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Legs Feel Heavy When Walking? How to Improve Leg Endurance

Why Do My Legs Feel Heavy When Walking?

If your legs feel heavy when walking, it can be frustrating and concerning.

There are several reasons this might happen, ranging from serious health issues to more manageable muscle fatigue.

Watch the video to learn common causes of leg fatigue when walking plus a simple exercise to help improve leg endurance.

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Vascular Problems

One of the most serious reasons your legs may feel heavy when walking is related to circulation, specifically issues with your heart and blood vessels. If your heart isn't able to pump blood efficiently, it can lead to blood pooling in your legs, causing heaviness and fatigue.

Another common vascular issue is peripheral artery disease (PAD), where blood flow to the legs is reduced due to blockages or stiff blood vessels. Your legs need oxygen to convert glucose into energy, and if they aren’t receiving enough oxygen, they can feel tired, heavy, or even burn.

Finally, problems with the veins, such as venous insufficiency, can also cause heavy legs.

Normally, your veins have one-way valves that help move blood back to the heart. When these valves don't work properly, blood pools in the legs, leading to swelling and heaviness.

Additionally, it's important to rule out a blood clot in your legs know as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Fortunately, deep vein thrombosis can reliably be ruled out using this calculator based on the Wells Criteria for DVT.  If your score is 0 or lower, you have a very low risk of DVT.

Nerve Problems

Nerve issues are another common cause of leg heaviness. Conditions like diabetic neuropathy, which results from high blood sugar levels damaging nerves, can make your legs feel weak and fatigued.

Spinal stenosis is another common culprit. This condition occurs when the spaces in the spine narrow, often pinching the nerves that control the muscles in your legs.

People with spinal stenosis often feel the need to lean over a grocery cart while walking or notice that their posture worsens the longer they walk.

If the nerves in the lower back, such as the L5, S1, and S2 nerves, are pinched, the muscles that help push you forward, like the glutes and calves, lose strength, making it harder to walk.

Muscle Deconditioning

Sometimes, heavy legs are simply the result of muscle deconditioning. This happens when the muscles weaken from lack of use, often due to a sedentary lifestyle. When muscles become deconditioned, they are less efficient at producing energy, and fatigue sets in more quickly.

Calf Endurance Exercise

To help improve your leg endurance and reduce the sensation of heavy legs when walking, try this simple calf endurance exercise:

  1. Stand in a slight squat position, leaning forward on a surface like a desk or bed.
  2. Bend your knees to take tension off the larger, outer calf muscle (gastrocnemius) and focus on the deeper, endurance muscle (soleus).
  3. From this position, rise up onto your toes and then lower back down. Repeat this motion as many times as possible.
  4. Shoot for at least 100 repetitions, but take breaks if needed. This helps build endurance in the soleus muscle, which is critical for walking at a slow or normal pace.
  5. Once you fatigue, straighten your knees and continue with straight-legged calf raises to engage the gastrocnemius for extra endurance training.

Try this soleus muscle endurance exercise if your legs feel heavy when walking.

Aerobic Exercise Tips for Circulation

In addition to calf endurance exercises, incorporating aerobic exercises into your routine can greatly improve circulation and reduce leg fatigue. Walking is an excellent aerobic exercise, but if it's difficult due to fatigue, consider alternatives like:

These options allow you to build endurance and improve circulation without placing too much strain on your legs.

Note that if your legs feel heavy than walking, it's a good idea to consult with your doctor to rule out serious cardiovascular issues.

Need Help Tired & Heavy Legs When Walking?

If you need help for pain in your legs when walking, we'd be happy to help you here at More 4 Life.  Just tap the button below to request an appointment.

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