Major Causes For Weakness In Legs

By Arijita Ghosh

Tuesday, May 3, 2016, 10:07

Imagine what would have happened if you had bought a glass-table with plastic stands! The glass would have shattered into pieces, right?

The reason being you need a stronger base/foundation to hold the upper portion of anything (be it a table, a chair, a building or even a human being) in a balanced and steady manner.

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Human beings too need stronger legs to hold their bodies, so as to ensure proper balance, thus enabling their bodies to function more effectively as a whole.

On the other hand, weak legs accompanied with symptoms like pain, muscle spasms, burning sensations, numbness, swelling, body ache, body imbalance, etc, lead to fatigue, which in turn leads to an inactive life, therefore, increasing the chances of developing many chronic diseases and reducing longevity.

However, with proper exercises and diet, weakness in legs can be overcome, thus giving us a sigh of relief.

The question here is, “why do we have 'lazy legs’ at times and what can we do to strengthen our leg muscles”?

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Muscle weakness in legs can lead to mild generalised fatigue or even complete paralysis. It can either affect only one leg (unilateral) or both legs (bilateral).

Some of the most common causes and treatments of muscle weakness in legs include the following:

1) Prolonged Inactivity Of The Muscles:

It is one of the most common causes of muscle weakness. As a remedy, you can walk for at least 30 minutes daily to strengthen your weak muscles. Light yoga, smimming, jogging, running, etc, are other activities that can strengthen your muscles. If you have difficulty in exercising, consult a physiotherapist at the earliest.

2) Spinal Compression Of A Nerve:

This is also known as a pinched nerve, which is another cause of muscle weakness in legs. Consultation with a physiotherapist is needed required in such a condition. Physiotherapists recommend gentle massage to help promote blood circulation, which in turn distributes the essential nutrients equally in your body.

3) Neuromuscular Diseases:

These can also cause leg weakness. In addition to a treatment as prescribed by a physiotherapist, you should also do certain mild exercises like straight leg raise, simple yoga, etc. However, check with your doctor before trying these exercises out.

4) Leg Weakness:

This can also be caused by certain medications. Doctors in such cases suggest certain specific exercises that you should follow strictly.

5) Vitamin D Deficiency:

According to researches, vitamin D deficiency is said to weaken your leg muscles. Sun's UV rays help your body make this vitamin. Thus, exposure to early morning sunlight for 10-15 minutes can breathe life to your legs. Eat more of vitamin D-rich foods like mackerel, salmon, sardines, fortified milk, orange juice or cereal.

6) Dehydration:

Dehydration is one of the major causes of leg weakness and muscle cramps. Drinking plenty of water and having fluid-based fruits to rehydrate your body and strengthen your leg muscles is a must. Also, drink milk, as it is rich in calcium, which is essential for muscle strength.

7) Over-activity:

This is another cause of leg weakness that should be avoided. Take rest between regular intervals to rejuvenate yourself and to build on your muscle strength.

8) Certain Medical Conditions:

Diabetes, anaemia, etc, can cause muscle weakness, muscle spasms, etc, in legs. A nutritional diet along with your doctor-prescribed medicines can however be of great help.

Identify the causes and symptoms of leg weakness early on, so that you can work on them and lead a healthy and balanced life.