RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Please share your experiences, successes, and failures in using non-drug therapies for RLS/WED (methods of relief that don't involve swallowing or injecting anything), including compression, heat, light, stretches, acupuncture, etc. Also under this heading, medical interventions that don't involve the administration of a medicine to the body (eg. varicose-vein operations, deep-brain stimulation). [This forum contains Topics started prior to 2009 that deal with Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, & Diet.]
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georget
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Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2019 7:22 pm

RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Post by georget »

I had RLS as a teen and 'grew out of it'. Maybe all the sports and active lifestyle kept it at bay for decades.

My low back problems started as a teen and I was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease and/or osteo arthritis in my 20s, but stayed active and did what I could to manage the conditions. Through my 40s tendonitis affected both my arms: hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders, to the point of decreased functionality, which increasingly pointed to permanent disability and/or surgery.

I've tried countless remedies for both my spine and arms over the decades without success. A friend (speaking for her mom who had a clinic dealing with mobility issues) suggested some alterations to the stretches I had been using for years to manage body ache.

Her advice, coupled with what I learned about tendons and inflammation, made me wonder if a system wide tendon inelasticity was my culprit. RLS and tendon issues run in my family too. So far I've only come across tendon inelasticity in Brown's Syndrome, where eye movement is restricted.

For years I've been working to elongate the tendons in my legs and arms, wondering if it was connected to my low back and knee pain, and elbow, wrist and hand discomfort. In the process, RLS resurfaced in my feet, legs, low back, and arms.

Over the last few years I further tweaked my friend's instruction and my spine is cured. My pelvis is no longer tilted because tendons have been stretched out between my heels and pelvis. I no longer get cramps in my feet or searing pain in my neck when I make the wrong movement.

After many attempts to translate what I learned from my legs/back, I found a successful elongation technique that doesn't strain the arms while trying to stretch them, as most exercises and stretches tend to do. Gone is the almost permanent dull ache and fatigue that affected the joints throughout, possibly due to joint compression from short tendons.

It made me wonder if RLS is tension in the tendons, always at the end of their dynamic range, due to genetics and/or inactivity? My family doctor, who has seen my issues since I was a teen thinks I might be onto something.

Is this something specific to my body or is inelasticity responsible for a wider range of body aches, given that a serious diagnosis of degenerative disk disease and/or osteoarthritis could disappear after decades.

I'd like to hear from the community if any of this sounds familiar.

stjohnh
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Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:13 pm
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Post by stjohnh »

georget wrote:...It made me wonder if RLS is tension in the tendons, always at the end of their dynamic range, due to genetics and/or inactivity? My family doctor, who has seen my issues since I was a teen thinks I might be onto something...
Welcome to the RLS community georget. You will find lots of helpful, empathic, knowledgeable people here.

The current thinking on the cause of RLS is BID, Brain Iron Deficiency. The basics supporting the BID theory are: 1) Autopsy studies of brains of people with RLS have abnormally low iron. 2) Functional imaging (MRI/CT etc) with iron tagging contrast show low brain iron in living people with RLS. 3) Animal studies of iron deficient mice, rats, etc. show RLS like symptoms 4) People with RLS get better when given IV Iron. 5) Iron deficiency is known to affect the Adenosine->dopamine/glutamatergic pathways that seem to be the primary path to RLS symptoms (urge to move and sleep disruption), 6) People with low iron stores have a much greater incidence of RLS.

That said, the understanding of exactly how low brain iron leads to RLS sensations is still unknown. There is clearly some feedback mechanism involving the muscles, tendons and spinal cord, since walking around causes nearly universal (temporary) resolution of urge to move symptoms.
Blessings,
Holland

ViewsAskew
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Re: RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Post by ViewsAskew »

So glad to hear you figured out how to resolve that! What technique do you use, georget?

I think it is independent of RLS. I seem to have similar issues to you (and am interested in learning more!) but it is not a common thing among our members here.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

georget
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Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2019 7:22 pm

Re: RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Post by georget »

"The current thinking on the cause of RLS is BID, Brain Iron Deficiency."

I'll ask my doctor, but I think I recall some talk of iron deficiency in my youth, but no mention since.

georget
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2019 7:22 pm

Re: RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Post by georget »

[quote="ViewsAskew"]So glad to hear you figured out how to resolve that! What technique do you use, georget?

I've held off documenting technique because the technique has changed many times over the years as relief was either short lived or resulted in injury.

I actually brought my tripod home this weekend for pictures, in case someone asked, but an explanation might suffice if already well known position.

Lying down on your back with one leg up on a door jam, to stretch from heel to pelvis. I learned this 20+ years ago and it was always part of the regimen.

My friend offered two tweaks 1) pivot the foot to the right and left and hold for 5-10 min. When I thought my leg was well stretched, the twist revealed a degree of tightness that was unbelievable. This also induced RLS (as well as numbing and tingling) that I hadn't felt since I was a teen. This one thing brought comfort/strength to my low back that I hadn't felt since my youth. The RLS, numbing, tingling lasted ~6 months, while I increased from a barely tolerable few minutes to 15-20 min with relative comfort.

2) In the same position as #1--and this could be more for a tilted pelvis--tilt pelvis back, which dramatically increased the pull from heel to pelvis. There should be a decent gap between the floor and low back, with the back only returning to ground near the shoulder blades. When sitting now, it actually feels like I'm sitting on a new part of my body, one that is more flat rather than pointed and uncomfortable.

The twisting motion is what took a long time to translate to arm stretches where only friction and/or gravity do all the work. Six months into it (vs 10 years of slow deterioration) has yielded clear results of increased mobility, strength, and durability, at 1-2 hrs. per day for spine and arms.

muzumuzu
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Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 5:25 pm

Re: RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Post by muzumuzu »

Hi,
I would love to try these specific tendon stretches, but they weren't quite clear.. Could you kindly upload some photos?
Thank you so much!

Rustsmith
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Re: RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Post by Rustsmith »

Could you kindly upload some photos?
Sorry, but the system will not allow photos to be loaded. We have to do this because they take up so much memory space, which would increase the cost to the Foundation for this free service. If you send a PM to the poster with your email address, maybe you could get them that way.
Steve

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

ViewsAskew
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Re: RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Post by ViewsAskew »

Maybe georget could host them on google photos and if we PM them our email, they can give us access.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

stjohnh
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Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:13 pm
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: RLS or Inelastic Tendon Syndrome?

Post by stjohnh »

ImgBB.com is a free hosting site specially setup for hosting images for bulletin boards.
Blessings,
Holland

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