KŌMØ LIBRARY

MUSCLE · MOBILITY · 7 MIN

Why do my legs feel weaker?

Leg strength is not only about muscle mass. Neural activation, muscle quality, activity and contraction speed also influence functional capacity.

Three things to know
01EWGSOP2 places low muscle strength at the centre of sarcopenia screening.
02Muscle quantity and force production are related but not equivalent.
03Progressive resistance training can improve lower-limb strength in many older adults.

Strength is neuromuscular

Producing force requires muscle tissue, but also effective neural activation and motor-unit coordination.

Weakness is not automatically sarcopenia

Sarcopenia has a specific diagnostic framework. Subjective weakness can have many explanations and must be interpreted in context.

Measure and train function

Direct strength tests and functional tasks such as chair rise provide complementary information, and resistance training has a strong evidence base.

Established evidenceFactual statements are grounded in the publications listed below.
KŌMØ perspectiveKŌMØ favours a multidimensional, longitudinal reading of mobility.
LimitsThis page is educational and does not replace medical assessment when a change is recent, marked or accompanied by other symptoms.
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