Trying to get back into shape

[incircles]

A little more than a year ago, I had an incident with unexplained and intense muscle achiness in both legs (quads and calves) that lasted for five days. Prior to that, I had been in excellent physical condition except for a groin strain that I got from rock climbing. I was doing martial arts and keeping generally very healthy. And after this five-day ache, which no doctor could explain, and which felt different and MUCH worse than your usual DOMS, I felt fine for another three weeks. Then, after a little exercise, I had another episode; this one was slow to leave and eventually turned into achy and tight calves. I became very sedentary, unfortunately, and scared to work out at all.

A few months ago, I moved to a place with three floors, and I'm constantly going up and down the steps. I also started doing the elliptical three times a week for about 10-15 minutes. A couple of times, I've spent 6 or so hours on my feet and had very *sore* legs, but sore in a good way.

10 days ago, I walked around for about 5 hours and danced for an hour of that. I felt great! Four days later, I got on the elliptical for 7 minutes and also felt fine. Then I went to physical therapy for my back and came home with my calves aching so badly I couldn't sleep. Not sore in a good way, sore in a queasy, overpowering achy sort of way. I had three gigs this last weekend (five and four days ago, respectively), and soldiered through them, aided by menthol. I felt progressively better. There was no ache at all yesterday or today, so I went for a one mile walk. Now my right leg is burning like FIRE as I sit here, in the same way it did a few months ago if I was driving for a while or playing piano.

Does all of this sound normal? No doctor has been helpful. If it's normal, how do I get back into shape so I don't hurt all the time? I'm only 32 and, being in three bands, I try to be active.

[AskTheTrainer]

Originally Posted by incircles

A little more than a year ago, I had an incident with unexplained and intense muscle achiness in both legs (quads and calves) that lasted for five days. Prior to that, I had been in excellent physical condition except for a groin strain that I got from rock climbing. I was doing martial arts and keeping generally very healthy. And after this five-day ache, which no doctor could explain, and which felt different and MUCH worse than your usual DOMS, I felt fine for another three weeks. Then, after a little exercise, I had another episode; this one was slow to leave and eventually turned into achy and tight calves. I became very sedentary, unfortunately, and scared to work out at all.

A few months ago, I moved to a place with three floors, and I'm constantly going up and down the steps. I also started doing the elliptical three times a week for about 10-15 minutes. A couple of times, I've spent 6 or so hours on my feet and had very *sore* legs, but sore in a good way.

10 days ago, I walked around for about 5 hours and danced for an hour of that. I felt great! Four days later, I got on the elliptical for 7 minutes and also felt fine. Then I went to physical therapy for my back and came home with my calves aching so badly I couldn't sleep. Not sore in a good way, sore in a queasy, overpowering achy sort of way. I had three gigs this last weekend (five and four days ago, respectively), and soldiered through them, aided by menthol. I felt progressively better. There was no ache at all yesterday or today, so I went for a one mile walk. Now my right leg is burning like FIRE as I sit here, in the same way it did a few months ago if I was driving for a while or playing piano.

Does all of this sound normal? No doctor has been helpful. If it's normal, how do I get back into shape so I don't hurt all the time? I'm only 32 and, being in three bands, I try to be active.

Let me just say, first , seek a doctor (specialist) before anything else.

I had a client (late 40s) who had pain and swelling in his leg on the way to a training session so he went to the doctor instead, and it turned out he had a blood clot in his leg and a pulmonary thrombosis which could have killed him, luckily he had a genetic predisposition of blood clotting which he found out in his late 40s, he's now on meds, exercising doing fine.

That is why I strongly encourage you going to a doc who specializes in pain, or at the very least get a complete and thorough physical.

Other things I could think of are chronic muscle tightness and dehydration. Make sure you are drinking a ton of water and/or gatorade w/ electrolytes, as an electrolyte imbalance may lead to cramping.

If you're playing music and on your feet for hours, you're probably not drinking enough water. Dehydration can occur without you knowing it and usually starts right as people wake up as they don't drink any fluid except coffee.

Wake up, immediately drink a liter of water before you do anything. Try to stretch the painful muscles or get a massage once you get cleared from a specialist.

[NobhillTreehouseSF]

You mentioned getting physio for your back. What back issues do
you have? Any imaging(MRI) done of your lower back? Some of
the things you mentioned sound neurological in nature and could
be akin to sciatica... from vertebral disk issues.
However, there is no replacement for seeing the right physician who
looks over the whole, complete story and performs a complete exam.

[Repp]

Originally Posted by incircles

A little more than a year ago, I had an incident with unexplained and intense muscle achiness in both legs (quads and calves) that lasted for five days. Prior to that, I had been in excellent physical condition except for a groin strain that I got from rock climbing. I was doing martial arts and keeping generally very healthy. And after this five-day ache, which no doctor could explain, and which felt different and MUCH worse than your usual DOMS, I felt fine for another three weeks. Then, after a little exercise, I had another episode; this one was slow to leave and eventually turned into achy and tight calves. I became very sedentary, unfortunately, and scared to work out at all.

A few months ago, I moved to a place with three floors, and I'm constantly going up and down the steps. I also started doing the elliptical three times a week for about 10-15 minutes. A couple of times, I've spent 6 or so hours on my feet and had very *sore* legs, but sore in a good way.

10 days ago, I walked around for about 5 hours and danced for an hour of that. I felt great! Four days later, I got on the elliptical for 7 minutes and also felt fine. Then I went to physical therapy for my back and came home with my calves aching so badly I couldn't sleep. Not sore in a good way, sore in a queasy, overpowering achy sort of way. I had three gigs this last weekend (five and four days ago, respectively), and soldiered through them, aided by menthol. I felt progressively better. There was no ache at all yesterday or today, so I went for a one mile walk. Now my right leg is burning like FIRE as I sit here, in the same way it did a few months ago if I was driving for a while or playing piano.

Does all of this sound normal? No doctor has been helpful. If it's normal, how do I get back into shape so I don't hurt all the time? I'm only 32 and, being in three bands, I try to be active.

Do you feel weaker in that area of ache at all? There is this rare disease called als, its when people loose muscle, go get it checked reserach it on wiki

[CollegeCrossroads]

I think it's a diet issue

[fitchick1982]

Originally Posted by incircles

A little more than a year ago, I had an incident with unexplained and intense muscle achiness in both legs (quads and calves) that lasted for five days. Prior to that, I had been in excellent physical condition except for a groin strain that I got from rock climbing. I was doing martial arts and keeping generally very healthy. And after this five-day ache, which no doctor could explain, and which felt different and MUCH worse than your usual DOMS, I felt fine for another three weeks. Then, after a little exercise, I had another episode; this one was slow to leave and eventually turned into achy and tight calves. I became very sedentary, unfortunately, and scared to work out at all.

A few months ago, I moved to a place with three floors, and I'm constantly going up and down the steps. I also started doing the elliptical three times a week for about 10-15 minutes. A couple of times, I've spent 6 or so hours on my feet and had very *sore* legs, but sore in a good way.

10 days ago, I walked around for about 5 hours and danced for an hour of that. I felt great! Four days later, I got on the elliptical for 7 minutes and also felt fine. Then I went to physical therapy for my back and came home with my calves aching so badly I couldn't sleep. Not sore in a good way, sore in a queasy, overpowering achy sort of way. I had three gigs this last weekend (five and four days ago, respectively), and soldiered through them, aided by menthol. I felt progressively better. There was no ache at all yesterday or today, so I went for a one mile walk. Now my right leg is burning like FIRE as I sit here, in the same way it did a few months ago if I was driving for a while or playing piano.

Does all of this sound normal? No doctor has been helpful. If it's normal, how do I get back into shape so I don't hurt all the time? I'm only 32 and, being in three bands, I try to be active.

Did you use the process of elimination by writing everything down and checking back so you don't waste your time?

[Kharmen]

Since that happened right after you had therapy done on your back and whenever you sit for long hours, it's possible that a nerve or something gets pinched somewhere down your lower spine. Standing for a long time also puts undue strain on the lower back. NobhillTreehouseSF suggestion makes good sense.