Common causes of leg weakness

Osteoarthritis of the knees
People often think osteoarthritis only affects older people, but young people have this condition as well. Knee injuries caused by repetitive use for example repeated squatting or kneeling as part of your job or sustaining a knee injury from sports, being overweight or simply the years of wear and tear of our knees can cause knee osteoarthritis.

If you have osteoarthritic knees, your knees will feel painful, swollen and stiff. You don’t feel like moving much because of the knee pain. You reduce your walking exercise and eventually your muscles, especially your leg muscles, start to shrink. As a result, many people with knee osteoarthritis experience weakness in their legs as well.
Knee surgeries
The National Joint Registry reported approximately 90,842 knee or partial knee replacement procedures performed in England and Wales since April 2003³. It may take a while before a person can resume normal activity. After a knee operation or surgery to your lower leg, it can take up to 6 weeks to get back to normal leisure activity.

You may experience a lot of pain and discomfort in your legs and you may not feel like moving around much. However, the contrary is important – getting up and walking is needed to prevent muscle atrophy and weakness in your legs. If you don’t start including movement into your recovery, you’ll soon find your legs muscles aren’t as strong as they used to be.

It is important to talk to your doctor and work with a physiotherapist on a treatment plan to safely strengthen your leg muscles after a knee or lower leg operation.

Sedentary lifestyle
For many, modern life often revolves around sitting - at desks, on sofas, or during commutes. This lack of movement can contribute to muscle atrophy and leg weakness, especially when combined with high-calorie diets. Over time, weight gain and added stress on the knees may worsen the issue for those leading less active lifestyles.

The good news? Regular movement - even short walks - can counteract these effects and help keep your muscles strong.

Weakness in the legs

References

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