The “jelly legs” feeling, which typically refers to feelings of weakness, dizziness, or loss of control in the legs, is often caused by a rush of adrenaline taking blood away from the legs, though there may be other causes.
Another common symptom of chronic anxiety is weakness in the muscles, most commonly experienced in the legs and sometimes the arms. During the fight or flight response, the body is preparing to take action against danger.
Having weak legs is commonly associated with an active stress response. Many people notice a “weak in the knees” feeling when they are nervous or afraid. The intensity and frequency of the anxiety weak legs symptoms are often proportional to the degree of nervousness, anxiety, and fear.
A feeling of sudden leg weakness, causing your legs to give out or buckle can be alarming. Weakness in your leg(s) may occur from problems in the nerves and/or muscles in your lower body and is usually treatable. Rarely, the underlying cause may be a serious medical condition requiring immediate medical attention.
Causes of nerve damage include direct injury, tumor growth on the spine, prolonged pressure on the spine, and diabetes. A spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injuries are among the most common reasons that legs give out. These injuries vary in severity but should always be evaluated immediately by a spine specialist.
When your leg gives out it may a signal that you have problems brewing. Weakness in the leg can arise from three principal causes: nerve problems, muscle weakness, and SI joint dysfunction. Treatment is best directed at the underlying problem.
Go Walking - If you're not feeling too dizzy (a common symptom of anxiety), try going for a walk. Walking gets the blood flowing and it takes your mind off of your legs. It's also a reminder that you have leg strength.
While there are more than 80 forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are both known to cause knee buckling in patients. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that creates a breakdown in joint cartilage, leading to increased joint friction in the process.
Fatigue and Inactivity
Fatigue can indirectly result in jelly legs. Being fatigued may leave a person without enough energy to exercise or be generally active. Muscles that aren't used regularly can become weakened or deconditioned, which may cause them to atrophy (shrink).
People experiencing anxiety and inhibition have more activity in the right side of the brain, causing them to walk in a leftward trajectory.
Anxiety and fear can slow blood flow because stress hormones like adrenalin cause blood vessels to constrict. Known as vasoconstriction, this can in turn lead to changes in body temperature and hot flashes. Research suggests long-term stress and anxiety can even increase the risk of heart disease over time.
Nerve conditions — A condition that affects the femoral nerve can cause your knee to buckle. There are several conditions that may cause this to happen, including diabetes, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis.
Possible Causes of Knee Giving Out
Although there are several causes for knee instability and pain, joint injury and osteoarthritis of the knee are two of the most common reasons for a knee to lock up and give out.
What Causes A Locked Knee? The most common cause of a locked knee is a tear in the cartilage that cushions the knee joint. Typically, once the cartilage has been torn or damaged, it gets stuck in the joint, making it difficult to move the knee.
The most common cause of bow legs is a condition called physiologic genu varum. When the fetus was developing in your uterus, it was in a cramped position. Some of the fetal bones had to rotate while they were in your uterus so they could fit in the small space.
Claudication is a common condition where pain occurs in the legs with exercise due to a reduction in the circulation. The cause is hardening of the arteries otherwise known as atherosclerosis. The common symptom is of a cramp like pain developing in the calf muscles on walking.
Common knee symptoms that you may experience when you have sciatica include: A warm sensation, sharp pain, or dull ache in the front, side, and/or back of the knee. Inability to bear weight on the knee. Buckling/giving out of the knee.
Restless Leg Syndrome: Common symptom descriptions:
When sitting or lying down you have to move your legs because they feel fidgety, extremely uncomfortable, or that they are filled with “nervous” energy. Once you move your legs, they feel relaxed for a moment but then feel restless again.
Hyperstimulation anxiety happens when your stress response is kicked into high gear without being given a chance to come back down. Along with feeling an increased heart rate and other signs commonly associated with stress and anxiety, many people will also feel the effects in their muscles.
What is restless legs syndrome? Restless legs syndrome (RLS)—also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease, primary RLS, and idiopathic RLS—is a neurological disorder that causes unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations in your legs and an irresistible urge to move them.