This last weekend I rode 75 miles on my bicycle over Mt. Hood and out to Hood River, Oregon to raise money for the American Diabetes Association.  It was one of the most physically challenging thing I've ever done and an effort that I definitely consider "extreme exercise".

After the ride my legs were very tired and worn out, but the creepy, crawly sensations hit with a strong vengeance.  They even went up into my arms and hands and turned into explosive jerks that left me shaking my limbs every few seconds as if I was having a seizure.

Despite my regular dosages of Requip that day, the vigorous exercise from the ride aggravated my restless legs symptoms.

This might seem contrary to what many people think would be the case, but it just goes to prove that RLS is not primarily a muscular condition.  It's primarily a neurological disorder, although exercise clearly has some affect (negatively in my case).

Some recent studies have shown a correlation between moderate exercise and a decrease in RLS symptoms, but generally people have reported that strenuous exercise worsens their RLS. That certainly fits my experience this weekend and many other times as well.