Muscle Cramps – OrthoInfo – AAOS

A muscle cramp is an involuntary contraction of a muscle that occurs suddenly and does not relax. If you have ever experienced a charley horse, you probably still remember the sudden, tight, and intense pain caused by a muscle locked in spasm.

Cramps can affect any muscle under your voluntary control (skeletal muscle). They can involve part or all of a muscle, or several muscles in a group.

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The most commonly affected muscle groups are:

• Back of the lower leg/calf (gastrocnemius)
• Back of the thigh (hamstrings)
• Front of the thigh (quadriceps)

Cramps in the feet, hands, arms, abdomen, and along the rib cage are also very common.

Although the exact cause of muscle cramps is unknown (idiopathic), some researchers believe inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue lead to abnormalities in the mechanisms (bodily processes) that control muscle contraction.

Other factors may also be involved, including:

• Poor conditioning
• Exercising or working in intense heat
• Dehydration
• Depletion of salt and minerals (electrolytes)

Inadequate Stretching and Muscle Fatigue

Muscles are bundles of fibers that contract and expand to produce movement. A regular program of stretching lengthens muscle fibers so they can contract and tighten more vigorously when you exercise.

When your body is poorly conditioned, you are more likely to experience muscle fatigue, which can alter spinal neural reflex activity. Overexertion depletes a muscle’s oxygen supply, leading to build-up of waste product and spasm. When a cramp begins, the spinal cord stimulates the muscle to keep contracting.

Heat, Dehydration, and Electrolyte Depletion

Muscle cramps are more likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your body’s fluids, salt, and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium, and calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm.

Risk Factors

Some people are predisposed to muscle cramps and get them regularly with any physical exertion.

Those at greatest risk for cramps and other ailments related to excess heat include infants and young children, and people over age 65. Other factors that put people at greater risk for muscle cramp include:

• Being ill or overweight
• Overexerting during work or exercise
• Taking certain medications, such as pseudoephedrine (a decongestant) diuretics, and statins (used to treat high cholesterol)

Muscle cramps are very common among endurance athletes, such as marathon runners and triathletes, and older people who perform strenuous physical activities.

• Athletes are more likely to get cramps in the preseason when the body is not conditioned and therefore more subject to fatigue. Cramps often develop near the end of intense or prolonged exercise, or 4 to 6 hours later.
• Older people are more susceptible to muscle cramps due to normal muscle loss (atrophy) that begins in the mid-40s and accelerates with inactivity. As you age, your muscles cannot work as hard or as quickly as they used to. The body also loses some of its sense of thirst and its ability to sense and respond to changes in temperature.

• Muscle cramps range in intensity from a slight tic (twitching) to agonizing pain.
• A cramping muscle may feel hard to the touch and/or appear visibly distorted or twitch beneath the skin.
• A cramp can last a few seconds to 15 minutes or longer. It might recur multiple times before it goes away.

Cramps usually go away on their own without seeing a doctor.

• Stop doing whatever activity triggered the cramp.
• Gently stretch and massage the cramping muscle, holding it in a stretched position until the cramp stops.
• Apply heat to tense/tight muscles, or cold to sore/tender muscles.
• Hydrate and replenish electrolytes as needed. Low-sugar sports drinks, lowfat cow’s milk, or electrolyte-rich foods like yogurt, bananas, lentils, and spinach can help replace lost electrolytes.

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To avoid future cramps, work toward better overall fitness. Do regular flexibility exercises before and after you work out to stretch muscle groups most prone to cramping.

Warm Up

Always warm up before stretching. Good examples of warm-up activities are slowly running in place or walking briskly for a few minutes.

Calf Muscle Stretch

• Lean forward against a wall with one leg in front of the other.
• Straighten your back leg and press your heel into the floor. Your front knee is bent.
• Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

Do: Keep both heels flat on the floor. Point the toes of your back foot toward the heel of your front foot.

Calf muscle stretch. You should feel this stretch in your calf and down toward your heel.

Hamstring Muscle Stretch

• Sit up tall with both legs extended straight in front of you. Your feet are neutral — not pointed or flexed.
• Place your palms on the floor and slide your hands toward your ankles.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

Do: Keep your chest open and back long. Reach from your hips. Stop sliding your palms forward when you feel the stretch.

Do not: Round your back or try to bring your nose to your knees. Do not lock your knees.

Hamstring muscle stretch. You should feel this stretch at the back of your thighs and behind your knees.

Quadriceps Muscle Stretch

• Hold onto a wall or the back of a chair for balance.
• Lift one foot and bring your heel up toward your buttocks.
• Grasp your ankle with your hand and pull your heel closer to your body.
• Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then release.

Do: Keep your knees close together. Stop bringing your heel closer when you feel the stretch. Never stretch to the point of pain.

Do not: Arch or twist your back.

Quadriceps muscle stretch. You should feel this stretch in the front of your thigh.

Although the vast majority of muscle cramps are harmless, muscle cramps can sometimes be a sign of a more serious health condition, such as:

• Spinal nerve irritation or compression (radiculopathy)
• Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
• Narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis)
• Thyroid disease
• Chronic infection
• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS), though this disease is rare)

See your doctor if your cramps:

• Are severe
• Happen frequently
• Respond poorly to the simple treatments mentioned above
• Are not related to obvious causes like strenuous exercise or dehydration

These issues could mean that you have problems with circulation, nerves, metabolism, hormones, medications, or nutrition.

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Leg Cramps: What Causes Them and What to Do About Them

A leg cramp, also called a charley horse, is a sudden pain in a leg muscle. Leg cramps often develop when a muscle becomes strained during activity or when a person is dehydrated. Less common causes include injury or an underlying condition. Fortunately, there are many things that you can do at home to help treat and prevent most cases of muscle cramps.

Leg cramps develop when there is a problem with one or more muscles in your leg. Muscles that are most often affected include the hamstrings (back of the upper leg), quadriceps or quads (front of the upper leg), or calf (back of the lower leg).

Muscles are made up of many small fibers. Nerves control groups of fibers, connecting muscles to the brain. When you “tell” a muscle to move, the muscle fibers contract — they become tighter, leading to movement.

Leg cramps occur when one of the muscles in the legs contracts suddenly, without you controlling it. Usually, you are able to relax a muscle after moving it, but during a cramp, the muscle stays tightened, and you can’t tell it to relax. Muscle cramps usually lead to pain. A cramp may go away after a couple of seconds, or it may linger for several minutes. In addition to your legs, muscle cramps also commonly appear in the arms, hands, feet, side of your chest, or abdomen.

What Causes Leg Cramps?

Many things can lead to cramping muscles. They may develop as a result of exercise or hydration habits, appear as a symptom of an underlying injury or condition, or occur as side effects of certain treatments.

Physical Activity and Leg Cramps

Most often, your leg is cramping because you overused a muscle. You may have strained or pulled one of your leg muscles while exercising or performing physical activity.

Cramping may be a sign that your body can’t keep up with the amount of physical activity you are trying to do. You may need to start using a less intense exercise routine, or taking more frequent breaks during bouts of physical activity.

How Water Affects Muscle Cramping

Dehydration is a very common cause of leg cramps. Dehydration develops when a person doesn’t drink enough water to replace all of the fluids that they lose.

Illness that leads to diarrhea or vomiting can lead to dehydration. The same is true for diseases that cause people to sweat or urinate too much, including kidney disease and diabetes. Both young children and older adults also have a higher risk of dehydration.

Getting a lot of physical activity or spending time in hot temperatures can easily lead to dehydration if a person isn’t drinking enough water. When people sweat a lot, and don’t replace the fluid they lose, they may end up with heat cramps.

Leg Cramps and Electrolyte Imbalances

Even if you’re drinking a lot of water, you may still experience cramping if you don’t get enough electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals such as sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Electrolytes are found throughout your body, including in your muscles. They help control how much water enters and leaves different tissues. Electrolytes also help cells absorb nutrients and get rid of waste.

When the body’s fluid balance is thrown off, the levels of electrolytes can become abnormal as well. Dehydration can lead to low electrolyte levels in the muscles, which then make the muscles begin to hurt.

Leg Cramps as a Symptom of Other Conditions

Menstruation sometimes causes leg cramps. During a menstrual period, the muscles of the uterus contract in order to get rid of the uterine lining. This often leads to pain in the abdomen during a period. In some cases, pain can be felt in other parts of the body, such as the back or the legs. Pain during periods is normal for some people, but can also be a sign of a health condition. About half of women with endometriosis experience leg pain during periods.

Muscle cramps can also be a pregnancy symptom. Many pregnant women report cramps in their legs or feet, especially towards the end of the pregnancy. Leg cramps most often appear at night.

Sometimes, leg cramps may actually be a sign of injury in your back or neck. If you have a problem with your neck or spine, such as an injury or pinched nerve, the nerves that connect the brain to the legs may be affected. As a result, the nerve may make the muscle contract when it shouldn’t.

Several other disorders can cause muscle cramping. These include:

• Thyroid problems: The thyroid gland helps control many different processes within the body. About four out of five people with an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) have pain or weakness in the muscles.
• Nerve disorders: When there are problems with the nerves that control the muscles, a person may experience muscle cramps, pain, or twitching.
• Kidney disorders: More than one out of three people with kidney disease have ongoing muscle pain.
• Alcoholism: The more a person drinks alcohol, the more likely they are to have leg cramps, especially at night. Additionally, people with liver damage often have leg cramps.
• Diabetes: This disorder occurs when the body can’t properly regulate blood sugar levels. This can cause nerve damage, which may lead to leg cramps.
• Fibromyalgia: People with this disorder often experience muscle pain and stiffness in addition to tiredness, mood changes, memory problems, and insomnia.

Muscle cramps that happen often, don’t go away, or don’t have a clear cause may be a sign of these or other disorders. If your legs cramp frequently or happen along with other health changes, talk to your doctor.

Leg Cramps as a Treatment Side Effect

Certain drugs can cause leg cramps. These include certain diuretics (water pills), asthma medications, cholesterol medications, the high blood pressure medication nifedipine, and others. If you have recently changed which medications you take, or changed a medication dose, ask your doctor whether leg cramps are a possible side effect.

People with kidney failure often need to undergo dialysis treatments. During dialysis, waste and extra fluid is filtered out of the blood. Between 25 and 50% of people receiving dialysis have leg cramps.

Treating Leg Cramps

The most common causes of leg cramps can be treated at home. They usually don’t signal any major problem. However, in some cases, you may need medical care. Talk to your doctor if these strategies are ineffective at preventing or relieving your leg cramps.

Basic Home Care for Muscle Cramps

Cramping develops when a muscle contracts but doesn’t relax. One of the first things to try when you notice a leg cramp is to stretch the muscle. This may help loosen it. Don’t try to stretch too far or too fast, or you may risk injuring the muscle. Stretching before physical activity may also help prevent a leg cramp from forming. Additionally, some people tend to get leg cramps at night. If this is the case for you, stretch before going to bed. Massaging the muscle during or after stretching may also help.

To stretch your legs, try the following after consulting your physician to ensure they are appropriate for you. Hold each stretch for about 15 seconds:

• Hamstring stretch: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend forward and try to touch your toes, although it’s okay if you can’t reach them. Don’t lock your knees — bend them slightly. You should feel a light pulling in the backs of your thighs.
• Quadriceps or thigh stretch: Hold on to a wall, chair, or other sturdy object for balance. Stand on your left leg, bending your right knee. Reach down with your right hand to grab your right foot. Pull gently, stretching your foot straight up towards your back. You should feel this stretch in the front part of your thigh. Make sure to stretch both legs.
• Inner thigh stretch: Stand with your legs a couple of feet apart. Bend your left knee and shift your hips to the left. You should feel a slight pulling in your right inner thigh. Next, stretch the left side by bending your right knee and moving your hips to the right.
• Calf stretch: Stand a couple of feet from a wall, and place both hands on the wall. Bend your left knee, placing your left foot on the ground near the wall. Move your body forward, towards the wall, while keeping your right knee straight and your right toes and heel planted on the ground. You should feel the stretch in the back of your right leg, below the knee. Repeat on the other side.

You can also use temperature to your advantage to help relieve a leg cramp. Putting a heating pad or hot water bottle on the affected area can help loosen a muscle. Once the muscle is relaxed, try numbing pain with an ice pack.

Hydrate Yourself

The amount of water needed each day varies a lot from person to person, depending on things like age, sex, activity levels, climate, and health conditions. However, leg cramps may be a sign you’re not drinking enough. Try carrying around a water bottle with you during the day, or switching out other beverages for water during mealtimes. Children, older adults, and lower-income people are less likely to get enough water.

If you develop leg cramps after working outside or undergoing a lot of physical activity, you may be experiencing heat cramps or heat exhaustion. Start rehydrating yourself and eat a snack. Your cramps should start getting better within an hour. If they don’t, seek medical care. Additionally, get medical treatment if you have signs of heat exhaustion such as heavy sweating, cool skin, dizziness, a fast heartbeat, or confusion.

Get More Electrolytes

If you currently have cramps, it may be better to hydrate with a beverage that contains electrolytes. One study found that drinking water after an intense workout actually increased the chances that a person developed cramps. However, when dehydrated people drank electrolytes after finishing a workout, muscle cramps became less likely.

To prevent future leg cramps due to dehydration, make sure to properly fuel your body and drink enough fluids before being active or spending time in hot temperatures. Sports drinks that contain both carbohydrates and electrolytes can help. In one small study, people who had a sports drink before and during physical activity were able to exercise for more than twice as long before developing leg cramps.

In addition to using sports drinks when you are physically active, you can also try getting more electrolytes through your diet. Try eating more foods that contain these important minerals:

• Potassium: leafy greens like spinach or Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, clams, yogurt, bananas, orange juice, and coconut water
• Calcium: dairy foods such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, as well as leafy green vegetables, tofu, sardines, and salmon
• Magnesium: nuts, seeds, beans, leafy green vegetables, and whole grains

Medication for Leg Cramps

Pain from basic leg cramps can often be relieved with over-the-counter medications. A good option to try is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or high-dose aspirin. In more severe cases cases, doctors may be able to prescribe medication such as muscle relaxers to help with cramped muscles.

NSAIDs may also help when leg cramps are caused by a menstrual period. Additionally, taking an oral contraceptive (birth control pill) can reduce menstruation symptoms including pain.

Other Treatments for Leg Cramps

If leg cramps are caused by an underlying health condition, treating that condition may help this symptom improve. Additionally, if cramping is caused by a medication, you may be able to talk to your doctor about switching to a new treatment plan.

In some cases, leg cramps occur because a health condition or treatment prevents enough blood from getting to the leg muscles. Massage can help stimulate blood flow, causing people to have fewer leg cramps.

When To Get Medical Help

Talk to your doctor if your legs cramp frequently and don’t go away after trying home remedies. You should also talk to a doctor if your cramps lead to severe pain or don’t disappear after a few minutes. Additionally, if leg cramps appear along with other symptoms like weakness, redness, swelling, or warmth, they may be a sign of something more serious.

Conclusion

Leg cramps can have many causes. However, most often cramping is simply a sign that you need to take it easier or drink more water. Stretching out the cramped muscle, grabbing a sports drink, and taking an NSAID are strategies that can help in the moment while the muscle is cramping.

If these simple treatments don’t work, leg cramps may be a sign that something else is going on. It may be time for a conversation with your doctor. Most causes of leg cramps can be managed with proper treatment, once you have a better understanding of the cause.

If you are concerned about muscle cramps and would like to discuss with Dr. Connor, please make an appointment.

Leg cramps | causes, treatment, diagnosis and prevention

Leg cramps are common and can affect anyone at any age. This is an extremely uncomfortable sensation where the muscles in the legs contract involuntarily and cannot relax, which can cause severe pain and discomfort. Although seizures are rarely a serious problem, they can significantly affect a person’s quality of life, especially if they occur too often or during sleep. In this article, we’ll look at why leg cramps occur, as well as ways to prevent and treat them.

Contents

• Essence of pathology
• Varieties of convulsions
• Danger
• Causes
• Night cramps
• Diagnostics
• Treatment
• Prophylaxis

Essence of the pathology

When leg cramps appear, there are often unpleasant painful sensations, severe discomfort and inability to move. This phenomenon most often occurs in the elderly, pregnant women and professional athletes. Cramps are characterized by severe muscle spasm, in which muscle tissue becomes elastic and dense to the touch. Spasm can spread to the entire limb, but most often occurs in the calf muscles. If the symptoms appear regularly, are accompanied by pain and negatively affect the quality of life, you should consult a doctor to find out the causes of seizures and prescribe timely treatment.

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Types of cramps

There are several types of leg cramps. First, idiopathic which appear without a specific cause, and secondary which can be caused by a variety of factors, both natural and pathological.

Depending on the nature of muscle contraction, convulsions can be divided into epileptic and non-epileptic . Epileptic seizures are manifested by the simultaneous activation of a group of neurons in the brain and excessive stimulation of peripheral muscles. Non-epileptic seizures may occur for other reasons.

There are also hereditary krumps, which are a more stable variant of idiopathic seizures.

What is the danger?

Many people think that leg cramps are something minor and do not go to the doctor about this. However, if a person suffers from cramps often, this can lead to complications, since cramps can be the first sign of an emerging pathology in the body. Although generalized epileptic seizures are very dangerous, persistent local muscle spasms can also indicate the initial stage of metabolic disorders that can lead to serious diseases such as diabetes mellitus arthritis varicose veins which can be fatal if not treated. Therefore, it is important to see a doctor if frequent cramps cause anxiety and interfere with a comfortable state.

Causes of leg cramps

Leg muscle spasms can be due to various reasons. One of them is the increased activity of the cerebral cortex, as well as a decrease in the nerve conduction of the fibers and the level of ATP in the blood. These processes can be caused by various factors, such as intense physical activity, traumatic brain injury, stressful situations and wearing uncomfortable shoes. However, the most common source of leg cramps is varicose veins . The diagnosis is carried out by a phlebologist who will help determine the factors that provoked the appearance of seizures in a particular case.

There are a number of common causes of daytime and nighttime leg cramps, including:

1. Deficiency, deficiency of vitamins and minerals that can occur due to dehydration, strenuous exercise or malnutrition. Symptoms can be caused by a lack of B vitamins and magnesium.
2. Hypoglycemia, which may occur in people with diabetes mellitus, especially when insulin is administered. Treatment should be carried out only by a specialist who will select an individual therapy regimen and dosage of insulin.
3. Excessive exercise, especially in athletes such as football players, basketball players and weightlifters.
4. Seizures can occur with thrombophlebitis and varicose veins, regardless of the stage of development of these diseases.
5. Atherosclerosis, which puts high pressure on the entire circulatory system, especially the heart and blood vessels. The basis of its development may be hereditary predisposition, unhealthy lifestyle, bad habits and high cholesterol.
6. Diseases of the heart and blood vessels can negatively affect blood flow and lead to swelling, pain and cramps in the legs both at night and during the day.
7. Hormonal changes can cause leg cramps in women during pregnancy, when taking oral contraceptives, during menopause, or during puberty during drastic changes in hormonal levels.
8. With increased stress on the central nervous system, frequent stress and sleep disturbances, muscle spasms can also occur, which can go away on their own after the cause is eliminated.

In addition to diseases, cramps can be caused by other factors, for example:

1. Wearing beautiful but uncomfortable shoes with heels, which can lead to varicose veins and cause swelling and painful muscle spasms.
2. An unbalanced diet devoid of essential nutrients can lead to chronic digestive diseases and beriberi, which can also cause painful cramps.
3. Uncontrolled use of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and pain medications can also cause seizures.

Nocturnal leg cramps

Often, leg twitching syndrome is characteristic of some diseases and can develop suddenly. Muscle spasms occur at night, causing discomfort during sleep. This condition can be short-term or long-term and accompanied by weakness in the muscles after an attack. Chronic venous insufficiency is one of the common symptoms of this condition and the elderly and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable. In some cases, it may be a symptom of epilepsy or other neurological conditions. Even the most well-rested people experience twitching of the feet and toes at night, which can be caused by a deficiency of trace minerals such as sodium and others. Leg cramps can also occur when muscles are overloaded, dehydrated, or stay in one position for a long time. In most cases, such attacks are idiopathic, that is, they occur without apparent reason, and do not pose a health risk. However, they can be symptoms of serious diseases such as venous insufficiency or arterial dysfunction. Nocturnal spasms most often occur in the calf muscles and may be accompanied by sharp pain, tissue hardening, discomfort, redness and swelling, and muscle weakness.

Diagnosis may sometimes require a procedure using lower extremity fluid samples. To treat this symptom, it is often necessary to do moderate exercise and provide a good diet, including mineral elements and other micronutrients. Controlling body weight and wearing comfortable shoes can also help. In some cases, it is necessary to consult a surgeon to identify the cause of this condition. Nocturnal attacks of leg cramps are often accompanied by heaviness in the legs and require timely treatment. If you experience such a symptom, you should not self-medicate and take any medication for seizures. It is necessary to contact a phlebologist in a timely manner to find out the cause of this condition.

Diagnosis

During the initial consultation with a phlebologist, it is necessary to tell in detail about the possible causes of seizures, their location and duration. The doctor will order a series of tests, including laboratory blood and urine tests, ultrasound of blood vessels, and electromyography, to find out the causes of spasms. Further treatment of leg cramps will depend on the results of the diagnosis.

Treatment

In order to receive a prescription for tablets for leg cramps, you need to see a doctor who will conduct a preliminary examination and find out why this condition has occurred. It is possible to stop an attack of seizures with medication, then a complex treatment is prescribed, which is designed to eliminate the occurrence of such a symptom. In most cases, treatment is carried out using conservative methods.

Depending on the occurrence, different groups of drugs may be prescribed, such as:

• multivitamin complexes;
• preparations for relaxing tense muscles;
• means for improving blood supply;
• painkillers.

In addition to medical treatment, a course of massage and physiotherapy can be prescribed. A phlebologist treats vascular diseases, an endocrinologist treats diabetes mellitus, and a neurologist or therapist treats lumbar sciatica and myositis. It is important to see a specialist on time, especially if muscle cramps occur more than twice a month.

Prevention

To prevent leg cramps, take the following steps:

1. Engage in moderate exercise, which strengthens muscles and improves blood circulation.
2. Follow a proper and nutritious diet, including in the diet foods rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin D.
3. Control body weight, as excess weight can lead to muscle overload and increased tension.
4. Promptly treat concomitant diseases such as diabetes, thyroid disease and others.
5. Wear comfortable shoes that will not crush or squeeze your feet.
6. Stay hydrated and drink enough water to maintain normal electrolyte levels in the body.

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Leg cramps at night: causes and prevention

Leg cramps are involuntary muscle contractions. These contractions are accompanied by pain. It can be both light, barely noticeable, and uncontrollable, unbearable. Cramps can affect both several muscles and one specific one. The timing of leg muscle spasms can vary greatly, but most often they disturb people at night, making it difficult to sleep. After all, if a cramp appears – and lasts even 1-2 seconds – the person wakes up anyway and the sleep cycle is disturbed. In this article, we’ll explain how cramps differ from restless leg syndrome and what you can do to avoid those annoying muscle spasms that disrupt your sleep.

Leg cramps most often occur at night, causing you to wake up

General information

A cramp is a muscle spasm, in this case, the lower extremities. Moreover, this spasm occurs mainly at night.

Where can leg cramps occur?

• thigh,
• in calves,
• in stops.

Leg cramps usually go away on their own. Preventive measures like stretching and massage can reduce the likelihood of muscle spasms.

Some people associate nighttime leg cramps with restless leg syndrome (RLS), but they are two different conditions. The cramps cause pain in a specific area, while the symptoms of RLS are more of a desire to move the legs rather than muscle spasms.

The causes of leg cramps can be different: the effect of drugs, sedentary or standing work, concomitant diseases, pregnancy

Why do nighttime leg cramps occur?

Some people believe that cramps are a sign of dehydration or vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies. Others believe that such symptoms occur only in pregnant women. This all has a place to be, but in fact there are much more factors provoking convulsions. Here are some of them.

1. Effect of drugs

Some drugs can make your legs hurt at night and make you more susceptible to cramps. For example, such a side effect may be in the treatment of:

• statins;
• diuretics – they are also diuretics, which wash out calcium, potassium and magnesium, and an insufficient amount of these trace elements leads to seizures;
• antihypertensive drugs;
• birth control pills.

2. Standing or sitting for long periods of time

A person is not adapted to either long sitting or standing for a long time, these are not physiological states for him. Being on your feet for a long period of time can cause leg muscle spasms due to the development of varicose veins. Varicose veins, on the other hand, are a special condition where blood pools in the legs and feet instead of maintaining good blood flow throughout the body. This leads to swelling, pain, cramps. A long sitting position – due to the same office work, for example – has the same effect. It is undesirable to sit cross-legged or throwing one leg over the other – this provokes muscle fatigue and insufficient blood supply to the limbs. Accordingly, convulsions appear – as a reaction to a lack of nutrients and oxygen in the blood.

What to do? Get up and stretch, move around or sit if you have been standing for too long. Any change in body position in space will help improve blood circulation.

Leg cramps during pregnancy are due to changes in the woman’s weight, her circulatory system, physiology, and increased blood pressure.

3. Pregnancy

Pregnant women are at increased risk of developing nighttime leg cramps – almost half of them experience this problem. Cramping usually occurs in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Experts believe that the main reason for the appearance of muscle spasms is the deficiency of certain nutrients that the muscles of the legs of the expectant mother do not receive, because the nutritional needs of the fetus are a priority. Physiologically, convulsions are also explained by an increase in the body weight of a pregnant woman, fetal pressure on the nerve endings of the limbs, changes in the circulatory system, and an increase in blood pressure.

Pregnant women can take self-care measures to relieve these cramps, such as wearing compression stockings and increasing their calcium and magnesium intake (after consultation with the doctor). If you are concerned about any side effects associated with pregnancy and sleep, be sure to discuss this with your doctor.

4. Dehydration

Dehydration is a common cause of leg cramps at night. You may not be drinking enough water during the day, or you may be dehydrated by a bout of diarrhea. Even physical exercises in hot weather can quickly deprive the body of fluid, thereby washing out valuable salts, trace elements, minerals: potassium, magnesium and calcium. When the body lacks fluids and electrolytes, muscles become more vulnerable to spasms and cramps.

It is therefore vital to get enough water per day to help your muscles relax. Water is the best remedy for dehydration because juices and sodas contain unhealthy sugar.

5. Excessive drinking

Researchers at the University of Michigan have found a link between alcohol consumption in people over 60 and the development of nighttime leg cramps. It is assumed that regular alcohol consumption causes a person to destroy type II muscle fibers, which increases the risk of muscle spasm at night.

Heavy drinking can also contribute to dehydration and a deficiency in important B vitamins. A lack of these vitamins, as well as a lack of other nutrients, significantly impairs the functioning of the nervous system, exacerbates muscle spasms.

6. Muscle fatigue

If you are an athlete or a gym fanatic, the most likely cause of leg cramps is muscle fatigue. Excessive physical activity without sufficient rest leads to muscle overwork, so athletes and people who lead an active lifestyle are at an increased risk of leg cramps.

Experts suggest two causes of exercise-induced muscle spasms: dehydration and muscle fatigue. Exercise and sleep are linked, as being physically active usually improves rest, but exercising too intensely can cause leg cramps that interfere with sleep.

7. Health problems

Frequent cramps in the muscles of the legs at night may be due to the fact that the body is busy solving some other problem. Narrowing of the arteries, compression (compression) of the spinal nerves, and a diet low in minerals are the main problems that can cause seizures. Medical and sleep problems are important to discuss with your doctor, especially if they affect your quality of life

How long do night leg cramps last?

Several seconds to 10 minutes. However, soreness in the legs may persist for several hours after the seizures stop. Cramps can occur in the hips, calves, and feet. Cramps in the hips usually last the longest, but cramps in the calf muscles are more common.

The Ultimate Guide to Beating the “Here and Now” Cramp

How to relieve nighttime leg cramps?

The following practices that you can do yourself can help reduce leg cramps at night. Many of them can be included in your daily routine today.

1. Stretch and relax your muscles

Stretching can help with leg cramps by increasing blood flow to the muscles and improving their performance. Additional benefits of stretching include reduced risk of injury, improved joint function, and improved overall physical performance. For best results, stretching should be done for at least 60 seconds.

What if you have a cramp at night? To remove it, gently but firmly stretch the foot by bending it and pressing on the big toe.

2. Massage

Foot massage can help relax muscles and reduce pain. It is also useful for improving blood flow, stretching muscle tissue and increasing mobility. Massage is very relaxing and helps you fall asleep faster.

Walking on your heels can help fight leg cramps

3. Walking on heels

Predominantly leg cramps occur at night in the calf area. Walk on your heels for about 20 steps, then turn around and do the same on your way back. Try to walk like this for as long as you can, or until you notice that the pain goes away. Walking on your heels stimulates the muscles on the opposite side of your lower leg, thereby helping it to relax. And this prevents or stops the cramp.

4. Epsom salt bath

A bath that you can easily incorporate into your daily bedtime routine can help relieve leg cramps. The idea is that heat increases blood flow to the muscles, reducing pain. A bath can not only contribute to better blood circulation in the muscles, but also help you psychologically relax after a working day, and therefore sleep well.

5. Warm and cold packs

Apply a hot towel or heating pad to the sore spot (cramped muscle). Heat helps to relax tense muscles. You can also apply an ice pack to help ease the pain.

6. Power supply

Your diet should be correct, filled with a balanced diet, including a large amount of calcium, potassium and magnesium.