Tight Fitting Jeans or Leggings

Posted by jabrown0407 @jabrown0407, Mar 9, 2022

I wore some new leggings with spandex last week and that evening and all that night my legs hurt, even into the next day. I am wondering if others have found that leggings and jeans with spandex aggravate your leg muscles or if my pain was more of a coincidence and not a cause-and-effect situation?

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Not really. Everything aggravated my hips and upper thighs when my pain was at it's worst. Only wear loose clothing now because the Prednisone tends to make me "hot". I do wear jeggings though, which are not that constricting. I cannot wear spandex at all ever. Best of luck with your PMR journey. This group is extremely supportive and helpful.

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@milld835

Not really. Everything aggravated my hips and upper thighs when my pain was at it's worst. Only wear loose clothing now because the Prednisone tends to make me "hot". I do wear jeggings though, which are not that constricting. I cannot wear spandex at all ever. Best of luck with your PMR journey. This group is extremely supportive and helpful.

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I have hyperlipidemia with lower body pain. Tight leggings and jeans definately a problem for me.

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Hi @jabrown0407 I'm assuming you have PMR or GCA since you posted here. Boith diseases are forms of vasculitis that inflame the blood vessels and cause them to thicken, reducing blood flow. Tight fighting leggings probably decrease blood flow further so it is probably best to avoid any tight fighting garments.

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I try to find leggings that have a high cotton content and just a bit of spandex. For about five hours they feel very good and supportive. Then my legs begin to ache and I have to take them off. Jeans with spandex also feel good in the beginning, although around the knees especially if they’re heavy they are a problem after a while. The best are my pajama pants which are 100% cotton very loose and only have a drawstring waist. But you can’t wear them everywhere!

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I want to thank everyone who has posted to my question. Each of you have helped me understand what I am experiencing with the spandex jeans and leggings I wear. I have been on a three year PMR journey that is definitely one of the biggest health challenges in my life. To try to keep my health, my life style, and my friendships balanced is not easy when the adjustment is so very major and influences simple things like rules around wearing jeans and leggings. The pandemic kept me in and I just now started venturing out and trying to act like everything is normal, which of course it isn't. Thanks again.

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I wish you the best @jabrown0407. This is an experience like no other. I guess we just need to be aware of what we're doing and notice what our triggers are.

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@tsc I certainly wish you and everyone who has PMR the best. Yes, I think recognizing our triggers and adjusting accordingly seems to be the best approach. It may be an individualized journey, but we are not alone and having that support has great value.
Case in point is my question about spandex - without the replies I most likely would have tried one or two more times just to make sure that clearing closet of spandex is the right thing to do. This saves time, pain and gives me confidence that I am making an appropriate accommodation for PMR.

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@jabrown0407

@tsc I certainly wish you and everyone who has PMR the best. Yes, I think recognizing our triggers and adjusting accordingly seems to be the best approach. It may be an individualized journey, but we are not alone and having that support has great value.
Case in point is my question about spandex - without the replies I most likely would have tried one or two more times just to make sure that clearing closet of spandex is the right thing to do. This saves time, pain and gives me confidence that I am making an appropriate accommodation for PMR.

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Hi @jabrown I am able to wear jeans with spandex, no problem, and my exercise shorts and pants have spandex. They are form fitting, but not tight. They don't bother me. Maybe you'll find some things in your closet that are wearable.

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I am very thankful for this forum too. I do not know anyone else around me with PMR. I went five years without being diagnosed. I have a number of autoimmune syndromes which confused the issue. It was not until my daughter got diagnosed with lupus that I finally got myself tested again and discovered that I had PMR.

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