Constant foot and leg shaking

[Anonymous]

Anyone else find themselves constantly shaking their foot and leg, even though theres no pain or reason to do so? Any ideas on why it happens or its purpose? I’m wondering if it’s a coping mechanism?

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[Anonymous]

Yes! I do it! It’s like there’s a little motor active and I can’t stop it. When I try… about a minute later it’s going again. Sometimes without my realising it. It stops only when I fall asleep. When I really force myself to be montionless, after more than a minute or so, I feel as though something is going to blow in my head! I though it was hyperactivity once I learned about ADD. But now, I think maybe it’s cafeine? Or the Concerta? I’ve been doing this for as long as I can remember. I used to be mocked about it.

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[Lindstr7]

Yup sir, veritas, whenever I’m idle, I can usually be spotted leg bouncing, foot shaking, biting the inside of my mouth, chewing or picking on a hangnail (thankfully not all at once)……I hate it! I think it might be some sort of physical venting of stored up energy. I do it a lot when I’m thinking deeply about something or when frustrated that I can’t work out a solution to something in my head. I just try to be more aware of it when I’m around people so I don’t look like a spaz.

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[Anonymous]

I’m doing it less on Concerta, but I’ve always done it.

As a matter of fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a male on my Dad’s side of the family who doesn’t do it. I’m not a male, but I seem to have inherited the leg shaking gene. One of my sisters also does it (and she has the nerve to tell ME to stop because I’m “shaking the whole house”).

I also have restless legs when I’m overly tired. Do any of you leg shakers also have that? It’s kind of like a spasm. I’ll just be sitting still and all of the sudden I HAVE to move my leg or it feels so uncomfortable (not painful–it’s hard to really describe the sensation). Fortunately, it doesn’t tend to keep me awake when I’m in bed trying to fall asleep, except on the rare occasion every now and then.

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[Amy]

Absolutely… I’ve done it all my life, and it drove my mom crazy (especially in church). I bite my fingernails too. I have to be conscious of it in meetings though if there’s not a table to hide it because it looks like I’m bored to other people. Too bad I don’t burn more calories and lose weight because of it though.

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[Anonymous]

Too bad I don’t burn more calories and lose weight because of it though.

I know, right???!

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[Free3indeed]

Veritas1969….I regonize what your saying….it sounds or how you discribe it could be Restless~legs, but it is for every~one different. With me i had that before fallen asleep…so when i was lying in my bed peacfully….it started…..I did not understand what it was i thought I was overstressed or there was not enough blood flow going through my legs…..i cycle, walk, streched my legs, put a pillow underneath my legs…..name it all i have done it… The fustrating thing was it did not go away……..it drove me mentally crazy…summertime was the worse time….my feet got hot on top of it all and had to even cool them off in cold water…that helped only for a short periode of time, on top of that even in my sleep i reguarly kicked my husband and that woke him up aswell….LOL…not a good thing if you need to go to work the next day…. i had problems fallen in sleep, because i was to much foucused on my legs…..maybe even hyperfocussing…LOL…..fallen a sleep is/was already a big issue for me! IN the end i could not handle it anymore, so enough was enough! I did my research on Restless~legs, went to my doctor discussed it with her, she confirmed me that i could have Restless~ legs. She started me on some medication, since then i have been using the right medication…i take them 2 hours before i go to sleep… no more movements…..BUT..but…..when i do forget them……..which i do sometimes…..ugh …. i notice it straight away if i did forget them…..LOL…For everyone it is different, so it might be not for you….i don’t know? If you like, just check the link out…it might be some helpful information? I know some people who have it and don’t even notice it anymore. It is something that has been going on in my family, in the day time my grand~dad use to fiddle around all the time with his feed when he sat still in his chair…my mother has it aswell..but she is alright with it….So there you go………different people different needs…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restless_legs_syndrome

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[shutterbug55]

I do the leg bouncing thing, but if I have to sit still for any length of time, I get the “Itchies” where random parts of my body itch. and I start squirming in my seat. It usually starts with my socks which fold up around my toes… then there are shirt tags… Those are the worst, and I have cut the tags out of most of them, My pants fold up behind my knees… that bothers. Of course being inattentive to begin with, any hope of following a meeting is lost. Going to church is pure torture, and I would rather be ANYWHERE than having to endure that. I am not suited for suits and ties. Collar is too tight. Tie flops around. Jacket is stiff and restrictive… shoes are just plain wrong… So people in my church think I am “Less active” in the church and the reality of the situation is I get to the point where I need to leave and walk around.

So to answer your question? Yes.

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[Anonymous]

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a condition in which subjects feel an urge to move the legs due to feelings of pain and discomfort that have been described as “tickles”, “bugs”, “spiders”, and “a lot of energy in the legs” by patients (Picchietti et al., 2008). The urge to move becomes stronger after long periods of inactivity, particularly toward the end of the day, and is relieved by movement (The International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group). RLS is, consequently, associated with considerable motor restlessness. Moreover, up to 80% of RLS cases are accompanied by Periodic Limb Movement in Sleep (PLMS), which is characterized by the presence of periodic and repetitive limb movements that last 0.5-5.0 seconds and occur more than 5 times an hour during sleep.

Association of RLS/PLMS with ADHD

A number of studies have provided evidence to suggest that there is an association between RLS/PLMS and ADHD. While two studies reported no differences in the prevalence of PLMD in ADHD compared to controls (Wiggs et al., 2005; Chervin et al., 1997; Sangal et al., 2005), seven studies reported a higher prevalence of either RLS, PLMS, or limb movement during sleep in ADHD (Picchietti et al., 1998; 1999; Golan et al., 2004; Konofal et al., 2001; Oner et al., 2007; Konofal et al., 2003; Wagner et al., 2004).

I hope that helps. Unfortuantely treatment has varied from low iron treatment to increased exercise. I think, anecdotally, that it is a withdrawal effect of the medications in the evening but yet to prove this.

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[Shadow Nexus]

I’v found that if I let my leg bounce, I will have far less a desire to constantly move around in my chair.

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[Dennis]

I figure the bouncing knee is just another coping mechanism that I do to help me seem otherwise still. I do it quite unconsciously. I’ve had comments also on my spinning of my watch band around my wrist while I’m talking. My daughter makes me friendship bracelets that I wear often, saving my wrist somewhat.

I do recall that as a child, I would try so very hard to sit still when asked. It didn’t worked, and I would be exhausted from just trying. The whole point of sitting still, I was told, was so I could pay better attention in class. This of course, was not the case.

What they didn’t know back then was that I most likely would learn better with less squirming around if they had a different method of teaching the likes of me. (60’s, 70’s)

I would think with the vast numbers of ADHDers on the rolls, public school institutions would realize many positive results by directly addressing ADHD, in that they may advance creative solutions for many other teaching challenges in the process.

Just thinking out loud.

(leave me alone, grammar cops!) : ^ )

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[Anonymous]

I can’t find answers anywhere.I dont fall under rls symptoms. I have been a leg shaker for as long as I can remember. I recently been treated for anxiety and panice attacks. I CAN’T stop moing my legs. The movements have gotten to where I just can’t take it anymore. If i sit indian style my hands have to tap and when my mom and husband get too annoyed by that I start to rock back and forth. I am exhausted my legs ache after a while and i rotate movements. I try to stop but I just cant. I am so sick of it. I know not to take things not prescribed to me but last night I was so bad my huband made me take one of his muscle relaxers and after and hour my symptoms diminished alot. I don’t know if this is ADD but I have no other answers .Can anyone relate to what I am describing?

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[sdwa]

Are you bothered by it because it bugs other people, or because it makes you physically uncomfortable? I also have tapped my feet or drummed my fingers compulsively, or done a lot of pacing, due to what I’d describe as nervous energy, restlessness, or boredom. But depending upon the situation, it can also help me focus – as in the case of doodling while listening to other people talk. I don’t know why, but doodling makes it easier for me to follow a conversation. I’ve done a fair amount of rocking, also. When I’m alone, none of these behaviors are a problem. And in public? Well, the benefit might be to give me more space, LOL. Since I went on Concerta, I do these things far less often or with less intensity.

You may not want to hear this, but have you considered just not worrying about it? I would have guessed, and it sounds like I’m correct based on what Dr. Jain says above, that this general twitchiness is not Restless Leg Syndrome. Personally, I think it’s just part of the ADHD package deal. Some of us are twitchy. So what? I’ve found it’s very helpful to go outside in an attractive natural setting, where there are trees, flowers, water, sky, etc. Being in a natural environment tends to calm me down.

The thing that gets me is that we are who we are, wired the way we are – you know? Are there other things you could do instead of leg shaking that would be less noticeable to other people? If you tap your hands, maybe you could learn to knit or crochet instead, so you’d have a repetitive movement to do that wouldn’t be so conspicuous. It’s quite socially acceptable. What other activities are repetitive like being twitchy but are considered publicly okay to do? What about taking up a musical instrument like the ukelele? Anyway, you see my point.

At night I get leg cramps and kick involuntarily, but I think this is because of the medication I’m on, when I’m coming off it for the day, not in spite of it.

Try not to get dehydrated.

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[Anonymous]

sick of – Rocking back and forth… guilty as charged lol. My older brother really had a blast mocking me about it when I was younger. What helps a lot with that is a rocking chair. It’s keeping me moving and is acceptable 😉

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[Geoduck]

I don’t do it when I’m sitting still, but if I pet the kitty with my hands, my foot will wiggle back and forth. Weird. LOL!

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[Author]

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