does anyone else have this issue with leg tattoos ?

[SacramentoDan]

I have tattoos on both arms ,my neck,and both legs from the knee down,

I can control the pain factor pretty well like most of you I'm sure,

my problem/question is this,on my legs,especially lower on my legs when getting work done,I get these involuntary jerks of my leg,

it's not pain,it's like when the needles hit the right spot my leg jerks,

I feel terrible for my tattooer,I have a real hard time stopping it,if I press my leg down and curl my toes it helps a little,but WTF ?

it never happens on my arms or neck.

[slayer9019]

Yup I get the same thing all the time seems to be just a reaction. I found you have to really relax. It may sound stupid but I learned to pseudo meditate. Also a beer or two really really helps for me at least

[SacramentoDan]

thanks,actually I've got some qualudes left from the 70's,maybe I'll try that !

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LOL really though,maybe I am tensing up too much,

I am going back on 06/07 to get some touchup on my ankles,I'll try your "relaxing/meditation trick :D & maybe a beer or 2 will help :D

seriously ,I'm glad someone else gets it too.thanks !

[thesandmanisme]

OOOoooh Yeah! ROHR 714's. That will definetly do the trick. lol. Theres a lot of nerves in the shin area. Dont drink too much alcohol, it will make you bleed a lot more. It works as an anti-coagulent.

[else]

I have this really bad - not just a twitch or a little jump sometimes - an honest to goodness kick. (it's a symptom of the larger leg problem)

Anyway, I always give my tattooer a heads up about it and every one of them has reassured me that they can handle it, that pretty much everybody twitches a little bit here and there, and it's not a big deal.

And so far (knock wood) I haven't jerked at just the wrong moment and screwed things up! (but I do still worry about that *one* time that I end up with some crazy line jutting out from an eyeball or something!!)

[Lance]

Oh yes! I mentioned this elsewhere but my artist ended up having to put her full weight down on my leg to keep my leg from jerking every time the needle hit skin. I felt really bad about not being able to stay still. Good to know though that this happens to others.

[Delicious]

happened to me too. as hard as you try to stay still, its really hard not to. or uncontrollable charlie horses.

[blujax01]

OOOoooh Yeah! ROHR 714's. That will definetly do the trick. lol. ...

Heh-heh...

[iowagirl]

I don't recall the twitching when I had my ankles done, but my feet, definitely they I was twitchy then. No kicking or anything, but like zzzt zzzt little twinges/spasms, sometimes in spots it would go up my whole leg. Weird sensation!

[Hank]

Oh man, blujax01 that is great!!the guitar player of the godz owned a guitar shop here in town that he sold to a friend of mine a year back, this is the first time I saw a reference for the band outside of that shop hah

Heh-heh...

[CABS]

my problem/question is this,on my legs,especially lower on my legs when getting work done,I get these involuntary jerks of my leg,

it's not pain,it's like when the needles hit the right spot my leg jerks,

I feel terrible for my tattooer,I have a real hard time stopping it,if I press my leg down and curl my toes it helps a little,but WTF ?

Happened to me too on the back of my calf. My tattooer had to pin my leg down. I apologized but he understood.

[Brock Varty]

OOOoooh Yeah! ROHR 714's. That will definetly do the trick. lol. Theres a lot of nerves in the shin area. Dont drink too much alcohol, it will make you bleed a lot more. It works as an anti-coagulent.

You can drink before and during....just don't get sidewayz the night before.

[blujax01]

Oh man, blujax01 that is great!!the guitar player of the godz owned a guitar shop here in town that he sold to a friend of mine a year back, this is the first time I saw a reference for the band outside of that shop hah

Mark Chatfield, right? After he left The Godz in 1980 he played for Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band for quite awhile. The singer, Eric Moore is still in C-Bus and a bit of a sad case, playing in honky-tonks and trading on whatever celebrity had. Dude lived the life he sang about...

The Godz were one of those 70's bands (and one of only a few from Columbus) that "missed it by that much"

Glad you enjoyed it!

[Mike Clayton]

I just got my inner calf done and I sat like a rock my artist said and it was my first piece and its pretty big.

[Hank]

Yup, Mark Chatfield. I don't think he lives in Vegas anymore..but I bump into him from time to time at the shop or my friend's place...he's a cool guy

Mark Chatfield, right? After he left The Godz in 1980 he played for Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band for quite awhile. The singer, Eric Moore is still in C-Bus and a bit of a sad case, playing in honky-tonks and trading on whatever celebrity had. Dude lived the life he sang about...

The Godz were one of those 70's bands (and one of only a few from Columbus) that "missed it by that much"

Glad you enjoyed it!

[SuavecitoMiguelito]

Try eating a protein bar and drinking a lot of water before hand. I personally seem to get more "jerky" when my blood sugar is lower and I'm a little more dehydrated.

[SaintzSerenity]

I've gotten quite a few tattoos, 24.  And I have never had a problem with twitching before. Except recently when i got a rosary on my hand, wrist, on the top part of my middle finger knuckle. The knuckle closet to my middle finger nail. Was real sensitive to the twitching for some reason. It was painful. Also for some reason it had me sweating. Given it was humid a bit. So that didnt help. But the most recent tattoo I've gotten. Is on my neck right below my adams apple. Now that one hurt pretty good. And had my legs twitching/jerk. When my friend was shading or doing line work on the right side of my neck. My left leg would twitch. And when he did work on the left side of my neck. My right leg would twitch. I kept telling him " my bad, i keep twitching " . he was real cool about it. Saying he understood. So i guess it just all comes down. To specific areas of the body. That are most sensitive to pain. It's something that just can't be helped, i guess. I did notice when i would focus on trying to breath steadily and not focus on the pain. By holding my breath. That i did twitch less. But that's hard to do. So i would suggest letting whomever is tattooing you. Know that you may or may not twitch. Depending on the area of the tattoo. Maybe take a shot or drink a beer. A lil something to help relax the nerves a bit. Or maybe even putting on headphones listen to some music. Might even help...

[Blue Tattoo]

On 5/24/2013 at 5:59 PM, SacramentoDan said:

I have tattoos on both arms ,my neck,and both legs from the knee down,

I can control the pain factor pretty well like most of you I'm sure,

my problem/question is this,on my legs,especially lower on my legs when getting work done,I get these involuntary jerks of my leg,

it's not pain,it's like when the needles hit the right spot my leg jerks,

I feel terrible for my tattooer,I have a real hard time stopping it,if I press my leg down and curl my toes it helps a little,but WTF ?

it never happens on my arms or neck.

I just had my second tattoo, a band around my calf. I knew the shin was going to be sensitive, but was surprised how much the back of my leg hurt.  It felt like he was putting the needle into a nerve, and felt almost like an electrical shock. I was worried I was going to jerk my leg, I really had to concentrate to keep still.

I thought about getting high before hand. Didn't think about a beer, lol.

[Hogrider]

48 minutes ago, Blue Tattoo said:

I just had my second tattoo, a band around my calf. I knew the shin was going to be sensitive, but was surprised how much the back of my leg hurt.  It felt like he was putting the needle into a nerve, and felt almost like an electrical shock. I was worried I was going to jerk my leg, I really had to concentrate to keep still.

I thought about getting high before hand. Didn't think about a beer, lol.

Don’t drink alcohol, it thins the blood which is not good when getting tattooed. I didn’t really have any issues with pain on the back of my legs, but some people find it very painful.

[Blue Tattoo]

35 minutes ago, Hogrider said:

Don’t drink alcohol, it thins the blood which is not good when getting tattooed. I didn’t really have any issues with pain on the back of my legs, but some people find it very painful.

Even with the pain, 10 out of 10 I'd do again.