Relief by inverting the body?

[Robin-Whittle]

On 4th March, 2004, in the RLS forum at www.wemove.org, Francisco wrote, under the title "MY SUCCESFUL EXPERIENCE IN RLS", describing a technique which prevented his RLS symptoms on 98% of nights. Every night, just before going to bed, he would lie on the floor and raise is legs into the air, with his head, shoulders and elbows on the carpet, for 5 minutes.

I am working on a theory of the underlying mechanisms of RLS and will announce it here when I have finalised it. My theory predicts that this inversion and bending/stretching of the spine would probably help a great deal with RLS/PLMS. Other approaches should be effective as well, but I think that this inversion - or probably better multiple shorter inversions, such as 5 or 10 for 30 seconds each - should prevent, halt or at least diminish RLS/PLMS symptoms for a few hours or more.

An "inversion machine", by which the person is strapped in and turned upside down, would probably work too - but I think this approach of stretching upwards and supporting the body with just the head, shoulders and elbows on the floor should work really well. Naturally this should only be attempted if it feels safe and comfortable. I have also read of the person placing themselves in this position and "bicycling" upside down.

Has anyone tried this?

- Robin

[sardsy75]

Hi Robin

Firstly, welcome to the "Family".

As I read your post I had a distinct "this sounds familiar" thought pop into my head.

My Maternal Grandfather is suspected to have lived with RLS for most or all of his life. However, he was the type of person who Never talked about his personal problems to anyone, even to family members. He passed in '97.

Whenever he and Grandma visited us, Grandpa would Always insist on staying downstairs in the Rumpus Room. We have only figured out in the past 12 months that he did this so he wouldn't bother us with his endless pacing throughout the nights.

Grandma made a comment a few months ago about how Grandpa often "slept" on the floor, beside the marital bed, with his legs propped up over the edge of the bed; kinda like he was sitting on the edge of the bed, only from the floor angle. I know that reads funny, but its the only way I can describe it really. Apparantly this was the position from which he gained the Most Sleep from.

I will be interested to hear how your experiment goes!

Take care of you!

[nephriticus]

Reading the previous post, it occurred to me that I was most fortunate that I did not have RLS as an enlisted sailor in the U.S. Navy. On the aircraft carrier our bunks were stacked four high and were a mere 24" above/below each other. I think my welfare would have been tenuous with jerky, bouncy legs annoying my compartment mates.