How to Stop "Restless Legs"on FLight
 

This may sound like a silly question, but I have just returned from holiday (6 hour flight) and suffered from my legs becoming really restless - enough to make the trip uncomfortable. Had done heaps of walking during my hoiday so lack of exercise was not the problem.<BR><BR>Plan on a trip to Europe next year (24 hour flight from Australia) so would like some ideas on how to avoid becoming so restless.

If you truly do have "restless legs" (do you have it at other times?) you should see a doctor. It is a type of sleep disorder.

<BR><BR>I have the same problem sometimes, usually after walking a lot. I take a couple of Tylenol PM tablets after dinner (or the first meal on the plane) and that helps the muscles relax enough that I sleep like a log. <BR><BR>Hope this is helpfull . . Rich

Dear Helen,<BR><BR>Be thankful for those "restless legs"! That's nature's way of telling you that you need to move!<BR><BR>DVT (deep vein thrombosis) is a life threatening situation. A blood clot can develop when circulation gets cut off. It's fatal 25% of the time & age has nothing to do with it.<BR><BR>Keep those legs & toes moving. Find out about exercises you can do in your seat. Get up & walk around as much as you can. <BR><BR>Then you can enjoy your trip from Oz!

In addition to the recommendation to move and do leg exercises while in flight, a friend swears by a cream used by pregnant women for tired legs. She tried different brands but only one worked--I think it was Mustela's, but I'll check. She used it during pregnancy--found it really did help--and now uses it for long flights and says she has noted a real difference.

First do everything you can to get an aisle seat. But if you can't - don't let it stop you from moving. Get up and walk at least two loops every 60 to 90 mins. that you are awake. Do try to sleep - but while awake, move around. This will help prevent restless and swollen legs/ankles.<BR>

On April 10th we were on Air France from Newark to Paris and when I tried to get up and stood up in the isle, then wanted to take a walk a flight attendent told me in a very unpleasant voice that I have to get back to my seat. There was no turbulance. So what was a reason for it? It happened twice to me on this flight and the second time he came back and told me that he will have to report me to a pilot. I tried to explain about having cramps in my legs but that did not help. After that it happened to my husband and to one person who sat a few rows in front of us. Maybe it happened to others too, I don't know. We took 12 flights on Continental since September 11th but this was something new to us. I guess no more Air France for us. <BR>Dayle is right about DVT as a life threatening situation. We cannot sit in one position for so many hours. yes, Helen you have to take little walks every 2-3 hours and move your legs when you're sitting

Bev: That's weird - I have never had that problem - even since the heightened security since 9-11. In fact I often stand in the back and chat with the flight attendants (when they are not in food service mode) and they are very friendly. <BR><BR>Don't know if it is an Air France thing - or if something else was going on? Afterall, you could have simply been getting up to use the toilet. there must be more to the story, were the seatbelt signs on or the food carts in the aisles?

Two points:<BR><BR>On an AA flight from SFO to CDG in October, the pilot requested that passengers remain seated and not congregate in the aisle. We figured it was for security reasons.<BR><BR>Restless legs is not DVT. They are separate disorders. DVT can occur due to lack of movement in any environment, such as sitting at your desk at work. It's not strictly an air passsenger phenomenon. Restless legs is an almost uncontrollable impulse to "wiggle" your legs. It usually occurs at night in bed. I didn't realize it was a sleep disorder, Gretchen!

I usually wear knee-high moderate compression stockings. Not only do your legs feel better after a long flight, your ankles won't swell. My husband wears the compression socks for men and swears by them too.We also try to keep moving in-flight, even if it's just standing up in your seat. Try it on your next flight!

Come on now, Bev, what were you REALLY doing?

Dear Helen,<BR><BR>Often, restless legs syndrome is not cause by lack of exercise, but by more exercise than usual. It resembles leg cramps, and in this situation can be helped by massage and stretching. Restless leg syndrome is a more complicated condidtion that affects people (mostly women) almost nightly.<BR><BR>In your case, try a few of these suggestions: as soon as the restlessness begins, try to get up and stretch. Best to do this after walking a turn around the aisle to warm up the muscles. Then in the open space by the galley or in front of the lavatories, do stretches for the calves, hamstrings and quads. It is also helpful to massage the muscles with both hands, especially the calves.<BR><BR>Be sure you are well hydrated, and consider an athletic drink (Powerburst, Gatorade) that can replace some electrolytes in case you have a mild imbalance. Also, a daily dose of Vitamen E is sometimes helpful for the full blown syndrome, so you could consider taking it a few days before you fly and during your next trip. (Caution, Vit E can be toxic if taken at higher than recommended doses. If you are on prescription medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist for interactions.)<BR><BR>A deep venous thrombosis is not related to this condition, but the recommended prevention during airflight can also help restless legs. For DVT prevention, in addition to walking as mentioned above, a small flat inflatable pillow is placed on the floor under the feet, and you push down on the pillow alterrnating from foot to foot. The airline pillow can work for this, travel stores sell more complicated versions.<BR><BR>The restlessness you experienced is less likely truly Restless Leg Syndrome, a recurrent and chronic condition. In your case, it can be a manifestation of muscle overuse, so gentle and frequent stretching, especially the calves is probably the most helpful.<BR><BR> My sympathies, it drives me crazy when it happens to me in flight or on long car trips. I hope a few of these suggestions may help in the future.

One more suggestion for immediate relief, if you've tried the various ones above and the problem still hasn't gone away. Go into the ladies' room and rub down your legs with arnika gel or ibuprofen gel (if you can't get them where you live, tiger's balm or a sports balm like Ben Gay will work fine, although they are a bit smellier!) Boots has also come out with a new semi-homeopathic product called "Aching Leg Gel" (made with horsechestnuts) but it didn't work as well for me as ibuprofin or arnika.<BR><BR>Also, if there's any way you can elevate your feet, even for just a few minutes at a time (when the person in the next seat gets up for a walk?), try to do that.

I have restless legs, and find that 1 or 2 ibuprofen or Tylenol help considerably.

Thank you everyone for your very informative replies - makes you realise just how important it is to move around during a long flight.<BR>I think my problem may have been TOO much exercise while on holidays before flight home, but will certainly take all comments and advice on board.<BR>It never ceases to amaze me what an incredible source of info this travel forum is !!!!!!<BR>Thanks again.

What the heck are "restless legs"? Do your legs get up and move around without you? Are they like restless children? Do the kind of dance off in two different directions? What are you talking about?

Restless leg syndrome is a mysterious disorder that can be caused by nothing, certain medications (particularly some kinds of antidepressants), sometimes over-use. There is no connections that I know of to DVTs or sleep disorders, except that many older people have this problem at night and it causes them to lose sleep. <BR><BR>Sometimes over-the-counter medications like Tylenol or Motrin help. I would caution against knee-hi elastic stockings because these often cause a circulatory problem rather than help since they are binding at the knee area. Thigh-hi or full length are theoretically better, but so uncomfortable that no one wants to wear them.<BR><BR>Some people swear by various ointments, but I suspect that the relief is from the rubbing motion of putting them on rather than the ointment itself.

Ok, it is mysterious, but what are the simptoms?

Symptoms vary between people, but include feeling of uneasiness, twitching, fullness, dull ache, strange sensations, need to move legs. It can be very distressful.<BR><BR>See &lt;www.rls.org&gt;

Helen, I used to suffer from "restless" legs a lot. My boss (a pharmacist) recommended an OTC medication called "Leg Cramps" which is put out by Hyland's. It's a small, white pill which you melt under your tongue. It works almost immediately.