Exercises to Relieve Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless leg syndrome, also called RLS, is a non-life-threatening condition that causes a discomfort in the legs and a need to fidget or move around. This restlessness generally occurs when the sufferer is trying to go to sleep or relaxing. Although it is called restless "leg" syndrome, it can actually have an effect on the arms and feet as well. Other than restlessness, some of the symptoms that are associated with RLS include tingling sensations, burning, twitching and aching. There are various exercises that can be utilized to relieve the symptoms of RLS.

Aerobic Activity

• One of the main causes of restless leg syndrome is stress. One way to combat this is aerobic activity, which can help release mood-enhancing endorphins that may keep the legs more relaxed. But the trick to this exercise, and all of the other exercises for that matter, is to perform them as close to bedtime as possible. Even though exercising in the afternoon will be somewhat effective, exercising right before falling asleep is even better. One of the easiest aerobic exercises to do is walking. Other forms of aerobic activity include running, biking, stair stepping, elliptical training, rope jumping and rowing.

Step-Ups

• Many different exercises can be done to work the legs and put them more at ease. A lot of these can be done at home. One such example is a step-up exercise. This can be done with a chair, a stair step or even a milk crate. Simply step up on top of the object, then step back down. To involve the arms, you can hold two soup cans and lift them above your head as you step up.

Leg Lifts

• Leg lifts can be done from a lying position on the floor or even on a bed. As an added benefit, this exercise also works the abdominal muscles. It is performed by lying on your back, placing your hands under your tailbone and lifting your legs up in the air and back down to the floor. These can also be performed in a scissor fashion by alternating lifting one leg, then the other.

Deep Knee Bends

• Deep knee bends are similar to squats, except you bend a little bit farther. Start from a standing position. Extend the arms straight out in front of your body, then squat down really low until your hamstrings touch the top of your calves. Come back to a standing position, and repeat.

Extensions

• Leg extensions are often done in the gym on a leg extension machine. They can also be done while sitting on the edge of a bed or a chair, however. From this seated position, extend the leg straight out until it is parallel to the floor, then lower it back to the starting position. To add some intensity to the exercise, wear ankle weights.