Muscle cramps are the worst! There you are, sleeping peacefully in your comfortable bed, and you suddenly jolt awake. Muscle cramps! The pain is sudden and sharp. How could your muscle be hurting? You weren’t even moving. And yet your muscle tightened up, waking you up with a cramp.
The human body has over 600 named skeletal muscles. You use muscles for everything from standing up to holding a pencil to giving someone a high five. With all the muscles we have and all the ways we rely on them for movement, it’s no wonder they cramp from time to time.
Muscles Affected by Cramping
For muscle cramps, the most affected muscles are in the arms and legs. The muscles in the upper arms, the triceps, can seize up and cramp.
Most cramps occur in the legs, usually in three areas. The hamstrings are the muscles behind your thighs. The quadriceps are the muscles in front of your thighs. And the calf muscles are a hot spot for cramps, often called a charley horse.
What Brings on Muscle Cramps?
The causes of muscle cramps vary. The most common reason is exercise.
Muscle cramps are not unusual for endurance athletes, such as triathletes or marathon runners. Athletes suffer from muscle cramps for a few likely reasons. One is a lack of oxygen to the muscle. Another is muscle fatigue. And a third reason athletes may endure muscle cramps is a lack of stretching.
Repeated use of the same muscles for too long a period is another cause. Such as when you sit at a desk for hours on end every day. Or as you do strenuous yard work like heavy-duty raking or crouching down in your garden.
Muscle cramps can also occur as a side effect of medication. Medications that cause you to eliminate fluid from your body, such as diuretics, are a prime suspect. If too much liquid is eliminated too quickly, this could dehydrate your muscles. And muscles cramp when there’s dehydration involved.
Sometimes the elderly are more prone to suffering from muscle cramps. This could be due to inactivity or loss of muscle mass.
Pregnant women can also experience sudden, sharp muscle cramps, especially in their legs. It could be due to the extra weight the legs support. Or lack of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium. It could be because of a change in circulation as the body works harder to pump blood.
Self-Treating Muscle Cramps
Most of the time, a sudden muscle cramp can be self-treated. There are ways to get quick relief.
One way is to massage the muscle until it releases and relaxes.
Another is to stretch the muscle. This could be as simple as flexing your toes toward you or pointing them away.
Some people find relief from heat application, and some find a cold compress helps. The heat from a heating pad, a warm washcloth, or a hot shower can do the trick. Never place an ice pack directly on your skin if using a cold compress. Protect your skin with a barrier, like a washcloth.
A warm bath or soak with Epsom salt may also bring relief.
Preventing Muscle Cramps
Stretching helps keep muscle cramps away. Before and after any exercise, extension is critical. Simple stretches before bed will help you skip the painful night cramps.
Your diet may help reduce or prevent cramps. Eating enough essential nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium may keep cramps at bay. Food such as bananas, avocados, kale, sweet potatoes, salmon, and milk are good choices for these nutrients.
And, of course, drinking plenty of water will help keep muscles from dehydration. This is critical in maintaining muscles functioning the way they should.
When to Seek Help
It may be time to consult a physical therapist about your muscle cramps, especially if you are enduring them frequently. Or they last a long time. Or the pain from them is very intense.
At Kinetic Physical Therapy we will do a physical examination, take your medical history, and ask many questions. We are committed to helping our patients live the healthiest and most pain-free life possible. Remember that you have a choice, and you can choose where to receive physical therapy services. At Kinetic Physical Therapy, you see the same therapist each visit!
Call us today at 410-849-6647 to discuss how we can help you.
