Muscle cramps
What are they?
Muscle cramps are painful spasms that happen during or immediately after exercise. The muscle goes into a hard, contracted state and you can't relax it. Although any muscle can go into spasm, muscle cramps generally affect three different muscle groups:
- front of the thigh (quadriceps)
- back of the thigh (hamstrings)
- calf (gastrocnemius)
Symptoms
Pain and spasms in your muscle are the main symptoms. This usually subsides within seconds or minutes. However, this can occasionally continue for more than 15 minutes. Your muscle may feel tender for up to 24 hours after the initial cramp.
Causes
The exact cause of cramping is still unknown, but one theory is that they happen when muscles are shortened and repeatedly used without being stretched before exercise. Other factors associated with muscle cramps are:
- over-exertion
- exposure to hot or cold climate
- dehydration
- salt imbalances from sweating
- low blood sugar
The main cause of muscle cramps is thought to be overexertion, either exercising for longer than normal or at a higher intensity. This is why cramps are common at the end of a long or strenuous activity such as a marathon, or after a high-intensity exercise such as sprinting.
Treatment
If you experience a muscle cramp, here are some tips to help you relieve the pain.
- Gently stretch the cramped muscle. This is the quickest and easiest method for relief. Stretching the contracted muscle will reduce the pressure on the muscle. Always hold the stretch until the muscle has stopped cramping.
- Apply ice, wrapped in a soft material. This can be done whilst stretching, to numb the area and to increase circulation once the ice is removed.
- Gently massage the muscle.
- Replace lost fluids by drinking water.
If you get muscle cramps on a regular basis, see your doctor or physiotherapist.
Do
- Try to increase the intensity and duration of your training gradually, to give your body time to adjust to increasing activity.
- If exercising in hot and humid conditions, have sports drink to replace electrolytes when you're finished.
- After exercise, replace lost carbohydrates by eating a banana.
- Stretch before and after you exercise, it may reduce your muscles' susceptibility to cramps.
Don't
- Allow yourself to become dehydrated.
- Expose your muscles to rapid changes in temperature, ensure you wear appropriate clothing.
Publication date: June 2009
