes in activity levels such as running for 30 mins. and then suddenly ending the activity. Their intensity is heightened when it has been awhile between exercising routines.

dancinggirl81 · February 2011

Thanks for explaining. Sounds like it's no cause for alarm... and I would love isislc's rolling pin treatment!

julesandrich · February 2011

I get it when I do a lot of cardio.

melschaoticbliss · May 2012

I LOVE this feeling. At first it was disconcerting, but I never really thought it could be bad. Now it feels great, like I really had a good work out. Typically it happens when I've walked on a hard surface for a while, like mall walking or when I walk on the street. I don't get the sensation when I do a low impact activity like the elliptical, which is a let down for me. I like to imagine it's fat cells bursting and expelling themselves from my thighs. It's a nice thought anyway.

vrutwind · May 2012

I get this too after a really big cardio workout!

myfitnessnmhoy · May 2012

That's why it's a good idea to do some massage on the muscles just used so you can limit the amount of soreness and break up those knots and pockets of lactic acid still remaining. I let the kids take a rolling pin and roll out my calves and quads for me after a workout. The call it making "momma cookies". lol

A good stretch will have the same effect and I believe is more beneficial to the muscle (I know it makes me more flexible and less prone to muscle pull injuries).

But the rolling pin is good, too.

jenn26point2 · May 2012

I LOVE this feeling. At first it was disconcerting, but I never really thought it could be bad. Now it feels great, like I really had a good work out. Typically it happens when I've walked on a hard surface for a while, like mall walking or when I walk on the street. I don't get the sensation when I do a low impact activity like the elliptical, which is a let down for me. I like to imagine it's fat cells bursting and expelling themselves from my thighs. It's a nice thought anyway.

This is what I imagine it to be too!