Brief periods of muscle weakness are common, especially after a strenuous workout. This type of muscle weakness usually only means that you have overexerted yourself. It is not a cause for concern as long as you are able to move all parts of your body and complete your normal daily activities, even if you have to work a little harder to get things done.

True muscle weakness means that your ability to move your muscles is decreased regardless of how hard you try to move them. True muscle weakness that occurs in one area of your body along with a loss of function, even for a few minutes, may be caused by decreased blood flow to the brain.

• A transient ischemic attack (TIA) causes a brief and temporary loss of function, including loss of muscle movement.
• A stroke may result in a progressive and permanent loss of function.

Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if symptoms of a stroke are present.