Muscle Weakness in Arms: Solutions and Prevention

Updated: Jun 18, 2020

Arm muscle weakness is a fairly common complaint, but it can be treated or even avoided.

Weak arm muscles commonly affect women of all ages, and can be a result of a range of different factors. There are a number of steps that can be taken to regain strength to prevent this condition. Awareness of these techniques is worthwhile for ensuring the weak feeling in your arms is unlimited if not avoided altogether. Below are some of the methods that women have found to be successful.

How to Prevent Arm Muscle Weakness

Awareness of the fact that arm muscle weakness can present itself unexpectedly is helpful itself as it encourages you to start considering ways to avoid the condition. To enhance your chances of maintaining well-functioning arm muscles, you should:

  • Practice good form. Sometimes arm muscle weakness occurs as a consequence of muscle damage, which can be caused by their being persistently used incorrectly. For example, it is important to lift heavy items correctly to avoid straining muscles - particularly in your shoulders.
  • Regular muscle-building exercise. To help sustain arm muscle strength, it is advisable to carry out moderate weight training as part of your regular exercise routine. If you slowly work up to higher weights, this should ensure that you gradually build up strength rather than strain and damage your muscle, which can cause weakness.

How to Treat Arm Muscle Weakness

If you have not been fortunate enough to avoid muscle weakness in your arms, there are some actions you can take to improve, or at least manage your situation. The following suggestions can be largely beneficial:

  • Adequate rest. After undergoing strenuous activity it is important to allow your muscles to recover properly. If you have carried out exercise that centers around the use of your arms, you should properly stretch them afterwards, and then avoid further use until they no longer feel weak.
  • Regular stretching. Many women underestimate the value of stretching their muscles. When you stretch you enhance the blood flow to the muscles, which can be beneficial for their rapid repair and overall performance.
  • Physical therapy. If your arm muscle weakness is persistent, you might benefit from regular physical therapy. Your therapist will work with you to develop specific exercises and stretching techniques to help you manage your loss of strength.

While living with arm weakness can be frustrating, there are actions you can take to alleviate the problem and regain or improve the strength you have. By learning about such techniques and practicing them regularly, you can reduce the chances of developing muscle weakness in your arms at all.