Muscle Cramp

When it occurs, a muscle cramp can render it impossible to use the affected part of the body. Despite this and the sharp pain that can accompany them, cramps are generally harmless. They present no long term or serious threats to your health. In almost all cases, they are easily treatable at home.

Most cases of “charley horse” develop in the leg muscles. The calf muscles are particularly susceptible to them. Many episodes of cramp occur during or after periods of intense physical activity, especially in hot conditions. Athletes at all levels can be affected by them and suffer a debilitating loss of performance as a result.This makes muscle cramping a condition studied by many sports medicine practitioners.

In this article, we shall examine a few of the most common causes of cramping. We will then suggest how to treat them at home and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Muscle Cramp Causes

Muscle cramps are an example of an overuse (or repetitive stress) injury. Like other such injuries, they can be caused by making excessive demands of a muscle. They can also develop from holding an unnatural body position for too long.

In some cases, muscle cramps can be a secondary effect of some primary underlying medical condition. For example

• Any condition that reduces blood supply to a muscle increases the likelihood of cramping of that muscle during exercise. Arteriosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries)  is a prime example of this;
• Cramping can also be a result of nerve compression in the lower back. Many of these nerves serve the lower leg area. Hence, when they are pinched (e.g. by spinal stenosis in the lumbar area) you may feel a pain closely akin to that of a cramp.
• Cramping can also be a result of a bodily deficiency of certain essential minerals. Examples of such minerals are  potassium, magnesium and calcium. You may have watched a tennis match and noticed players consuming bananas during the event. This is an attempt to maintain adequate bodily potassium and so ward off potential muscle cramps.Many sports drinks contain large amounts of these minerals for the same purpose.

Risk Factors

The risk of muscle cramping tends to increase in the presence of certain factors such as:

• Dehydration. To counter this, you should drink plenty of water before, during and after any athletic activity.
• Pregnancy;
• Being middle aged or older.
• Suffering from diabetes or disorders of the nerves or liver.

Muscle Cramp Symptoms

Cramps are characterized by a sudden sharp pain. As mentioned above, the majority of cases occur in the calf area.

Another telltale sign (although it does not appear in all cases) is the appearance of a lump in the painful area, just beneath the skin.

Treatment

We mention below some steps you can take to reduce your risk of cramping. As stated, cramping is usually a temporary event and will stop after a period.

The first step should be to consume water or some other fluid to remove any dehydration you may be experiencing. This in addition to a short period of rest should be enough to cause your cramps to cease.

However, if you suffer from chronic muscle cramps, we suggest the following steps:

• See your doctor and discuss the problem with him or her. As we have mentioned, some cramps are due to underlying medical conditions. If this is the case, these conditions will need to be treated to permanently eradicate the cramping;
• Your doctor may be able to prescribe muscle relaxants to reduce the frequency of cramping;
• Periodically stretch the affected muscle in order to help it to relax and contract properly. We mention below that this can also help to proactively reduce the risk of cramps, particularly at night.
• Hot and cold treatments can be useful in treating chronic cramping. Periodically apply heat to the affected muscles via a warm bath or use of a heating pad. Heat applications that help relax the muscle can be combined with ice application to ease the pain of cramping.

Suggestions For Prevention Of Muscle Cramps

To reduce your risk of suffering from muscle cramping, we suggest that you:

• Stay fully hydrated at all times by drinking plenty of fluids. Drinking water or other fluids frequently will help your muscles function properly. It is important to realize that your body will need more fluids when you are physically active or if you spend a lot of time in warm weather. In these circumstances, your body will lose fluids (through sweating) faster and those fluids will need to be replaced.
• Certain medications for hypertension will make your body lose fluids more quickly (through urination). If you are on these medications, your fluid intake will need to be higher.
• Take a few minutes to stretch your muscles before any physical activity. Pay particular attention to any muscle groups you will use in your intended activity.
• A light stretch and massage before sleeping will also help to reduce the risk of leg cramps at night.