A leg cramp means an acute pain which usually originates from a muscle in the leg. It takes place when a muscle contracts too hard. Leg cramps usually occur in one of the calf muscles, below and behind the knee. The small muscles of the feet are sometimes affected.
A regular leg cramp pain can last from a few seconds to several minutes. Besides, the intensity of the pain varies according to each one’s case. But, the damage in the muscles provoked by the cramp may remain up to 24 hours.
How To Avoid Leg Cramps While Sleeping Or When Waking Up
In most cases, leg cramps occur when you are resting especially while sleeping or when you wake up. If not given the necessary attention, it can become a distressing problem which can disturb your regular sleep.
Causes of Leg Cramps
Leg cramps are mainly caused by a contraction of an already shortened muscle. So, contracting the leg further may cause the muscle to go into spasm. It happens frequently during sleep. The regular sleep position, we rest with the knees slightly flexed, and with feet pointing slightly downwards. So, the tension by shortening the calf muscle makes it susceptible to cramps. This theory explains why maintaining a correct posture could avoid this problem and stretching exercises may relieve the pain.
When you have a leg cramp, the first things you should do to relieve the pain is to:
Walk on the wounded leg
Massage the muscle gently
Maintain your leg straight and flex it toward your knee until you feel the calf muscles stretch
Put some ice on the affected muscle
For most people, these tips would be very effective for relieving leg cramps. In some rare cases, these tips don’t work and the pain becomes uncontrollable. In this situation medical help is recommended.
Avoiding leg cramps
The most important thing you should do to avoid leg cramps is to prevent them. So, the first step to take is to maintain a correct posture of the legs during sleep. You should try a pillow that keeps your leg correctly aligned depending on the way you prefer to sleep. If you sleep on your back, you should maintain your feet in a higher level than the bed. If you sleep on your side you should use a pillow to maintain your legs slightly apart, so the leg you’re lying on doesn’t receive all the pressure of the other one’s weight.
Nowadays, many doctors recommend using orthopedic pillows because they are especially designed to maintain a correct position of the leg and feet. By doing so, you will be able to live free of pain when you wake up and you will get up with a much better mood for a new day.
Author: D. Charles Jameson
Had muscle cramps earlier yesterday while sleeping. Have to went “OUCH!” for like 3 times and went back to sleep. Been a while since i last do some physical exercise. And i went jogging yesterday night with quikz,james and zacc!
How To Avoid Leg Cramps While Sleeping Or When Waking Up
But, the damage in the muscles provoked by the cramp may remain up to 24 hours. In most cases, leg cramps occur when you are resting especially while sleeping or when you wake up.
Natural Remedies To Reduce Muscle Pain And Inflammation
Individuals wearing magnetic jewelry have reported diminished muscle soreness and lessening of cramps. Try sleeping on a magnet mattress pad to help ease the pain of muscle soreness or apply magnet straps to sore muscle or tendonitis
The Easiest And Most Effective Way To Relieve Leg Cramps
Indeed, several late studies demonstrate that more than 70% percent of adults over fifty years old suffer some degree of night leg cramps. The situation is always similar, you are sleeping peacefully; suddenly, you start feeling a pain
[...] Nocturnal Muscle Spasms And Cramps [...]
Exactly where is it, i’d like to read more about this particular post, thank you.
Another suggestion to relieve the pain when it happens:
Do not stretch with your toes pointed. When it hapens just straighten your leg, pull your foot back as far as possible and rub it gently. It may not help much but it’s quick to relieve the pain.
Nocramps´s last blog post … http://nightlegcramps.net/leg-cramp-relief
If you are pregnant..
Avoid lying on your back. Pressure of enlarged uterus on major blood vessels slows down circulation in your legs, which directly causes muscles cramps.
Regards,
Maggie
Nocramps´s last blog post … http://nightlegcramps.net/leg-cramp-relief
I am awakened almost nitely with extreme painful spasms in the top part of my feet and in the calves. The pain is unendurable.I try to ‘walk” it away and rub it and eventually it fades.. only to return again when I fall asleep again. what could this be???