Causes

Overuse of the legs or incorrect loading can be simple reasons for heavy legs. After a heavy workout, lactic acid can accumulate and the legs feel heavy and tired. Incorrect weight bearing can be prolonged sitting, for example in an airplane, a monotonous movement pattern or incorrect footwear.

Heavy legs can occur as aching limbs during a flu-like infection or in connection with migraines. Often the feeling of heavy legs indicates a vein problem. Warning signs of venous disorders include tingling, itching, stabbing pain, swollen ankles and visible venous changes such as spider veins and varicose veins.

A weakness of the veins often results from an obstructed blood flow. The venous valves, which prevent the backflow of blood in healthy people, can fail and no longer fulfil their function. If the venous valves do not function properly, this impairs the outflow of blood and it accumulates in the upstream venous sections.

This puts a permanent strain on the veins due to the resulting pressure and the veins dilate. In the superficial leg veins, this can be seen as spider veins on the surface of the skin and in larger veins as clearly protruding, tortuous varicose veins. The weakness of the veins often causes swollen, tired legs that often hurt.

The pain usually increases towards the evening and is particularly pronounced when it is warm, as the vessels then also dilate. If heavy legs develop due to back pain, lumboischialgia may be the reason, also called root irritation syndrome. Back pain is transmitted to the leg by nerve root irritation and one suffers from back and leg pain.

Back pain and associated complaints in the arms or legs can have serious causes and must be clarified by a doctor in any case. There are medications that promote water retention as a side effect. Due to the force of gravity, the water is stored especially in the feet and lower legs, resulting in heavy legs.

Kortisonhaltige medicines, which are used with rheumatism tables diseases, asthma or disease Crohn, promote an increased water storage in the fabric. Hormone preparations such as estrogen-containing pills, which are used frequently, can also cause slight water retention in the tissue. Pronounced water retention is usually perceived as unpleasant by those affected and can cause pain in the legs.

Taking the pill leads to increased water retention in some women due to the estrogen content. The legs can swell and become heavy if the woman sits or stands for a long time. The most frequent and dangerous complication of taking the pill is thrombosis.

Leg vein thrombosis caused by the Pill causes spontaneous or stress-related pain, overheating of the leg and warning veins that are clearly visible on the surface of the skin. This may also be of interest to you: Side effects of the pillAfter an alcohol intoxication, a hangover may follow the next day. Aching limbs are not uncommon and can be accompanied by heavy legs.

In alcoholics, alcohol-induced polyneuropathy can develop, damage to the nerve endings.Initially, a feeling of heaviness in the legs may occur, possibly in combination with tingling and numbness, up to paralysis in severe cases. Which could also be of interest to you: Consequences of alcohol smoking is a major risk factor for arteriosclerosis and peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD). Both obstruct the blood flow and cause a lack of oxygen in the tissue.

One speaks of the smoker’s leg – a feeling of heaviness in the legs, which is caused by the lack of blood circulation in pAVK, caused by smoking. At first, the affected persons suffer from a feeling of heaviness, then from pain during exertion, and at some point the leg even hurts at rest until it eventually dies off due to ulcers and inflammation. If one suffers from PADK and gives up smoking, the prognosis improves significantly.

Pain in the limbs is a common symptom of a cold (flu-like infection). The arms and legs often hurt two to three days after the onset of the cold, and sufferers often describe the feeling of “heavy bones” or “heavy legs”. Here the cause of the heavy legs is positive, it means that the body is fighting against the pathogens and forms messenger substances such as prostaglandins.

These increase the sensitivity to pain in order to report the pain to the nervous system and to fight it. What you might also be interested in this respect: Most Germans develop symptoms of flu varicose veins (varices) in the course of their lives. In most cases, these are harmless changes in the veins.

Varicose veins are tortuous, sometimes dilated to a nodular shape and sometimes cause discomfort. The cause of varicose veins can be a weakness of the connective tissue, which is congenital or develops over time. In most cases, however, varicose veins develop from unexplained causes (idiopathic).

In addition to the cosmetically unpopular varicose veins, frequent accompanying symptoms are a feeling of heaviness in the legs, swollen ankles, itching and a feeling of pressure over the varices as well as night-time calf cramps. The symptoms often worsen when sitting or standing for long periods, in the evening and before menstruation in women. What could also interest you: Removing varicose veinsSo-called neuropathic complaints are considered to be a dreaded complication of some chemotherapy drugs in cancer patients.

Certain drugs can cause numbness, tingling and a feeling of heaviness in the arms and legs. Pronounced nerve damage can even cause pain in the legs. To relieve the symptoms of such neuropathy by chemotherapy, you should talk to your treating physician.

What could also interest you: Side effects of chemotherapyPerceived through physical exertion (sport) can lead to hyperacidity of the body, especially if protein-rich foods are eaten and carbonated mineral water is drunk. Signs of acidosis are weak, heavy legs that may even burn, muscle and joint problems and tiredness. If the legs become heavy when climbing stairs, this should be urgently clarified by a doctor.

There are numerous different causes/diseases that can be behind it: the cardiovascular system, the nerves, the veins or the immune system. A stress-related pain in the legs can be an indication of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD). If, in addition to the feeling of heaviness in the legs, there is swelling of the ankles, tingling or itching, the cause may also be venous or be caused by, for example, trapped nerves.

A stress-related pain in the legs should always be clarified by a doctor and treated if necessary. During stress (sports), the muscles need sufficient oxygen to gain energy. In the case of unusual or heavy strain, a lack of oxygen can occur in the muscle.

Then the muscle works anaerobically, i.e. without oxygen. Lactic acid is a by-product of this form of energy production. During intensive training, a lot of lactic acid can accumulate and cause pain in the legs during the workout, for example when running, and cause a drop in performance. The lactic acid can also remain in the tissue for some time after training and cause a feeling of heaviness in the legs. After training, gentle exercise helps to reduce the acid and regeneration times for the muscles should be observed.