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Legs feel "asleep"

jedibunny
jedibunny Posts: 321
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
My sister, who's a very intelligent and talented licensed massage therapist, talked with me recently about the fact that of late my legs (calf/shin especially) have felt as though they're *asleep* either while or after working out. You know, the asleep where you want to slap them and tell them to snap out of it. They do right now, in fact, and I worked out this morning over 14 hours ago. This has been happening for weeks now.

I get tingles, pins-and-needles, numbness, and a general sense of WTF?! - particularly when shaving, drying them off after a shower, or applying any sort of other pressure (even as light as putting lotion on). My aforementioned sister believes it's because I have blood flowing more regularly to places it doesn't normally go. I buy that, to an extent, but it doesn't really explain the long-lasting sense of numbness or the fact that I can't so much as touch them even so many hours later without wincing. So as much as I have faith and confidence in her anatomical knowledge, I'm looking for some second opinions:

- has this happened to anyone else?
- do you know what causes it?
- can diet affect this (as someone else suggested to me)?
- does it stop? does it lessen?
- what can I do about it??

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: I'll be contacting my doctor on Monday. I just wondered if this were solely my own issue and therefore more worrisome, or something that affects a lot of people when they start working out more intensively. Thank you!!
:flowerforyou:

Replies

  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    I think you should be asking your doctor these very good questions. There are a lot of reasons for it to happen and a doctor is the best judge of why.
  • shady1987dre
    shady1987dre Posts: 186 Member
    Restless leg syndrome?

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001810/
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    Hmm. I have had my legs fall asleep / tingly when I use the elliptical or run on uneven surfaces poorly (ex: trail running like an idiot instead of picking good places to step)

    but usually it went away after I sit down for a half hour or so.

    I am sorry I can't bring any more knowledge than this. Circulation is definitely something that you need to be aware of. If it is in your budget please see your doctor just to make sure all is well.
  • kayhatlen
    kayhatlen Posts: 46
    Go see a Doctor or a Chiropractor as you may have a pinched nerve somewhere. It never hurts to find out for sure.
  • jedibunny
    jedibunny Posts: 321
    Restless leg syndrome?

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001810/

    I thought about that, but I don't exhibit those symptoms. I barely notice them unless I touch them for some reason or I think specifically about it, but the "asleep" sensation is there.

    I'm also sorry if I was unclear initially - I'm not looking for a diagnosis, I just wondered if it was commonplace. I will talk with my doctor about it more extensively.
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    Numbness or tingling indicates nerves. I would ask your doctor, real soon.
  • DsAdvocate
    DsAdvocate Posts: 93 Member
    Go see a doctor. There are many things that could cause those sensations. Best to get it checked out.
  • islandjumper
    islandjumper Posts: 369 Member
    I pretty much permanently lost feeling in a band that goes from my ankle up and around my shin to the outside of my calf. For my it was because of nerve damage possibly caused by a medication. One doctor pointed out that sometimes things like that happen because of underwear being too tight...the bands pinch a nerve that controls the feeling in that part of your shin. In the process of finding out whats wrong I had a lot of tests done to make sure it wasn't a nerve pinched in my spine or hip.
    Otherwise...I know if I exhaust a muscle or stretch it to far it can sometimes be painful to the touch.
    Honestly if I were you I would talk to a doctor about it...it may be something as simple as blood flow but it could be more serious
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