Leg Cramps
Leg cramps are sudden, extremely painful, involuntary contractions of the muscles in the legs. Usually harmless, muscle cramps can last anywhere from a few minutes to 30 minutes or even longer. Everyone gets cramps at one time in her life. Cramps are more common in adults than in children and usually increase with age. Cramps can sometimes signal an underlying medical condition, such as peripheral artery disease or diabetes.
Stretching
One of the most common causes of leg cramps are due to insufficient stretching of the muscles. Try doing a few leg stretches each day, especially before bedtime to help prevent cramps. Lunges are good to stretch all the muscles in the leg. Stand with your hands on your hips and take a huge step forward while leaving your other leg in place and your body upright. Repeat with the other leg. Another good exercise to stretch the calf is toe lifts. Stand with your feet flat on the floor and slowly lift the heels off the floor as far as you can. Lower yourself slowly back down to the floor. Repeat this for 10 to 15 reps each day.
Massage
When a leg cramp occurs, massaging the muscle can help to relax it so that is releases the tension. You can generally feel the tension in the muscle when a cramp begins because the muscle will get tight. Massage firmly in long strokes or use a massager with heat or infrared heat directly to the area. Gentle massage is usually enough to relax the muscle. Also, try massaging the muscle with ice or moist heat.
Fluid Replacement
If the cause of your leg cramps is due to overuse or electrolyte imbalance then it is essential to replace those fluids immediately. Sports drinks help your body regain balance, especially of sodium and potassium. Make sure to hydrate your system fully and the leg cramps should subside. To avoid this from occurring in the future, make sure you stay fully hydrated during exercise.
When to See a Doctor
If you continuously have leg cramps that do not respond to treatment, you should see your physician to rule out any other more serious cause. Leg cramps can be associated with issues regarding circulation, nerves, metabolism, hormones, medications and nutrition. Your physician can find out exactly what is causing the problems.
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