Living with restless legs and flat feet can hinder your day and night functioning. During the day you might suffer from foot, knee and hip pain when you stand, and at night your restless legs might make it near impossible to fall asleep. Relief from these two conditions can come through exercise, improved sleep habits, medication and in extreme cases, surgery.
Restless Legs Symptoms
If you have restless legs you have a constant desire to move your legs and find it hard to sit down or lay down. The sensation to move your legs can feel like aching, pain, uncomfortable or twitching. According to the Mayo Clinic, this condition is most common during inactivity and worse during the night.
Flat Feet Symptoms
Flat feet are characterized by a foot that lacks a natural arch and the entire base of the foot touches the floor when standing. Flat feet can occur naturally during development or be the result of tissues that soften and cause the arch to fall. Flat feet can cause no symptoms at all, but, according to Foot Health Facts, some people may experience pain in their feet and legs, changes in walking and a difficulty with shoes.
Significance
Both of these disorders can interfere with normal daily functioning. Your restless legs can make it difficult to sit still in a meeting, classroom or sedentary environment for long periods of time. They can also have trouble getting restful sleep at night, causing fatigue and a loss of energy the next day. Having flat feet may reduce the amount of time you can remain standing or engaging in sports that put a lot of pressure on their feet. Without an arch, these activities can create pressure on the feet, causing the ankle to roll and joint pain in the lower body.
Restless Legs Treatment
Restless legs can be treated with medication therapy and with several at-home remedies. According to the Mayo Clinic, medications for Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, opioids, muscle relaxers and sleep medications are all used to relieve restless legs and help improve the quality of your sleep. The clinic recommends that you follow a set sleep schedule, avoid caffeine and engage in relaxation techniques such as stretching or deep breathing exercises.
Flat Feet Treatment
The type of treatment that is best for your feet depends on the severity of the condition. Your flat feet can be managed by taking a pain reliever, doing physical therapy and wearing arch supporting shoes. Surgery is sometimes necessary in some instances to help improve foot function.
