Why are my legs aching?

even young folks can get arthritis or fibromyalgia.

Probably an inflamed nerve or muscle. Take some ibprofen and put an ice pack on it. If it hasn’t gotten better in a few days go to your doctor.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/aching-legs-at-night.html

Above is useful but possbily frightening website, worth a look but I would try sleeping with a pillow between your knees, it may be that your body isn’t aligned right during the night. My joints ache more when it is that time of month and I find it difficult to get comfortable.

If you can monitor when it is happening you may find a link between achy legs and something you do during the day. I would see how you go for a bit and then go to the docs, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

New shoes, weight gain, Sports, new activities can be prime culprits to sore knees. Are you doing anything different?

I’ve had knee problems my whole life. Night pain is classic for arthritis. Do you run?

@Cruiser, I’ve actually been doing the norm. Wake up, eat, babysit, eat, sleep.

@perspicacious, I don’t run): I actually did run two days ago before the pain started though. I ran a rather short run, max distance of about four houses to catch my runaway sister. Would out of knowwhere activity be the cause, like my running?

@perspicacious: Any unaccustomed activity (like running when you are not a runner) can cause aches (we used to call them Charlie horses.) Often the aching doesn’t show up for at least 24 hours.

Causes, home remedies, etc

@gailcalled In my experience, a charlie horse doesn’t hurt around the knees.

@mayratapia_ I doubt that amount of running would cause a young person arthritic pain. There are many orthopaedic possibilities. I have had knee problems my whole life. I have patella alta which just means the knee cap sits a little high. You should just go have a visit with an ortho.

@perspicacious: Officially, you are right. Charlie horse is defined as a muscle spasm or a really sharp painful cramp. We use the expression to describe a muscle ache. Once when I went hiking in the Adirondacks High Peaks two days in a row, I had to go from our boat house uphill to the main house by walking backwards (for three days) from overuse of the uphill muscles.