Exercise Interventions For Restless Legs Syndrome During Pregnancy: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Background: Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common sensorimotor disorder affecting 10–34% of pregnant women, particularly during the third trimester. Pharmacological treatment options during pregnancy are limited; therefore, safe non-pharmacological strategies such as exercise are important. Objective: To review current evidence on exercise-based interventions for managing restless leg syndrome during pregnancy. Methods: A narrative literature search was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases from January 2014 to March 2025. Keywords used included “Restless Leg Syndrome,” “Pregnancy,” “Exercise Therapy,” “Stretching,” “Buerger Allen Exercise,” “Progressive Muscle Relaxation,” and “Non-pharmacological management.” Randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and systematic reviews focusing on exercise interventions in pregnant women with RLS were included. Non-English articles, case reports, and pharmacological-only studies were excluded. A total of 14 relevant articles were selected for qualitative synthesis. Results: Evidence suggests that stretching exercises, Buerger-Allen exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and aerobic activity significantly reduce RLS severity and improve sleep quality in pregnant women. Exercise interventions were safe, feasible, and showed consistent improvements in symptom severity and maternal quality of life. Conclusion: Exercise-based interventions appear to be effective and safe for managing RLS during pregnancy. However, standardized exercise protocols and larger randomized trials are required to strengthen clinical recommendations.