Random Crazy Quadriceps Nightmares?

[trickytiger]

It's just about that time of year for my annual affliction! (Once a year is not bad, considering all that I do)

I think the title says it all. Here's what happens, or at least as much as I can figure out. I think my right quad has become possessed, but only during sleep. On average, I wake up once or twice a night or maybe every third night in excruciating, eye-watering pain emanating from my right knee. The kind of pain like my patella is off track, while my right quad is completely spasmed and my leg is straight- I cannot actually bend my leg while the muscle is firing. It took me a while to figure that out, given my groggy state of mind (ie thinking WTF?) and the patellar pain which kind of distracted me. This usually lasts a minute or two, and then goes away.

Nothing about my usual routine has changed- I run like usual, climb rocks like usual (I'm a weenie about biking in the rain), all the same things I normally do. I'm pretty knee-conscious- run in Superfeet and Asics Kayanos, do my exercises, stretch, etc. During my day, and even upon waking, the knee is totally fine. No pain during activity. I do have a pretty constant battle with iliotibial tightness in that leg, but rarely does it progress to a problem. I don't have any other physical issues at all.

I'm a little confused by this knee-nightmare thing. Plus, it's become a bit of a hazard to the lovely and understanding boyfriend who accidentally got kicked during the last onset at 2 am. Considering I want to preserve my knees as long as possible (and preserve the relationship as well), what could be going on here? I will float this past the PTs that I volunteer with, but I wanted to see if anyone here had ever heard of anything like this....

[KnottedYet]

It's possessed!

Gee, I have no clue why it's doing that. Now I wanna know what it is, so let me know when you find ou, eh?

[Jolt]

Have you tried going over the quad with a foam roller or the Stick? Sounds like something that could be caused by trigger points which are not hard to fix (it hurts though).

[Nokomis]

You might want to try compression tights at night - something like Skins - to see if that helps. You're getting enough water, electrolytes, minerals, vitamins, etc?

[ttaylor508]

I used to get leg spasms during the night too. They started after my son was born. I was experiencing a lot of anxiety after being put on bed rest in my seventh month. After he was born, I don't think I was eating well and with having a new born nursing, I believe I had just depleted my body of essential nutrients and was really stressed out. They went away after I weaned my son.

I would try taking extra calcium and magnesium and see if that helps. Here is a website that might give you some insight.

http://www.acu-cell.com/dis-mus.html

[derailed]

It being the dark time of year, is your Vitamin D ok?
Hope you find a solution quickly, you don't deserve that.

[OakLeaf]

I was going to say it was nice to see Knott back until I noticed this thread's a year old...

Anyway, is trickytiger around? How did it turn out?

[Jolt]

geez, didn't even notice the year!! oops!

[trickytiger]

Yep, this was this time last year! Infrequently, but weirdly enough this issue just kicked in again and so now I'm working on solving it. So far, it's being diagnosed as a sartorius strain. Unusual, but not unheard of. I'm also having quite a bit of fun fixing my biomechanical issues (tight calves, weak glutes, tight hip flexors, weak core) that contribute. That's the nice thing about PT school....lots of professors to ask for help...... . And Knotted? Where are you? Where have you BEEN?