Beta blockers used to be first line for Blood pressure. And that population is huge. Over time it was shown that patients',
low blood sugars (a warning sign of pre-diabetes or reactions to diabetic meds,) were masked by the beta blockers. Masking lows, is dangerous for diabetics and pre-diabetics as they cannot feel the changes lows bring. I don't think beta blockers CAUSE diabetes commonly, but they certainly cloud this issue quite a bit. There will always be some people, taking them who already have insulin resistance and/or prediabetes, and they would show up in studies.

Also beta blockers cause broncospasms (a breathing emergency), and raise lipids. They also cause reduced cardiac output, so aerobic exercise is blunted and affected. People really complain about this effect quite a bit. Difficult to even climb stairs for some!
So they were replaced in BP management by ACE inhibitors. But some people still take them.

Beta Blockers do have a risk for myopathy...
but it is not common:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2070426

I think the most likely scenario is the cold hands, cold feet that beta blockers can cause. Changes in circulation from anything can impact nerves in the distal periphery in a bad way.

This list is mostly for known direct acting toxic type drugs.
But atenolol (and other beta blocking drugs) have the potential for being a secondary trigger I guess, depending on the person and other medical factors present.