Leg weakness is not usually a sign of a serious problem and can occur for simple reasons such as physical stretching exercise or lack of movement in the legs, for example.
However, in some cases, especially when this weakness lasts a long time, worsens or hinders daily tasks, it can be a symptom of a more serious condition, which should be treated as quickly as possible.
Conditions that can cause weakness in your legs include
One of the most common causes of leg weakness is physical exercise, especially in people who are not used to training their legs, for example. This weakness may appear immediately after training, but tends to improve after a few minutes.
In the following days, the weakness may return during certain periods, accompanied by muscle pain, indicating that there has been muscle wasting, but that it naturally improves after 2 to 3 days.
What to do: In most cases, it is only recommended to rest and massage the leg muscles to relieve discomfort and help muscle recovery. However, if the pain is too severe, you can consult a family doctor to start using an anti-inflammatory, for example. Discover other ways to relieve muscle weakness and pain.
Another relatively common condition that can cause weakness in the legs is poor blood circulation, which tends to be more common in people over 50 or who are standing for a long time.
In addition to weakness, other signs and symptoms such as cold feet, swelling of the legs and feet, dry skin and the appearance of varicose veins, for example, are common.
What to do: A good way to improve blood circulation in your legs is to wear compression stockings during the day, especially when you need to stand for a long time. Also, lifting your legs at the end of the day and exercising regularly, such as walking, also helps alleviate the problem. Discover other ways to relieve poor circulation.
Peripheral polyneuropathy is characterized by severe damage to the peripheral nerves, responsible for the transmission of information between the brain and the spinal cord, to the rest of the body, causing symptoms such as weak limbs, tingling and persistent pain.
This disease is usually the result of a complication, such as diabetes, exposure to toxic substances, or infections, for example.
What to do: Treatment involves solving the cause of nerve damage. In some cases, it may be necessary to maintain constant use of medications to control symptoms and improve quality of life.
Herniated disk is characterized by a bulge of the intervertebral disc, which can cause a feeling of weakness in the legs. In addition, other symptoms, such as back pain, may occur, which may radiate to buttocks or legs, difficulty moving and numbness, burns or tingling in the back, buttocks or legs.
What to do: Treatment can be done with medication, physical therapy or surgery, depending on its severity. Understand how herniated disks should be treated.
Stroke, or stroke, is characterized by sudden disruption of blood flow to a region of the brain, which can cause weakness in the limbs and symptoms such as paralysis of a part of the body, difficulty speaking, fainting, dizziness and headaches, depending on the affected site.
What to do: Both conditions should be treated urgently, as they can leave sequelae, such as difficulty speaking or moving. In addition, preventive measures are also very important to prevent strokes, such as a balanced diet, regular exercise and avoiding high blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglycerides and diabetes.
Learn more about stroke treatment
Guillain-Barré syndrome is characterized by a serious autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks nerve cells, causing inflammation of the nerves and, consequently, weakness of the limbs and muscle paralysis, which can be fatal.
What to do: Treatment is done in the hospital, using a technique called plasmapheresis, in which blood is drawn from the body, filtered to remove the substances that cause the disease, and then returned to the body. The second part of the treatment involves injecting high doses of immunoglobulins against antibodies that attack nerves, reducing inflammation and destruction of the myelin sheath.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body itself, causing the rupture of the myelin sheath that lines neurons, compromising the functioning of the nervous system.
Some of the symptoms that may occur include weak arms and legs or difficulty walking, difficulty coordinating movement and retaining urine or stool, memory loss or difficulty concentrating, difficulty seeing or blurred vision.
What to do: Treatment of multiple sclerosis involves the use of medications and physiotherapy sessions. Learn more about treating multiple sclerosis.
In addition, other conditions that can cause weakness in the legs include Parkinson’s disease, severe myasthenia or spinal cord injuries, for example.