Jelly Legs The Overexertion Phenomenon

Pushing Yourself To The Limit

Have you ever been in the middle of a ‘long’ run and suddenly your legs become wobbly and feel as though they may buckle underneath you? Or maybe you have seen footage of athletes such as David Wyeth in the 2017 London Marathon struggling to make it over the line as his legs seemingly gave up and began to collapse beneath him. Another well-known example of this is when Great Britain triathlete Alastair Brownlee helped his brother Jonny over the finish line in the World Series Finale in Mexico in 2016 when he appeared to have lost control of his legs. Footage of this race shows his legs looking ‘rubbery’ and unstable in a typical example of jelly legs.

What Are Jelly Legs?

Jelly legs refers to the feeling of weakness, heaviness and instability that occurs in the legs after an intense period of endurance activity. At this point during exercise, an athletes’ energy is usually depleted after a period of maximum effort. And there is almost no more energy physically left to give. While the body is trying to stop and rest, mental strength may still exist, and an athlete may push themselves to continue. With this level of overexertion legs may become wobbly. And unless an athlete decreases their effort at this point, their legs may completely collapse.

What can I do to stop Jelly Legs?

• Maintain carbohydrate levels throughout exercise

During a period of high-intensity or endurance exercise, carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source. Consuming carbohydrates helps to maintain blood glucose levels and muscle glycogen stores. If we deplete these energy sources then our body begins to use fat as a fuel, which is a much less efficient and more complex process. At this stage our bodies can only cope with much slower, less intense exercise. Keeping carbohydrates topped up will prevent muscles from becoming fatigued and prevent limbs from feeling unstable. During endurance exercise athletes often consume carbohydrates in the form of gels and energy bars.

• Keep hydrated

If hydration levels are low during periods of exercise, this can lead to lower blood volume. Meaning that the heart must work harder and the whole body subsequently fatigues more quickly. Poor hydration as well as an imbalance of electrolytes can also lead to muscle cramping during exercise.

• Pace yourself

One of the main causes of jelly legs is overexertion. If we push ourselves harder than we are conditioned for. And have not managed our nutrient intake and hydration levels well during exercise, we will become overexerted easily. Overexertion will lead to the weak feeling and lack of control of the muscles in our body.

Listen to your Body

Jelly legs is a sign that our bodies have been pushed to the limit. We must listen to our bodies when they give us these signs. Whether that means decreasing our energy output, better preparation for intense competitions or races. Or adapting our nutrient intake and hydration levels to suit the environment, weather, and type of activity that we are taking part in.