Do you have Lead Legs?

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1 Do you have Lead Legs? Have you ever had that feeling that your legs are heavy, either during a workout or afterwards? Here are some common questions around this phenomenon: 1. Why is it after a workout people have lead legs? That feeling of fatigue and heaviness in the legs during or after exercise can be the result of several factors: a build-up of lactic acid in the muscles during exercise can lead to muscle fatigue and soreness, a strenuous cardio workout that has not been adequately trained for, and general deconditioning or carrying extra weight can also make you feel sluggish and as if you have concrete blocks on your feet. Not being acclimated to a certain type of exercise and pushing yourself, doing too much, too soon can over-fatigued muscles and lead to that heavy, tired sensation as well. Other contributing factors may include improper footwear, running on hard surfaces, sleep, nutrition, hydration, and a potential muscle injury. 2. What are the best ways to prevent lead legs? Hydration, hydration, hydration! Not only can dehydration impair your performance, it can cause muscles to fatigue and lead to soreness, stiffness, and heaviness in the legs. Drink water throughout your day to stay well hydrated, rather than just before or after exercise. If you are performing a cardio-based exercise for longer than 90 minutes, consider adding an electrolyte supplement to your water bottle. Ensure you warm up adequately for exercise, at least 10 minutes to increase blood flow to your legs and make the muscles more pliable. Maintain good flexibility and perform light stretches often through the week. Stiff muscles can feel heavy and uncomfortable. Cooling down and gentle stretching post exercise can help to flush lactic acid out of the muscle tissue. Training appropriately is key. If you are training for endurance distances, follow the 10% rule: increase your speed and distances by a maximum of 10% each week. This will help your body adapt to the more challenging workouts adequately. It is important to take rest days, especially if your workouts are strenuous. Rest days 2x/week will help muscles heal and prevent injury. Add a

2 variety of workouts to your routine. Strength and conditioning workouts and interval training can push you through those plateau phases and stimulate new muscle fibre growth. Strength training can also help you maintain muscle balance, reduce injuries, and improve athletic performance. Muscle imbalances can cause overuse and strain on the body. Incorporating some specific hip strengthening exercises can work wonders for your legs. Squats, lunges, hip abduction and gluteal strengthening can help to stabilize the hip and pelvis. This enables the larger muscle groups, such as the quadriceps and hamstrings, to work more efficiently and be more resistant to injury. Integrating upper body strengthening and core exercises will also help to support your spine, pelvis and surrounding soft tissue such as ligaments and tendons. It is recommended to incorporate strength and resistance training at least 2x/wk to improve your efficiency, your rate of recovery, increase power and speed and improve your performance levels. 3. Is lead legs a good or a bad thing? Most of the time lead legs are a result of some of the factors previously discussed and are manageable independently. However, there are more serious conditions and injuries to consider. Damage to muscles, such as a muscle strain or partial tear can present with weakness, cramping and a sensation of heavy legs. Nerve damage, either at the spinal cord level or peripherally, may also present with weakness, fatigue, decreased sensation and heaviness. Other injuries such as shin splints, tendinopathy, and compartment syndrome can trigger similar sensations. These issues would warrant further investigation by a health professional. An issue or injury persisting longer than 3 months would be considered chronic and warrant further investigation as well. If the sensation of leg heaviness persists for several hours, is worse at night, worse with certain movements, causing pain or persistent weakness it is advisable to see a health professional. A common example of a more serious condition is that of Compartment Syndrome. This is a painful condition that occurs when excessive pressure builds within a certain muscle group. This can lead to decreased blood flow, decreased oxygen to the tissues and nerve compression. Acute compartment syndrome is a medical

3 emergency! It is usually associated with a severe injury like a fracture or high impact trauma. Chronic compartment syndrome is also known as exertional compartment syndrome and is often caused by highly repetitive activities such as running, biking or swimming. This is not a medical emergency, the pain is typically relieved by discontinuing the exercise. Symptoms may include numbness, difficulty moving the foot, pain that worsens with certain activity, weakness, visible muscle bulging, and swollen, shiny skin. This condition can be treated conservatively or surgically. If the chief complaint is weakness and this weakness continues or worsens, this may be a sign of a nerve root issue in your lower back. Disc lesions or spinal degeneration in the lumbar spine can affect the surrounding nerves that innervate muscles in the legs. This is not always associated with pain. Typically the weakness is with specific movements and muscle atrophy is apparent as well. An example of this is a syndrome called Foot Drop. This may be caused by compression to the nerve root at the lumbar spine, or local damage to the peroneal nerve just below the knee. Stumbling, tripping, difficulty walking, and muscle atrophy along the shin would be common signs and symptoms of this issue. Any association with pain along the back of the leg, sharp, shooting sensations, a persistent dull ache that may worsen in certain positions like sitting or standing, would also warrant further investigation. 4. Should a person workout the next day if they suffer from lead legs? It is a good idea to challenge muscles in different ways so that you are not overusing certain muscle groups. Cross training and alternating strength and cardio days is a great way to maintain muscle endurance, improve your stamina, and improve overall performance. Yoga, pilates, walking and swimming can be great alternatives to strenuous running and cycling workouts. 5. Is age a factor with lead legs? As we age, our muscle mass and connective tissue lose hydration and elasticity. Subsequently, this decrease in muscle mass, muscle strength and joint stability can result in a loss of functional ability, coordination and endurance. Resistance training

4 has been shown to increase both the size and strength of muscle tissue. This plays an important role in reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries and the related muscle imbalances that linger from those injuries. Hormone fluctuations, as with menopause or menstruation, can cause dehydration, fatigue and muscle cramping sensations. Deficiencies in iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium can affect conductivity in nerves and muscles, which may lead to muscle cramping and pain. Research has shown that age related differences in fatigue, due to high intensity exercise, may be explained by factors including muscle mass, muscle structure, metabolism and neuromuscular activity. Younger individuals typically have a higher resistance to fatigue due to better rates of recovery and more efficient removal of muscle metabolites, such as lactic acid. 6. Are there foods to eat to help with recovery for lead legs? Lacking necessary vitamins and minerals can affect the conductivity of our nerves and muscles. In order to prevent imbalances in our body, we need essential minerals such as iron for oxygen transport, potassium for muscle contraction, zinc for metabolism, and magnesium for circulation, strengthening bone, and relaxing muscles. Vitamin D, for example, has been shown to be important in warding off muscle weakness. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a vitamin D deficiency is associated with muscle weakness, which may present itself as heaviness in the legs, fatigue and muscle atrophy. A multivitamin is a great place to start to ensure you re covering all the bases. Otherwise, food choices such as spinach, is high in antioxidants and includes vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium. Turkey, broccoli, almonds, kale, fish and avocado are other great choices with a combination of these essential vitamins and minerals. Recovery nutrition and knowing what to eat during and post-exercise is important. For someone who exercises 3-4x/wk for an hour or less, the body will recover with regular nutritional habits and typically has time to heal in between workouts. For

5 athletes who exercise to exhaustion several times a week or more than once a day, recovery nutrition is paramount. Your body will need help replacing calories, carbohydrates, protein, fluids and sodium. To replenish depleted blood sugar and muscle glycogen stores and recover from the demands of strenuous exercise, it is advisable to consume carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes post-exercise. Energy drinks tend to be loaded with sugar, so healthier options may be a fruit smoothie with a protein boost, cereal with milk, or multigrain toast with almond butter. The added protein optimizes muscle repair and stimulates faster glycogen replacement. A 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein is recommended (ie. 40 g carbs, 10 g protein). Fruit juices, smoothies, and low fat chocolate milk are also good post-exercise options that offer nutritional value, hydration and a healthy carb to protein combination. Of course, it is important to consume adequate water intake during exercise to minimize sweat losses and hasten recovery. It is preferable to ward off dehydration than to treat dehydration post-exercise! The key is in prevention and arming your body with the right nutrition to handle the stresses imposed on it. The right combination of macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats will help your body burn and store energy efficiently. It is suggested that meals and snacks contain 40-60% complex carbohydrates, 20-30% proteins, and 20-30% healthy fats. This combination will help to prevent imbalances in our body, prevent fatigue and injuries, and be adequately prepared for future workouts. Jennifer Gordon B. Sc. P.T. Bragg Creek Physiotherapy