If you suffer from weakness in your legs, you know your limitations all too well. From sunrise to sundown, you feel you can only do so much so fast, and for so long. Even worse, perhaps your chronic leg weakness is leaving you feeling sidelined from activity altogether.
Now, here comes some much-needed good news. You may be just a few short and simple steps away from leading a fuller life with two stronger legs to stand on.
To solve a problem, it often helps to locate the cause behind it. Many of the routine culprits that sit at the top the list for wobbly weak legs are all too obvious — too much physical inactivity and too little exercise, the wear and tear of aging, a hard-partying habit, smoking to any degree, low-quality sleep and dehydration.
If this sounds like you, it’s within your power to do something about it by following these steps:
Consult a Physician
It’s important to know if you are suffering from another type of underlying health problem of some sort. If going to the doctor isn’t on your to-do list, it is now. Leg weakness could be a sign you are pregnant, fighting an infection, or dealing with another health condition.
In some cases, certain medications could be the cause. Whatever the case may be, you need to locate the reason for feeling the way you do. The devil you know is always better than the one you don’t, so root out that little devil, whatever it may be.
Walk or Get a Massage
Once you get a green light from your doc, you need to get moving, and that relates to people of all ages. Specifically, if you are suffering from arthritis, you can start off on the road to stronger legs simply by walking more. This is a low-impact and low-budget activity just about everyone can do. Massage also can’t hurt. Well, if you’re stiff it may hurt a little, but the relaxing results are well worth it.
Work It Out
In time, should you feel ready to rev up your engine and ramp it up, there are many more steps you can take to a fitter, stronger you. Each of these activities are an option for people at all fitness levels:
- Yoga has been around for centuries for a reason. It works. Plus, you need not be an expert of any sort. Just go to a studio where the teacher is patient, welcoming and watchful. Have him or her guide you through basic moves at the start. Don’t come out of the gate at top speed. In yoga, fast means nothing. On the contrary, you need to practice good form. If you rush at the outset, you are missing the point entirely.
- Leg–strengthening exercises of various types to work different parts of your legs such as ,leg lunges, hamstring contraction exercises or pelvic lifts, and calf raises
- Bodyweight squats but as with yoga, watch your form and not your speed
- Plus, resistance band exercises can also work wonders
Pace Yourself
As with any exercise program, you need to know your limitations, otherwise a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. If you start an exercise program at full throttle after a long period of doing zilch for exercise, you are filling your own prescription for pain. So use your head. If you have never exercised before, or haven’t in a while, get to a doctor first and ask for some advice about pacing and limits.
Drink Up
As mentioned before, dehydration can be a common culprit for weakness and pain in many parts of your body, not just your legs. If you increase your water or juice intake, you may well see a big difference in your energy levels way before you expected it.
In addition to water and juice, you can also fix yourself a glass of carrot juice or fix up one of these natural remedies:
- Boil one cup of water, remove it from the heat, and add one teaspoon of fresh horsetail. Allow the tea mixture to steep for five minutes. Then, strain it and drink the liquid.
- Another power-packed concoction that takes just a few minutes to make. Mix two tablespoons of blackstrap molasses into a glass of warm water. Don’t worry about its sweetness, either. It is much lower on the glycemic index than many other types of sugar.
Get Your Nutrients
If you suffer from leg weakness, you may also be vitamin deficient. And while you can get your vitamins from a jar, try going right to source: eat food that has contains them. Pack in some potassium, which you can get from bananas, plums, raisins, potatoes with skin and tomatoes. Magnesium can also help aid your muscles. You can get it from brown rice, spinach, lima beans and almonds to start.
Also, make sure you are getting enough calcium, which works with protein to provide your body with the energy it needs to thrive. It can be found in milk, cheese and various types of beans for starters. Finally, Vitamin B1 is also a must or muscle pain and weakness may wind up on the menu. You can find it in lentils, peas, and long-grain rice.
Catch Some Rays
Studies show catching a few minutes of sunshine each day can provide you with much needed Vitamin D, which is instrumental in helping your body absorb magnesium and calcium from your diet.
