What is muscle weakness?
Muscle weakness usually affects one or a group of muscles. A muscle is weak if it can’t contract to the same degree as it used to and therefore isn’t as strong as it used to be. For a muscle to contract the thought needs to be generated in the brain and then passed down the spinal cord and out along the nerves. This message then arrives in the muscle making it contract. A problem in the brain, the spinal cord, the nerve or the actual muscle can therefore cause muscle weakness. Muscle weakness can make a limb feel heavier and may quickly affect how you live your daily life and how you are able to function. The usual causes of muscle weakness Muscle weakness can follow an injury or operation or be the result of gradual wear and tear. An injury directly to the muscle, usually a strain, can bring about muscle weakness. A muscle strain occurs when the muscle has been overstretched and can range from a minor overstretch to a tearing of the muscle. Muscle weakness can occur if the muscle isn’
