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Why do people unintentionally shake their legs?
May 19, 2013

Dr. Salim Saab Otolaryngology (ENT)
Most of the cases of unintentional leg shaking are due to stress though sometimes it could be an essential tremor or multiple sclerosis as well as a neurological disorder, or even due to lack of sleep, drugs (such as cocaine, amphetamines, caffeine..) and deficiency of magnesium and vitamins.
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Dr. Rania Mousa General Medicine
if you mean the shaking of legs that usually people do when nervous or stressed or arguing or waiting somebody or any other emotional feeling causing them to shake their legs but hold them when somebody alert them or then this is called a physiologic tremor, A tremor is simply defined as the unintentional shaking of any part of the body due to involuntary muscular contractions. People have them everyday, but they're typically too minor to be noticed. These tremors can be exacerbated by
-frequent alcohol and drug use
-excessive stress
-sleep deprivation
-the physiological fallout of feeling extreme fear. These are what are known as physiologic tremors.
The peripheral nervous system in the spinal cord is divided into the somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
The autonomic nervous system is subdivided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
The sympathetic nervous system's job is to stimulate involuntary bodily functions, as with a fight-or-flight reflex.
The parasympathetic nervous system's job is to counter these impulses, to allow the body to rest-and-digest. Normally they cancel out one another, but if the body becomes stressed or overtaxed, one can overcome the other. PHYSIOLOGIC TREMORS ARE EVIDENCE OF THE SYMPATHATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM GAINING GROUND OVER THE PARASYMPATHATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM.
but as DR Salim said there are other serious causes for shaking legs where other symptoms are accompanied if for example the shaking is worse at night ,at rest cant stop the urge to shake the legs ,tingling or any other sensation accompanied with the shake ,or other symptoms in other parts of body .... then a person must consult the dr to make the necessary investigations for serious causes such as restless legs syndrome RLS or multiple sclerosis MS or any other neorologic disorder ,or lack of vitamins ... where neorologic physical exam and tests must be done
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