Causes of Numbness in the Legs and Feet

Causes of leg and foot numbness include:

1. Nerve compression: Poor posture for prolonged periods, such as sitting for long durations without movement or maintaining the same posture for extended periods, may compress the nerves in the lower limbs, leading to numbness in the legs and feet. Additionally, lumbar spine conditions such as lumbar disc herniation and lumbar spinal stenosis may compress nerves, causing leg and foot numbness.

2. Nerve disorders: Neurological conditions such as peripheral neuropathy and nerve root lesions also can cause leg and foot numbness. These conditions may be caused by various factors including infections, nutritional deficiencies, and metabolic disorders, and may present as sensory abnormalities and motor dysfunction in the distal portions of the affected limbs.

3. Circulatory impairment: Poor blood circulation can also lead to numbness in the legs and feet. For example, vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and deep vein thrombosis can impair blood supply to the lower limbs, causing local hypoxia and insufficient supply of nutrients, thus triggering numbness.

4. Diabetic neuropathy: Patients with diabetes often experience numbness and tingling in the legs and feet due to high blood sugar damaging the peripheral nerves, especially those in the lower limbs. This type of nerve damage is known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

5. Vitamin deficiency: Particularly a deficiency in vitamin B12 can affect nerve function and lead to numbness in the legs and feet. Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient for maintaining nervous system health; its deficiency can impair the synthesis of nerve myelin sheaths, thus affecting nerve conduction.