ABSTRACT

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) was fi rst described by an English Physician, Sir Thomas Willis, in London in 1672.1 The term ‘restless legs’ was introduced by the Swedish Neurologist Karl A Ekbom in 1945.2 Ekbom was not clear about the cause of the condition although in some publications he emphasised iron defi ciency anaemia as a major contributory factor. In his paper, Ekbom described two types of RLS: 1 asthenia crurum paraesthetica (sensory form). 2 asthenia crurum dolorosa (painful form).1