Numb Muscles in the Leg After a Workout

You know that exercise is good for your health because it reduces the risk of health problems and helps you control your weight. In some cases, you might need to take a break from your routine. If you experience numbness in your legs soon after an exercise session, you might have injured yourself and a rest will help you recover. Other times, numbness indicates that you need to tweak your routine or that you have an underlying medical problem that requires treatment.

Numbness in your leg muscles after a workout results in a loss of feeling. This can occur in just one leg or both at the same time. In many cases, numbness goes away quickly, but sometimes it persists, which could indicate a health problem or injury. Sometimes numbness is preceded by a tingling or burning feeling. You'll still be able to move your legs, but probably won't feel pressure being applied to them.

Holding the same position during your workout or engaging in repeated movements can cause your legs to go numb when you finish. For example, if you hold a squat or yoga pose for several minutes, you might experience temporary numbness afterward. This is because blood flow to the area is slowed or stopped. If you injure a nerve in your leg during exercise, it could go numb. A back injury can also cause leg numbness, according to Medline Plus. A stroke, diabetes, thyroid problems, certain medications and nutrient deficiencies can also contribute to muscle numbness after exercise.

If leg muscle numbness is due to the way you're exercising, it probably won't need treatment and will go away shortly after you're finished with your workout. Reducing the amount of time you spend in a certain position helps keep your blood flowing adequately and can stop numbness from occurring. However, if the condition persists, your doctor may need to adjust your medications or test you for health issues that could be contributing to the problem. This is especially true if you experience numbness at other times too.

You might be tempted to write off leg numbness after exercise as more of an annoyance than a problem. However, it could indicate a serious health problem that requires medical care. If the numbness is accompanied by paralysis in your legs, you lose control of your bowels or bladder, your speech is slurred, your vision changes, the numbness gets worse with activity or you are dizzy, seek medical attention right away, advises Medline Plus.