While working on your legs, you might notice that your arms are going numb. Especially when you’re working on doing squats. 

This can be worrying for anyone who is completely clueless about what’s happening.

Why do arms go numb when squatting?

Arms can go numb during squats due to high blood pressure. It can also be a sign that your body is dehydrated, resulting in numbness. Squatting is a high intensity workout. So if you’re not accustomed to the intensity, your arms are 

bound to get numb.

Interested to learn more? Well, we got just the guide for you! Take a few minutes of your time and see what we got to offer. You’ll end up learning a lot about this topic.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s jump right into it!

Why Do Arms Go Numb When Squatting?

Arm muscles can go Numb and fall asleep for various reasons while squatting. The first and foremost reason can be that you have a problem with your loss of cervical  spine. 

Secondly, you might have problems with the upper thoracic spine and first ribs. A good idea should be on avoiding squatting for the time being. This is to advocate the problems deeply. 

The junction between thoracic cavity and upper extremity contains brachial plexus. Holding a barbell for a squat for a long time can cause muscle pull in the back and shoulder.

Again numbness can be caused from disc problems in the cervical spine or in the elbow. Bending the elbow for a long time with two holder squats can cause problems in the disc in the cervical spine which results in arm muscle numbness.

Now let’s talk about a few reasons behind muscle numbness which is not related to the exercise but something happened before the exercise.

 Mild numbness can be caused by sleeping in the wrong position, medical condition,  heart problem,  symptom of stroke or nerve damage.

Other major causes which might result in muscle numbness are discussed below: 

Reason 1: Dehydration and Numbness

Lack of water in the body results in nausea, constipation and feeling  sick. Major dehydration causes tingling and numbness in the fingers or toes. You even might feel a particular part of your body falling asleep.

It also  causes weakness in certain muscles and severe muscle cramps. These cramps can also be caused by electrolyte imbalances.  The reason behind this phenomenon is when there is lack of water in your body the blood flow is reduced to the muscle. 

So when you are exercising you might feel cramps in your muscles. You might wake up in the middle of the night with a cramp in your calf muscles.

Moreover  dehydration increases the chances of muscle injury,  slows the rate of healing and can cause joint pain.  In our body there are discs between the vertebrae in the spine. 

These  discs  are being hydrated to prevent the tendons ligaments and muscles from becoming  tight and fragile.

Lastly, dehydration affects muscle performance. Thermal regulation is very important in the body which is regulated by water movement across the cell membranes. This numbness created in the muscle is the symptom for or other diseases.

Reason 2: Numbness due to inflexibility

Another reason behind arm numbness while squatting is inflexibility. If you are not flexible enough your shoulder and thoracic spine may go after a few squats. You have probably negotiated between two types of squats once too often. 

 To prevent this, a few light exercises before extreme exercise can be done. For example, a few overhead squats with light weight and body stretching can be helpful.

Position of the bar may also be a reason behind your muscle numbness. Though  this reason is questionable,  you may reposition the bar and see the changes.

A lot of people complain that they have difficulty with elbow and shoulder pain while squatting. This mainly happens due to inflexibility. You might need to stretch your muscle tissue before starting the squats.

Try to stretch your body twice a day. If the situation demands, take advice from your couch.

Reason 3: Numbness due to over head squats

It takes months to get accustomed to the intensity of any workout.  To do any type of lifts, overhead squats, you can not rush to the exercise. Even if you are working out for a long time, still you might need time to get your body accustomed to the new form of exercise.

Overhead squats take a high range of motion and core strength to perform.  it’s better to take help from your quotes before starting overhead squats to get to know the proper form.

After a good warm up and strength workout, you still might have a pinch nerve. Your right forearm and hand can get numb.  you need to check it out immediately. Try to massage the numb area for 30 to 60 minutes.

Reason 4 : Numbness due to High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can cause numbness in the neck, shoulder and  left arm. Drastic change in blood pressure makes the patient feel dizzy.  It may cause vomiting tendencies. Along with these symptoms numbness of different body parts is observed.

 Different medicines of blood pressure may also cause temporary numbness. But there is nothing to worry about such cases. After a while you get back your senses and can perform your daily work.

It’s better to sit down or  lie down when you start to lose senses in your arm and feel dizzy in the head. It takes a few minutes for the recovery. 

There are many treatments which come with the post effect of muscle numbness. Chemotherapy is one of them. Consult your physician in case of any inconvenience. 

Tingling Sensation in the arms

While squatting muscle numbness is not always accompanied by immobility or lack of strength, sometimes it might be just numbness. After finishing your sets, or in the middle of it , you might feel your arm , especially your left arm getting numb. 

There might not be any pain but the number stretches from your shoulder to the thumb. You might have a slight tingling feeling in the neck and arm. This condition may happen due to low bar position or muscle inflexibility. 

At first , pain in the left shoulder which stretches throughout the workout. This pain can later develop into numbness.

Professionals say that after 20 reps squats, the hand usually starts to get numb by the end. There can also be lingering feelings in the lower cervical tissues. Stretching and warm up can prevent this condition.

Ways to Prevent Numb Arms

Muscle numbness is a great obstacle  to your workout. It can be a great pain in your daily work too.  To prevent these from happening to you there are few steps that can be followed. the steps mentioned below:

• At first consult with your coach and decide upon  proper technique in accordance to your body structure, stamina and capacity.
• Practicing mobility is a must.  you must make your shoulder and  HIB flexible enough to allow you to perform proper squats.
• Have patience and pay attention in the warm up session. Don’t rush to exercise and take much time to warm up.
• If you unfortunately get a numbed  arm, visit a physical therapist and  have a soft tissue treatment.

FAQs

Why do my arms go numb while raising?

Sometimes it may happen that the thoracic outlet is compressed blocking an important blood vessel. As a result discomfort, pain or numbness  is created.  There can be a tingling sensation also. When you raise your hand up above your head , there can be a pinched nerve in the thoracic outlet.  This makes your arm go numb.

Can  my hand go numb due to high blood pressure?

Yes, your hand can go numb due to high blood pressure.  Sudden change in blood pressure makes neck ,shoulder, left arm go numb. And when that happens, you’ll face no tension in those muscles.

What should I do if my hand goes numb?

You should message the area of  numbed muscle to ease blood flow. If it  stays for a long time,  then it can be a symptom of a serious disease. In such cases it’s better to consult a doctor. 

Is arm numbness the sign of stroke?

Not necessarily.  Arm numbness is not always the sign of stroke.When the blood vessels in the brain get blocked by blood clotting, then oxygen cannot reach your brain. This situation is called brain hemorrhage or stroke.  Stroke results in numbness in several parts of the body.  

Conclusion

Now you know why do arms go numb when squatting.

Try to stay hydrated always to avoid such physical distress. Consuming enough glucose will also help you in such situations!

That’s all. Take care. Bye!