Traveler (Santa Barbara, Ca, Usa) on 04/29/2010:
Worked Temporarily
I found on the peoples' pharmacy website a recommendation for using soap for restless leg syndrome. I think any soap works well, though you could google search people's stories. All I know is that I recommended it to my father, and while it didn't work for his restless legs at night, it DID work on his leg cramps for around two months. After that, the effect, sadly, wore off. For those who want to try, just put a bar of soap (doesn't have to be expensive, I remember people writing about trying it with the little hotel soaps) under the sheets near your legs or even touching. If you start to feel a cramp coming on, put the leg into contact with the soap. My father saw results within three days. Unfortunately, it didn't last-- but it was nice to know that it worked for at least two months for him.
Rooster (Apple Valley, Minnesota) on 08/09/2009:
A bar of bath soap placed at the end of the bed have cured my foot cramps that I had for many years. Whenever my wife changes the bed linen and forgets to include the bar of soap, my foot cramps re-appear.
Kathy (North Platte, NE) on 04/12/2009:
Foot cramps, leg cramps: While listening to a hospice nurse talk one day, she happened to tell a story about her father having leg cramps at night. They tried everything possible but nothing would stop them. Until one day someone told him to put a bar of soap under the fitted sheet on his bed, down near his feet. (I use a sport scented soap - but apparently plain soap works too)So I thought, why not try it? I have been having leg and foot cramps for a few years at night, sometimes excruciating pain! The first night with the bar of soap I had no occurence of cramps and I thought it might be the power pf persuasion. But it has been months now and I have had one or two very mild cramps and that is it!! What an easy solution- but I have no idea why it works!