Muscle weakness in legs is loss of strength of the leg muscles to perform its function. Weakness in legs is often part of generalized weakness in body and many consider this weakness as weakness of muscles but it is not true. When the muscle loses its ability to function, it is medically accepted as muscle weakness. Muscle weakness in lower limbs can be unilateral or bilateral.
In many cases muscle weakness is due to neurological disorder. Certain deficiency of nutrients and congenital or acquired diseases can also cause muscle weakness in legs.
Causes Of Weakness In Leg Muscles
As earlier mentioned, weakness in the legs can be due to many diseases. Weakness in leg is not sluggishness that you observe when a person is ill from certain diseases such as flu or other debilitating diseases. True weakness in legs is one of the symptoms of neuromuscular diseases, metabolic diseases, congenital diseases or injury and toxins that make the muscles of the leg incapable to function.
Here are some of the various causes for muscle weakness in legs.
Spinal causes for muscle weakness in legs.
Disorders of spinal cord, spine and pinched spinal nerves can cause weakness in the leg together with sensation of burning, pain, numbness, tingling pins and needles feeling. Following are the spinal conditions that can cause weakness in legs:
- Sciatica: pain in the affected leg with weakness in the leg and patient has to drag his feet. The movement of leg is much slow.
- Herniated disc.
- Spinal stenosis: The spinal canal becomes narrow and that creates pressure on the nerves and cord.
- Injury to the spinal cord.
- Degeneration of spinal disc.
Causes Of Neuromuscular Weakness In Legs
- Multiple sclerosis: scientists are still unable to find the cause. Six percent of patients have affected relatives, suggesting that genetic factors are contributory. The initial attack may be precipitated by infection, trauma, cold and allergic reactions. There is degeneration of nerves and its covering called myelin sheath. The damage to the nerve cells reduces the nerve impulses and thus there is gradual deterioration of the function of whole nervous system. Along with other symptoms such as difficulty in talking, writing; weakness in both the leg muscles makes the person unable to stand erect and balance his body.
- Guillain –barre syndrome: it is an auto immune disorder. The condition begins with headache, vomiting, fever, pain in the back and legs. It is caused by inflammation and swelling in the spinal nerve. After few hours or days, paralysis appears. Generally starting in lower legs muscles. If respiratory muscles are not involved, patient may completely recover from the paralysis after three to six months.
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: it is a motor neuron disease with a rapid progression. The disease has fatal outcome. In this disease the cells of the brain, spinal cord and brain stem that control the function of leg muscles rapidly die. Patient is unable to move and get up on his own. There is complete loss of movement of legs and arm and the body. Patient eventually dies due to respiratory arrest.
- Cerebral stroke: it can be due to hypertension, or due to a growth in the brain etc. There is paralysis of single limb or both the legs.
- Myasthenia gravis: it is an autoimmune disease and causes muscle weakness in both legs.
Certain toxins are also known to cause muscle weakness in the legs. They are,
- Botulin toxin.
- Organophosphorus compounds.
- Lathyrism: it is caused by eating certain type of legume of lathyrus family.
Metabolic disease causing weakness of legs:
- Thyrotoxicosis; there is mild weakness of lower limb muscles.
- Familial periodic paralysis: this is characterized by profound weakness of the leg muscles lasting for several hours. Often it occurs after exertion, or after a heavy carbohydrate meal.
- Addison’s disease.
- Cushing’s syndrome.
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