Bilateral weakness in the leg muscles can be as mild as a generalized feeling of fatigue in your legs or as extreme as complete paralysis. Bilateral weakness indicates a problem in your central nervous system -- in your brain, spinal cord or...
Muscle weakness in pediatrics, also known as hypotonia, may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. If you suspect that your child is experiencing abnormal muscle development, consult a doctor as soon as possible. Depending on the...
While you rely on your desk job to pay your bills, consider what sitting all day with no stretch breaks can do to your body. Long periods of muscle disuse can cause leg muscles to weaken and also tighten, which can lead to back pain. You can...
Many factors can cause leg weakness. They can include the loss of muscle strength from inactivity, pinched nerves or spinal compression of sciatica, neuromuscular diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, and certain medications. The National...
The spine is made up of 26 vertebral bones. Filling the space between the bones is a soft jelly-like matter called a disc. The disc material cushions the bones and helps keep the spine aligned. A herniated disc is the medical term when the disc...
Diabetes can lead to many complications. If your diabetes becomes severe or you are unable to control your blood glucose levels, you can suffer nerve damage. Your risk of developing neuropathy increases if you are older or have had diabetes for...
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is one of several kinds of Muscular Dystrophy. It afflicts only boys beginning in early childhood. Children diagnosed with DMD lack dystrophin, a protein the human body uses to build and maintain muscles. The...
The central nervous system is composed of the brain and spinal cord. Sometimes, an infection can infiltrate the brain and wreak havoc on the entire body. In some cases, chemicals in the brain can change and lead to movement problems. Also, tissues...
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease that occurs when nerves of the central nervous system become inflamed and myelin is destroyed, according to an article in the November 2004 issue of "American Family Physician". Myelin is a substance that...
Each of your hands contains millions of nerve endings that allow for sensation and fine motor functioning. Numbness and tingling in your hands indicates the damage or abnormal function of these nerves, a condition called peripheral neuropathy....
Women who are healthy, pregnant or nursing need between 600 and 800 IU vitamin D daily, depending upon their age, to keep their bodies functioning optimally. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps keep your bones and teeth strong. As a...
Muscular dystrophy is a group of genetic, hereditary diseases that are progressive in nature. These diseases generally involve more than your muscles; in fact they may affect your cardiovascular, nervous, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems....
Neuropathy is common in people who have diabetes, although it is unclear what the cause is. People who have had diabetes for 25 years or longer are more likely to develop neuropathy, as are those who struggle with their glucose levels. The result...
According to the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, all prescription drug products are required to include certain categories of information in their product inserts, also known as professional labeling information. The purpose of this is to...
The body normally produces enough insulin to move glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. With diabetes, however, the body is unable to supply enough insulin to facilitate this process, depriving the body of its main source of fuel. But the...
Strattera is a drug used to treat hyperactivity and impulsivity in people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. While most drugs for the treatment of ADHD are stimulants, Strattera is a non-stimulant drug that works by boosting...
Many different pain and joint issues are now being connected to vitamin D deficiency. Leg pain that cannot be explained by an injury or underlying condition may be the result of a deficiency in your vitamin D levels. A 2009 study published in the...
Calf and thigh pain upon touching and flexing can result for a number of reasons, including sciatica, which produces pain along the path of your sciatic nerve that can be painful to the touch. Muscle cramps, strains and tears may also cause pain...
Lower back pain may have several causes, from muscle strain to spinal conditions such as a herniated lumbar disc, according to Spine Health. Aches in your lower back may be accompanied by spasms in the lower back muscles, stiffness and difficulty...
Walking is one exercise you can use to help you lose weight, build muscle endurance and generally improve your health over time. But as with most other exercises, you may begin to feel the onset of fatigue in your legs and lower body after walking...
Muscle weakness in your arms or legs affects the way you execute your boxing moves. Sports conditioning coach Jamie Hale, in his article "Strength Training for Boxers," indicates that functional muscle strength increases your speed and...
The cauda equine is a group of nerves at the end of the spinal cord; the group is named for its resemblance to a horse's tail. When the nerve roots are compressed, the result is cauda equine syndrome. Most cases of cauda equine occur after a...
Spine degeneration can be caused by spondylosis, or spinal osteoarthritis. This condition can cause damage to the bones, nerves and intervertebral discs of the vertebral column. Dr. John J. Regan, an orthopedic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Calif....
Research suggests that the majority of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin both synthesized by the skin and absorbed from food. If a person has reduced exposure to the sun, does not eat enough food which...
Low levels of vitamin D can cause muscle weakness and bone pain. The vitamin is stored in the liver where it is then metabolized. Because vitamin D is needed for bone formation and growth, deficiency decreases calcium absorption in the body and...
Leg weakness consists of a loss of strength in the leg, which prevents certain movements, according to HealthHype.com. People who suffer from leg weakness may have a hard time walking or lifting a foot when the muscles connected to the feet are...
Calcium is a mineral that the body needs to maintain the strength and density of bones. It combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate, which assists in providing the structure as well as the strength to the bones. Calcium is also important...
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive disease of neurons in the brain that control movement of muscles. While debilitating in later stages, the early stages of ALS are sometimes mild enough to...
Damage to the nerve affecting your inner thigh is known as femoral nerve dysfunction. Nerves are made from bundles of fibers called axons and surrounded by insulation known as the myelin sheath. Femoral nerve dysfunction has several possible...