Worried something serious going on. Stiff legs.

[Moo2019]

Hi, thanks for reading.
I am wondering if anyone knows of any health conditions that cause stiff muscles down one side of the body?
I’m experiencing a lot of stiffness down my left side and have seen an osteopath who feels this side is a lot tighter than the right. For some reason, magnesium has really helped but when I miss a dose of magnesium, my leg muscles feel like I’ve done a workout at the gym (I haven’t).
I can’t explain it but I’m starting to get really worried it’s something sinister like MS.
For context I’m 31, healthy and feel a lot of this has happened since having children 2 years ago.

Have you any pain? My right leg is really painful at the hip and by my bottom but I have cramp like pains in my calf. My thigh and foot are also affected. I can only move around if really hunched over.

I do get pain in the side of my bum (which I think is sciatica) but my calves feel the worst - just sort of stiff and achey. I just have this gut feeling that it’s the first sign of something really bad.

No harm in seeing your gp and I would, to put your mind at rest.

I would also look at a deep tissue sports massage to release the muscles - its not unusual for one side of the body to get tight and doesn't have to be anything sinister.

Do you do any exercise that might cause it ?
And see the GP if you’re concerned.

Muscle tightness & spasm can be a symptom of MS, but often with other MS symptoms, so good news if you aren’t experiencing any other symptoms, why do you think it could be MS? See your GP, if GP thinks you need referral to Neurologist, no doubt GP will organise that. Just bear in mind that referrals to Neurology are taking many months atm. I have MS btw.

Thanks for the kindness in your responses. I’ve been very worried but I can only explain it as a gut feeling and the knowledge that it has been going on a long time and doesn’t make sense - eg from an injury or something.

I’ve seen a chiropractor, osteopath and a physio and had a massage (though it wasn’t a sports massage so I’ll try that). My only real exercise is Pilates and walking, nothing intensive.

I just noticed my forearms also feel achey and a bit stiff.

@Roselilly36 thank you so much for sharing. Would you mind at all me asking what your first symptoms were?

@Moo2019 of course, will pm

@Roselilly36 thank you, I really appreciate that

You probably should get an MRI, could be a nerve coming from the spine. I was 3 years with a pain down my arm one day, my leg the next, my lower back another day, headaches etc. Turns out it was wear and tear on one of my vertebrates, I had a swelling that caused a nerve on my left side to act up.

@Insideallday thank you. I did actually have some slipped discs a while ago so it could potentially be a knock on for this. I’ve booked a drs appointment and I’m going to push for an MRI

I've always been stiffer on one side then the other. Never given it any thought at all apart from stretching it more when exercising etc. loads of people have stiff calves etc.

@goldenbag i probably haven’t explained it very well but today I struggled to walk to my kid’s nursery and back (5 mins each way)

Good luck with the apt, op, I can see why you're frightened but hopefully this is nothing too serious and can be resolved with treatment

Have you had your cholesterol levels checked? Pain whilst walking, getting places slower can be a sign that levels are higher than they should be.

@BeyondMyWits that’s interesting, I haven’t but high cholesterol does run in my family

Does anyone have any experience of fibromyalgia? I'm just reading the symptoms and it’s ringing very true to me