What makes legs weak?

Leg weakness can be caused by a variety of medical conditions, some of which are serious. Possible causes include stroke, systemic diseases, inflammatory conditions, nerve damage, muscle disorders, and medication side effects.

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Why are my legs so weak to walk?

Often, the cause of weakness or pain in the legs when walking is a narrowing of the space around nerves that carry signals to the lower part of the body. When symptoms affect your legs, the condition is typically lumbar spinal stenosis.

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Why do my legs feel weak and shaky?

People will often experience shaky or weak legs when dealing with vascular issues in the leg, like deep vein thrombosis or blood clots. Clots are very serious if untreated because they could break off into the bloodstream and travel to an artery in the lungs, blocking blood flow.

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How do you treat weak legs?

Leg Weakness Treatment
  1. Medications. Different medications can be described to help with leg weakness based on the underlying cause. ...
  2. Surgery. Some conditions that cause leg weakness can be treated with surgery, such as hyperthyroidism or a herniated disc.
  3. Physical Therapy. ...
  4. Dietary Changes. ...
  5. Mobility Aids.

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Is weakness in legs serious?

Weakness in the legs often occurs as a result of overactivity. However, it can sometimes be a sign of an underlying medical condition. A person who experiences sudden weakness in the legs or some other part of their body should seek emergency medical attention.

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Peripheral Vascular Disease: Leg Weakness, Symptoms and Treatment

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Will leg weakness go away?

Weakness in the legs is a common symptom of many health conditions and injuries, including autoimmune diseases, spinal conditions and injuries, and stroke. Often, leg weakness will resolve over time, but in some cases, it can be a medical emergency, especially if the weakness comes on suddenly.

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Can heart problems cause weakness in legs?

As a result, people with heart failure often feel weak (especially in their arms and legs), tired and have difficulty performing ordinary activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries.

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What vitamin deficiency causes shaky legs?

However, tremors and other movement disorders are associated with vitamin deficiency, most vitamins B1, B6 and especially B12. B12 is very important for keeping your nervous system in good working order. Severe lack of Vitamin B12 is rare, but shakiness and tremors can occur even in mild deficiency.

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What causes sudden leg weakness in elderly?

Diabetes and atherosclerosis are the main causes of poor circulation in the body, but are also associated with smoking, living an inactive lifestyle, or having high blood pressure or cholesterol. To reduce lower extremity weakness, elevate your legs while your sitting or laying down to increase your bodies circulation.

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What vitamin helps weak legs?

Vitamin D helps your body use calcium. But when you're deficient in this vitamin, your legs may feel weak, sore and heavy. A vitamin E deficiency may be another reason your legs feel heavy after a run.

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What medications cause weak legs?

Examples of medications that can cause muscle weakness include:
  • amiodarone (Cordarone)
  • antithyroid medications, such as methimazole (Tapazole) or propylthiouracil.
  • antiretroviral medicines, such as lamivudine (Epivir) or zidovudine (Retrovir)
  • chemotherapy medications.
  • cimetidine (Tagamet)
  • corticosteroids.

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What is severe leg weakness in the elderly?

Sarcopenia is the age-related progressive loss of muscle mass and strength. The main symptom of the condition is muscle weakness. Sarcopenia is a type of muscle atrophy primarily caused by the natural aging process. Scientists believe being physically inactive and eating an unhealthy diet can contribute to the disease.

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What does MS leg weakness feel like?

You may feel that you do not have enough strength or energy to move some or all of your limbs, or your whole body. Weakness and fatigue are closely linked and having one often makes the other symptoms worse. Weakness in one or both legs (called monoparesis or paraparesis) can cause problems with walking and balance.

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What causes weak legs and loss of balance?

Peripheral nerves

The nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord can become damaged, which is called peripheral neuropathy. Weakness, numbness, pain and balance issues can be caused by peripheral neuropathy because it makes it difficult to determine where your body is relative to other objects or the ground.

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Can stress cause weakness in legs?

In fact, stress and chronic stress often cause heavy, tired, jelly-like, rubbery, weak, and stiff legs feelings because of how stress affects the body's muscles, including those in the legs.

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What are the symptoms of low B12?

Symptoms of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency
  • extreme tiredness.
  • a lack of energy.
  • pins and needles (paraesthesia)
  • a sore and red tongue.
  • mouth ulcers.
  • muscle weakness.
  • disturbed vision.
  • psychological problems, which may include depression and confusion.

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What supplements are good for weak legs in the elderly?

Vitamin D, magnesium, and calcium are all quite important for building bones and muscle tissue. Moreover, vitamin D deficiencies are exceedingly common among the elderly, and research has clarified that correcting that deficiency with supplements can help improve a person's strength.

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What are the 14 signs of vitamin D deficiency?

Symptoms when vitamin D is low
  • Fatigue.
  • Not sleeping well.
  • Bone pain or achiness.
  • Depression or feelings of sadness.
  • Hair loss.
  • Muscle weakness.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Getting sick more easily.

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What are the 4 signs your heart is quietly failing?

Warning signs and symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, swelling, fatigue, loss of appetite, and others. Heart failure means the heart has failed to pump the way it should in order to circulate oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

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What are the signs of heart failure in legs?

People with heart failure have a tendency to retain fluid. This appears as swollen ankles and legs because of excess fluid building up. You may notice that your shoes don't fit and socks appear tight or leave a prominent indent above the ankle.

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What are the warning signs of clogged arteries?

Symptoms
  • Chest pain (angina). You may feel pressure or tightness in your chest. ...
  • Shortness of breath. You may feel like you can't catch your breath.
  • Fatigue. If the heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs, you may feel unusually tired.
  • Heart attack.

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Why do my legs feel like jelly when I walk?

The “jelly legs” feeling, which typically refers to feelings of weakness, dizziness, or loss of control in the legs, is often caused by a rush of adrenaline taking blood away from the legs, though there may be other causes.

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Can anxiety cause leg weakness?

Another common symptom of chronic anxiety is weakness in the muscles, most commonly experienced in the legs and sometimes the arms. During the fight or flight response, the body is preparing to take action against danger.

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Can elderly regain leg strength?

"Older people can definitely regain good leg strength if they do regular strengthening exercises and increase the intensity of their exercises in a slow and safe way.

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