Strange 'popping' feeling in legs after exercise

dancinggirl81
dancinggirl81 Posts: 63 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
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.
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Replies

  • CuteMommy88
    CuteMommy88 Posts: 538 Member
    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
    dancinggirl81 Posts: 63 Member
    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
    wocm15 Posts: 81
    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
    rockieschick Posts: 321 Member
    yup same here!
  • 35again
    35again Posts: 46 Member
    Yep, I get it too.
  • millyliza
    millyliza Posts: 45 Member
    Same here! I was telling my husband about it and he laughed
  • isislc
    isislc Posts: 140 Member
    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
  • 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
    dancinggirl81 Posts: 63 Member
    Thanks for explaining. Sounds like it's no cause for alarm... and I would love isislc's rolling pin treatment!
  • julesandrich
    julesandrich Posts: 188 Member
    I get it when I do a lot of cardio.
  • melschaoticbliss
    melschaoticbliss Posts: 2 Member
    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
    vrutwind Posts: 25
    I get this too after a really big cardio workout!
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    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
    jenn26point2 Posts: 429 Member
    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! :)
  • sugarsnaptastic
    sugarsnaptastic Posts: 1 Member
    Exactly!
  • Polly758
    Polly758 Posts: 623 Member
    I get little "clicks" right in the center of my thighs. I've always thought it felt like the valves in my veins moving blood around.
  • Totally normal. I get it after legs workout, any cardio but especially the bike. Usually resolves within 5 to 10 minutes.
  • artickb22
    artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
    I have this same sensation! Especially in my hamstrings when stretching!
  • jo_tolose
    jo_tolose Posts: 10 Member
    me too. i get it from a month i think n i used to wonder what's happening.now i had it thank to all, i know tht it's normal.
  • 8goatgirl8
    8goatgirl8 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm glad someone has explained this, I've always felt this after exercising and have always wanted to know what it was :)
  • Elizababyfat
    Elizababyfat Posts: 3 Member
    I literally googled "what is the weird feeling after working out in fat?" and found this link...
    haha thanks for clearing this up!
  • I get it all the time too! Glad I'm not the only one...lol.
  • Goldeeloks615
    Goldeeloks615 Posts: 29 Member
    I get them as well.. feels like little bubbles popping. I always like to think it's fat cells imploding! :bigsmile:
  • I get it too and think it is actually funny. I call them my little fat blasters working hard at getting rid of the fat in my thighs. :-)
  • I feel this, too. However, I only feel it after a short, brisk walk. Whenever I exercise and do a strenuous workout I do not feel this twitching. Does anyone know why this is?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,972 Member
    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
    WUT? Where are you getting you information about lactic acid buildup? Lactic acid isn't the cause of sore muscles. Nor does it remain in muscles, but gets converted back to pyruvate when oxygen is present.
    Should probably research you information because wherever you got it from, it's incorrect.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • gkauf744
    gkauf744 Posts: 128 Member
    I remember feeling this after walking home from school, so many years ago. I thought it was normal.
  • shoshkabob
    shoshkabob Posts: 14 Member
    So glad it's not just me!
  • amandaeallen
    amandaeallen Posts: 1 Member
    edited February 2016
    I get the clicking all over my legs and gluts after a long walk, but I can do a 4 mile jog and do not get them, it must have something to do with the difference in using fast twitch or slow twitch....
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    edited February 2016
    My muscles twitch all the time when I'm in training. In my calves mostly, and often in my feet after long runs. I've done lots of googling and it's pretty normal. :)
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