The History of Restless Legs Syndrome: Some Early Clinical Observations

The term Restless legs syndrome [RLS] was introduced by my father Karl-Axel Ekbom [1]. For several years he had been greatly interested in diseases combined with paresthesia and pain, particularly in the extremities. In 1943 he encountered a peculiar and tormenting type of paresthesia deep in the legs which he had never heard of before. The sensory disturbances proved to be the main symptom of a mainly disregarded, easily recognizable, independent disease of practical importance. The sensations appeared when the limbs were at rest, particularly in the evening and at night, and they were typically relieved by movement. Patients stated that they were experiencing an almost irresistible urge to move the legs and they had to get up and to walk around in order to get relief. Objective signs were lacking.