Life
You’re not alone if you’ve experienced the pain of a muscle cramp. An involuntary contraction of muscle fibers, cramping typically comes about suddenly, and the severity can be enough stop you in your tracks.
The most common type of skeletal muscle cramping involves part or all of a single muscle or group of muscles that act together. A cramp can last from a few seconds to a few minutes and can affect any area, but usually it occurs in the legs or feet, most commonly in the calf muscles. The exact cause of muscle cramping is not completely understood, but hyperexcitability of the nerves that stimulate the muscles is a factor.
Other likely contributors
Repetitive motion, exercising when muscles aren't fully recovered from a previous exercise session or jumping full speed into an exercise routine after a long layoff increases risk of cramping. With overtraining, cramps may come about during the activity or may not appear until hours afterward.
Stretch! Tight muscles are more likely to cramp than those with normal range of motion. To help improve flexibility, stretching is your best bet. Before stretching, make a point to do a brief warm-up to speed up circulation. If you are already experiencing a cramp, immediately gently stretch and massage the area. To stop a calf cramp for example, you can massage the muscle with one hand while using the other hand to gently pull the foot toward the shin (try to keep the leg straight), or just point the toes upward and use both hands to hold and massage the muscle. If you are able, walking with full weight on the heels will help to bring toes upward.
Lack of hydration is another cause of muscle cramping. Sip water throughout the day, especially prior to, during and after workouts. Exercise sessions that are intense, of long duration or performed when heat and/or humidity are high, cause you to naturally perspire more. The more you sweat, the greater the loss of depletion of electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Under these conditions, consuming a sports drink designed specifically for replenishing electrolytes can lessen risk of cramping. Vitamin deficiencies also may directly or indirectly lead to muscle cramps. These include deficiencies of thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5) and pyridoxine (B6).
Lifestyle habits, body structure, movement patterns and type of footwear can contribute to cramping. Examples include strength imbalances (one limb works harder than the other), misaligned spinal column or having one leg longer than the other, excess rolling in or rolling out of the feet and wearing high heels. Poor circulation to leg muscles, sitting or lying down for extended lengths of time and conditions that cause body fluid shifts can also cause cramping.
Persistent muscle spasms or cramps can occur as a protective mechanism following an injury. Here, the spasm/cramp actually helps minimize movement and therefore better stabilizes the area that has been hurt.
And then at night ...
Nocturnal cramps are very common and can be especially frustrating because along with disrupting sleep, they can recur many times a night, or many nights each week. Night cramps tend to occur more frequently with age, and often come about when a sudden movement is made that shortens the muscle, such as inadvertently pointing the toe downward while lying in bed, shortening the calf muscle. Most commonly affected areas are muscles of the lower body, including the feet, thighs or calves. Most night cramps are not considered serious, however, where underlying conditions like diabetes or peripheral artery disease are present, should be evaluated.
Dystonic cramps occur where muscles that are not needed for the intended movement are stimulated to contract. Affected muscles are those that ordinarily work in the opposite direction of the intended movement, or that exaggerate the movement. Dystonic cramps typically affect small muscles of the jaw, neck or the hands and arms during repetitive use, such as writing (writer’s cramp), playing musical instruments, etc. Stretching and taking appropriate rest breaks usually alleviates this type of cramping.
Cramps that occur frequently, respond poorly to simple treatments or aren’t linked to an obvious cause should be reported to your doctor.
About the Author