# Leg bouncing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2001, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-bouncing/51229 "2001-01-22T06:01:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dani\_Filth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dani\_Filth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dani_Filth)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-bouncing/51229/1 "2001-01-22T06:01:29Z")
I was wondering, why is it that a lot of people bounce thier leg(s) for no reason? Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, but it seems that everywhere i see someone sitting, i find someone bouncing thier leg uncontrollably. I admit, i’m guilty of this sometimes too, but usually when i’m listening to music (bouncing with the time of the music). So, why do people do this? -Dani ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-bouncing/51229/2 "2001-01-22T08:50:53Z")
nervous habit… Like chewing on fingernails. I find it hard to sit still and not move… So I bounce. I can bounce my arms cause they’re being used. ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-bouncing/51229/3 "2001-01-22T09:14:33Z")
fidgity people have higher metabolisms than non. So while you are sitting down all calm and collected, I’m working off a cheeseburger. jb ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-bouncing/51229/4 "2001-01-22T09:15:38Z")
Well, I have two ways of doing this. One is a nervous habit (I also drum my fingers a lot, stuff like that can burn 100 to 800 calories a day), but sometimes when there is pressure on my leg in the right place my leg will twitch uncontrollably, the only way to stop is to move my leg. ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-bouncing/51229/5 "2001-01-22T09:40:44Z")
**Badtz** , mine twitches uncontrollably sometimes too. Usually if the leg muscles have been strained for a long period (like if I have the heel of my foot up ala tip-toe for five minutes), or there’s pressure in the right place. weird. jb ---
**Author:** ![Moonshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Moonshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonshine)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-bouncing/51229/6 "2001-01-22T12:06:12Z")
Leg bouncing, finger tapping, head nodding etc are known by psychologists as Displacement Actions and are supposed to be an outlet for nervous tension when the true subject of the tension can not be dealt with. ---
**Author:** ![Pnuk\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Pnuk\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pnuk_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-bouncing/51229/7 "2001-01-22T13:25:03Z")
I **was** sitting comfortably at my computer reading the wonderful posts people provide, quietly (and subconciously) bouncing my leg. Now you’ve got me all worried about unreleased tension and signs nervous habits. and worst of all. I CAN’T STOP BOUNCING MY LEG!