During a hard practice, game or match, an athlete might experience muscle tightness and cramping

If severe enough a muscle cramp can finish you from competition. What causes the cramps? Is there a cure?

What Causes Muscle Cramps?

Sweating more than usual through high sports activity may lead to the loss of essential mineral salts. Sweat is mostly water but contains many other compounds including sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and a host of other compounds. Muscle cramping is verty likely to be an inevitable experience for most runners and other endurance athletes

Muscle Cramps: Causes and Cures

Fluid and Sodium Factor

Although there are many causes of muscle cramps, large losses of sodium and fluid can be key factors that predispose athletes to run-of-the-mill muscle cramps. Sodium is an important mineral in initiating signals from nerves and actions that lead to movement in the muscles, so a deficit of this element and fluid may make muscles “irritable.” Under such conditions, a slight stress, such as a subsequent movement may cause the muscle to contract and twitch uncontrollably

Cramping Case Study

A case study* lends support to the theory. An elite tennis player was found to lose more sodium in his sweat during several hours of play than he consumed throughout the entire day. During intense play that resulted in sweat loss of up to 3 quarts an hour, the player knotted up with the cramps. Following physiological testing, it was recommended that the player add salt to his diet and drink sports drinks (Gatorade). This addition of sodium reduced subsequent cramping episodes. Whenever the player felt cramps coming on in a game, he drank a sports drink containing sodium chloride.
The cramps ceased.

Sodium Meals

After checking with a physician to rule out serious causes an athlete who experiences
muscle cramps after a workout might want to add sodium to meals. Given the popularity of low sodium diets, a sodium deficit is not out of the question when an athlete is sweating at high rates, particularly in the hot months of the year. Salty
snacks or an extra tap of the salt shaker will help replenish the mineral. Consuming sports drinks that contain an adequate amount of sodium is also a subtle way to replace sodium.

Gatorade contains 110 mg of sodium per eight ounces, the same amount of sodium in a glass of milk or slice of bread. This is an amount which helps replace lost sodium yet still meets FDA standards for being a low-sodium food.

Minding Your Minerals

For many years, players have attributed cramping to the depletion of potassium or other minerals like calcium and magnesium from the body. However, research indicates that these minerals are less likely to cause cramping. The amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium in sweat are low compared to those of sodium and chloride. In addition, potassium, magnesium and calcium are easily replaced by the diet, so a deficit of any of these is rare.

Other Potential Causes

Diabetes, neurologic disorders or vascular problems could be a factor in cramping episodes. Also, anecdotal reports indicate that the use of certain dietary supplements such as creatine might increase the risk of muscle cramps. If cramps suddenly occur without a prior history, consult a physician to rule out more serious causes.
Players have attributed cramping to the depletion of potassium or other minerals such as calcium or magnesium. The current medical thinking doesn’t support this. Muscles tend to hoard potassium, calcium, and magnesium such that they are lost at
minor levels in sweat, compared to sodium and chloride losses. The diet usually supplies adequate amounts to prevent deficits that would contribute to cramping episodes. But further research may tell us otherwise

Preventing Cramps

Stave off cramps before they start by recommending athletes to follow these simple guidelines:

• Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated during exercise

• Replenish sodium levels during times of heavy exercise and profuse sweating with a sports drink like Gatorade

• Ensure adequate nutritional recovery, particularly for salt, and rest for muscles after hard training.

Quick Fixes for Cramps

When cramps strike during a workout or competition, take immediate action with the following:

• Stretch. Because cramps are often related to a change in weight bearing, stretching and non weight-bearing exercises are effective treatments.

• Massage the area. Rubbing the cramped muscle may help alleviate pain as well as help stimulate blood flow and fluid movement into the area.

• Stimulate recovery. Rest and adequate rehydration with fluids containing electrolytes, particularly sodium, will quickly bring improvement.

* Bergeron, M. Heat Cramps During Tennis: A Case Report.
International Journal of Sport Nutrition 6:62-68, 1996.

By CRAIG A. HORSWILL, Ph.D., principal research scientist, Gatorade Sports Science Institute (Barrington, IL)

You will find more info and resources on Leg cramping and leg cramp relief in the selection of posts below

Foot and Leg Cramps

A description of what leg and foot cramps are, how they come about and some suggestions of how you can get some relief. … The frequency of muscle cramps in the foot or leg is more amongst sports persons and aging individuals. Feet being the organ of maximum weight bearing, foot cramps are more common than any other muscle spasms in the body. What are leg and foot cramps? Foot cramps are jerky non-voluntary spasms in a muscle or a muscle group 

Get Chiropractic Massage Treatment for Sciatica in Ybor City

There may be cramping, burning, numbness and tingling. The pain can be minimal to intense and can range from occasional to constant. It may be accompanied by weakness and loss of reflexes. Sufferers may find it difficult to go about … Chiropractic massage provides not only pain relief but a long term resolution of the underlying problems causing pain. For individuals who are not experiencing discomfort and are leading active sporty lives, chiropractic sports massage can help

A Pain in the Leg – Cramp Relief

Commonly used in Sports Massage, Physical Therapy, and stretching routines — Reciprocal Inhibition is defined as a muscle’s automatic relaxation response to accommodate the contraction of its opposing muscle. Basically, in order for one muscle group to … The icing on the cake with using the Reciprocal Inhibition technique was that there wasn’t any residual aching from the cramp. I experienced my cramp, relief, and back to peaceful sleep, all within a few minutes

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If you’ve ever experienced the excruciating pain of muscle cramps, then understanding some of the causes and   ways to relief can go a long way towards being more comfortable and pain free. I speak from the experience of muscle cramps so I investigated the causes and what could be done to relieve this terrible pain.

Muscle Cramps: Understanding Some of the Causes and Ways to Pain Relief

For some people muscle spasms are so frequent that it’s impossible to sleep until the pain can be relieved as they can come on during the night.

For others they can be less frequent but just as painful. Traveling by car, bus, airline or other means for extended periods without a ‘walking’ break, can results in the leg muscles contracting into painful spasms which are very difficult to relieve. Ensure you get up and move around regularly when traveling.

Many women experience abdominal cramping ranging from discomfort to absolutely excruciating pain that drains all the energy from your body during menstruation. To understand what is happening here the uterus lining thickens during the early part of the menstrual cycle. The lining then breaks down and is expelled which is part of the normal monthly menstrual cycle.

During this process prostaglandins (which are unsaturated carboxylic acids that act as chemical messengers) are released and send a message to the uterus to contract. These contractions help to expel the uterus lining but they can also cause severe pain, and are sometimes so intense they momentarily cut off the blood supply.

My experience has been with leg, back and abdominal cramps but the leg cramps were the absolute worst. Cramps can start in your toes, distorting the shape, and moving up into the calf muscles,   tightening into painful knots where it is impossible to lie still or to walk. Some muscle spasms can come from injured muscles particularly in the back where they try to protect themselves from further damage.

Dietary deficiencies in magnesium and calcium (which work in synergy) can also be a cause of some cramps, muscle weakness, leg tremors and muscle spasms. These minerals play an important role in controlling contraction and relaxation of muscles on signals from the brain. This was my own problem and I found powdered magnesium with calcium had a faster absorption rate and was a more efficient means of  preventing cramps .

Insufficient intake of water and other fluids, resulting in dehydration, is also another cause of cramping and spasms. Athletes are painfully aware of this and the need for keeping up fluid intake. As our bodies are made up of a massive amount of water, it is important for all of us, not just athletes, to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day – a glass being 8 oz. It is also important to be aware of dehydrating and this can be simply tested by noting if there’s color in the urine, drink more water – coffee and alcohol dehydrate, so when partaking of either of these have water at the same time. The same applies if diarrhea is present, during hot weather, or if using diuretics.

What to do to relieve cramping. Gently stretch the muscle to attempt to relax it. Then gently and carefully massage the affected areas. Don’t overdo stretching or the massage as this could cause more pain or damage to the muscles. I have found when leg cramps leave soreness in the muscles, a hot pack or wheat bag heated in the microwave and applied to those parts will loosen up the muscles and relieve the soreness.

Author: Carmel Muggeridge

Abdominal Cramps Natural Treatment Methods

Problems, such as stomach belching, can be treated with a number of herbal products and teas Rosemary oil can relieve abdominal cramps 

Can a Bar of Soap Relieve Nocturnal Leg Cramps?

There is considerable evidence–all unscientific–that going to bed with a fresh bar of soap may be the easiest route to a good night’s sleep for leg cramp sufferers.  

How to relieve cramping!

Someone random in the hallway just showed me how to stop cramps (of the menstrual type) by putting some pressure on these spots on your hips. You find the spot by putting pressure on different locations until you find this spot 

Comfrey and Cramp Bark : Naturopathic Health Care and Healing

Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus): Crampbark is effective at relieving any over-tense muscle, whether smooth muscle in the intestines, airways, or uterus, or striated muscle in the limbs or back. It may be taken internally or applied externally

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The value of doing a warm up and stretching before any strenuous exercise  lies in having flexible muscles that don’t automatically cramp.

Regular and hard exercise does not necessarily equal great health. People who exercise or run are known to receive what the experts call exercise associated muscle cramps, these are caused by exercising and straining the muscles, later on when the muscle relaxes the muscle starts to tighten up. When exercising people will feel the fatigue in their muscles and this is a very common occurrence.

 Treatment for leg cramps 

Many runners suffer from calf cramps while running, the best remedy to stop the cramps is to let the muscle contract and finish its movement, rub the muscle and let the blood flow continue and the muscle will start feeling better. In many eastern cultures the best way to help with muscle cramping is to get the blood flowing again they do this by using acupressure or acupuncture to stimulate the blood flow to the effected area. If you do receive a muscle cramp stretch and squeeze the muscle this will get the blood flowing again, use some heat on the muscle and this will relax it.

Doctors have researched muscle cramps in tri-athletes and found some interesting findings; the cramps that athletes suffer from are not caused by blocked blood flow, dehydration, or vitamin deficiencies.

What about mineral salts? Does potassium prevent muscle cramps? Well, the advice is bases on loss of electrolytes theory and it now looks as though this theory may be unfounded

From the ancient orient there is a word Chi, the definition of this word is energy, energy of the muscle and energy of the body need to be in harmony. Muscles, the storehouse of energy in a living body, contract to help in the movement of different parts of the body. Another theory on the cause of running cramps says that carbohydrate depletion and a resultant loss of energy and build-up of waste products in the muscle leads to cramps.

It wasn’t so long ago that visualization techniques, stretching and yoga were introduced into sport and running and made an impact. When it comes to training and exercise, sometimes people are very impatient to do a stretching routine before they go for a run; most people don’t want to waste there workout time by stretching their muscles.

What causes an EAMC. There are many reasons why people get muscle cramps of the most common is because people do not warm up before exercising or training. Many people who exercise or don’t exercise receive excruciating pains in their muscles, the muscles tighten up and there is nothing you can do at that point because you can’t move, so before this happens or if you feel it happening rub some type of heat cream on the muscle, take aspirin, use a heating pad, or try to stretch the muscle to loosen it up.

 Pain relief for cramping muscles 

But does stretching before a run help prevent injury? But where do you get the energy from and enough of it to prevent cramping. Bodyworkers can play a role in helping their clients manage and prevent these types of afflictions by sharing some basic tips and information with them.

Author: David Fishman

How to Get Rid of Side Cramps

Loosen up: Side cramps are known to ruin runners’ plans for a good race. Try to loosen up before a race, so your abdominal muscles and organs will work perfectly when the gun fires. Have a friendly chat with your fellow runners 

Avoiding Runners Cramps

If you are suffering from cramps and muscle spasms then it may be to do with your diet. Preventing muscle cramps may just require a change in diet away from sugars and fats to fresh fruits and vegetables. 

How To Run in Hot Weather Wiki Guide  General Running

If you stop sweating and begin to feel dizzy or nauseous, stop running, get in the shade, drink some water, and get medical attention. Those are symptoms of heatstroke. Heat cramps, which usually strike runners in the legs

Help with Running Cramps: Potassium has Nothing to do with Running 

Running cramps, particularly running calf cramps, afflict everyone from the person going out for a morning jog, to elite athletes. And it’s not just runners that get cramps they can be a factor in any sport – tennis, swimming, golf

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When talking about muscle relaxants we are more often than not referring to a drug or type of medication used to relieve the pain of muscle spasms by reducing muscle tone. However there are also other more  natural muscle cramp treatments available that can be used alongside or instead of regular drugs, (with the advice of an appropriate health professional)which include massage and diet.

By definition muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that help  relieve muscle spasm pain in skeletal muscles. This pain can range from nagging to debilitating, and very often relaxants can take the form of various therapies, instead of just drugs.

Natural muscle relaxants

To learn more about muscle relaxants we need to know something about the way muscles work and what can cause a cramp or spasm in them. Muscle cramps and spasms often appear suddenly. There is a sudden rapid contraction that leaves you immobile, and in most cases there is no apparent cause or if there is, a very insignificant one. Most people would not even recollect there being a reason for such a sudden, ferocious stab of pain. However, a person who gets frequent cramps in any particular part of the body may actually be suffering from some yet undiagnosed neurological or even muscular disease.

Causes of Muscle Spasm Pain and Cramps

Cramps often manifest themselves as the slowing down of the muscle’s ability to relax, and sometimes spontaneous contractions of even a relaxed muscle. To understand why and how muscle cramps occur, we need to know how muscles move. This happens when electrical signals are sent from the brain through the spinal cord to the nerve endings distributed through the body. These nerve cells are called motor neurons. The set of motor neurons that lead out from the spinal cord to the muscle are called the lower motor neurons. When a signal to move comes in, they release chemicals to stimulate the internal release of calcium ions stored in the muscle, which in turn react with muscle protein, causing movement.

When the fixed ends of these muscles pull closer, the cells shortens and the calcium ions are recaptured, thereby easing the movement and causing the muscle fibers to relax. Any break in this process or any kind of abnormal activity at any point may cause abnormal situations like absence of relaxation in a muscle. This could be anything from damaged nerve pathways to more serious diseases like multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury or even some external influences like insecticides.

Muscle cramp relief

It may also be due to something as banal as the inability of the muscle to recapture the calcium ion, and can lead to prolonged muscle cramps. This is what happens when one undertakes heavy exercise after a heavy meal, when blood flow is directed towards the stomach, leaving the muscles with less energy. Another cause could be dehydration or lack of salt intake, which can be taken care of by drinking enough fluids containing the essential salts.

Most muscle cramps are not very serious affairs and can be dealt with some mild stretching and massaging. In more severe cases, drinking plenty of fluids helps to loosen the muscle, with salt replacement in fluid form. If drugs are to be used, the most popular ones are carbamazepine, phenytoin, or quinine. Of course if muscle spasms are happening due to some underlying physiological problem, the treatment will be aimed at the disease.

Effects of Muscle relaxers

In most cases, muscle relaxers are prescribed in addition to therapy or exercise, or both. It is important to bear in mind that muscles will take a while to come back to their relaxed position, so just because a  drug helps stop the pain , do not get back into normal activity levels. This may just relapse the process of relaxing the muscle. Muscle relaxers are recommended for a muscular spasm or cramp only if the underlying reason is an injury. They may not be very useful for cramps due to other more physiological reasons. When this is the case, one may feel lightheaded, dizzy or drowsy, and even suffer from blurred vision. That is why driving or doing jobs that require precision operations like machinery operating, should be avoided after taking a muscle relaxant drug.

There are a few other precautions to be followed before taking muscle relaxant drugs – diabetics should know that certain drugs like Skelaxin may induce false tests results for sugar in urine tests. People suffering from epilepsy should be warned that the administration of a muscle relaxant drug may increase the likelihood of a seizure. In addition, certain muscle relaxants may not agree with certain medical conditions like a kidney disorder, thyroid problem, hepatitis or any liver disease, has a history of glaucoma or problems in urination, or has been in drug abuse at some time, even breast feeding mothers – need to watch out.

More towards a drug free therapy, some good muscle relaxers are Ginkgo (from the Maidenhair tree) and Japanese quince. In many cases supplements of multi vitamins and B-complexes also help. It is a good idea to take a supplement of vitamin E or calcium just before bedtime, to combat night cramps.

Preventing Muscle cramps

As always, it is better to have a healthy lifestyle in terms of nutritious diet and adequate exercise, much before any medicines can be taken for muscle spasms and cramps. A diet rich in minerals and appropriately balanced in terms of heating foods will help avoid heat cramps. Night cramps can also be reduced by taking a relaxing massage or warm bath just before bedtime.

By Kanika Goswami

Natural Beauty Products: Fibromyalgia Treatment Options

Muscle Relaxants – If muscle relaxants are taken before sleeping, they may help reduce pain and spasms. ?Narcotics – Physicians don’t usually recommend narcotics for treating FMS because of the potential for dependence and addiction.

Muscle Relaxant Medications

Cramp Treatment, Muscle Cramps Valerin All Natural. for natural muscle relaxants, leg cramp relief, leg cramp remedies and. source for muscle relaxers, natural muscle relaxants, treatment.

Natural Muscle Relaxants

Prior to the development of drug-based muscle relaxants, people have been using natural remedies to alleviate muscle spasms and soothe stiff joints. These natural muscle relaxants are often herbs and common plants 

Muscle Relaxants

Glucosamine, (with Chondroitin) is the most com natural product that thousands use and is somewhat effective for minor pain. I would love to show you how simple that can be and how great the properties can be.

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Leg Cramps – Causes and Cures

Leg cramps usually occur at night or after an exercise session or from exertion. This can even lead to lactic-acid buildup.

You should try to flex your toes to ease a cramp. Breathing deeply and relaxing at the same time also helps to give relief from leg cramps. As oxygen is taken through the muscles the cramp releases and you can slowly massage the leg. You should try massaging toward the heart so that you drain the lymph. This will also help in the increased circulation and blood flow to the muscles.

Deficiencies in B-complex vitamins are the main cause for leg cramps. Pain in the muscles or joints can be attributed to lack of vitamin-C. You should eat nutritionally balanced foods, such as spinach and other green leafy vegetables having sufficient amounts of these nutrients to get relief from this condition. Or take specially prepared supplements.

Chamomile tea with fresh ginger is another excellent remedy. Chamomile helps in relieving cramps by acting as a sedative for the nerves. It is also high in calcium, magnesium, and other trace minerals. Ginger helps in increased blood circulation and brings warmth to the body. You should be cautious and increase your calcium intake. By adding sufficient amount of yoghurt, milk in your diet every day, you can avoid leg cramps. You can also opt for other calcium fortified foods in your diet.

If the problem of leg cramps that you suffer has nothing to do with nutrition, you should consult a nutritionist, or a trainer who would help you gain fitness or conditioning that will help you to root out the problem. Or apply approriate muscle cramp relief medications.

Muscle cramps can also occur among athletes especially when they are dehydrated. You must increase salty foods after exercise as that would help retain fluids and prevent dehydration. You must drink water in proportion to the amount you sweat when you exercise. You should also practice other relaxation techniques and avoid sitting in the same posture for a long time. Sitting for long hours in front of the computer or TV can also lead to leg cramps.

It is essential to have small breaks between working hours and eat the right food that will help you guard against this problem. If all the above said recommendations fail to work and if leg cramps still persist you must consult a health care professional to rule out any other serious problem. And you can also make use of popular cramp and  pain relief treatments

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. We aim to be as accurate as possible, but there may be some unintentional omission of information. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on within this article.

Author: Tom Chuong

Joe’s Finish Line

He used to run marathons, especially when he lived in Indianapolis, and took quinine pills to quell calf cramps that once led us both to finish ne fef ar last in a 20-miler on Martha’s Vineyard. We stuck together, no matter what

Vitamins and Herbal Nutritional Supplements

Hyland’s Leg Cramps with Quinine is a traditional homeopathic formula for the relief of symptoms of cramps and Discomforts in lower back and legs often made worse by damp weather. Working without contraindications or side effects

A Diet To Reduce Leg Cramps

I have a lot of leg cramps. Almost every night. They could hit anywhere from my toes to my thighs and jolt me out of a sound sleep in agony. I used to take Quinine Sulphate pills and they worked in minutes, like magic. 

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Calf Muscle Pain -  is generally self induced and is caused mainly by too much exercise especially related to stretching.

Calf pain varies from micro tearing of muscle fiber to complete tearing of muscle fiber. Although it is generally around only for a short time it can also lead to cramps which can be especially uncomfortable if they happen during the night

Calf muscles are located at the back of lower leg. Calf muscle pain is generally associated with a short time recovery and is curable. It is generally self induced and is caused by too much exercise or lack of following the proper methodology in exercise especially related to stretching.

It can also be related to a sudden loss of essential fluids and salts due to excessive sweating.

And this can lead to the causing of cramps which is again primarily related in the first instance  to an improper way of stretching related to exercise. But leg cramps can also arise over the longer term too and this is often related to diet or as the side effect of taking certain medications.

There are various  treatments available to remedy calf muscle problems

And there are various options for treatment to help relieve the pain

The calf muscle is made up of three types of different muscles, two of gastrocnemeius and one of the soleus. These muscles should be stretched tolerably while doing exercise and after exercise too.

Causes of Calf Pain
Generally sports persons have more chances of getting calf pain.

The games like basket ball, running, hurdles, long jump, rugby, football soccer etc, where stretching is necessary, may increases the chances of calf muscle pain. We may also come across cases of calf pain due to fatigue, overexertion and cold weather.

an improper way of exercise and stretching of muscles are the main cause of calf pain. Sometimes putting sudden stress on calf muscle when they are not ready for stress and a direct blow on the calf muscle can also lead for calf pain.

In spite of these, excessive running on steep hills, deficiencies in calcium, minerals, magnesium and dehydration are the other reasons of getting the calf pain. Also pain in the calf may arise as the result of a herniated disc or varicose veins and other medical conditions.

Symptoms of Calf Muscle Pain

1.Stiffness through exercise – Sometimes there is stretching with some micro tearing of muscle fibers which are known as Grade 1 muscle strains. These are easily curable after treatment of at least 3 weeks of duration. Sometimes stretching may lead to Grade 2 Muscle strain where you may find partial tearing of muscle fibers. They can recover within 2 months of duration.

2.A torn muscle – This is graded as Grade 3 Muscle strain in which there is complete tearing of muscle fibers. This recovery may take more than 3 months of duration.

3.Aching calves – This can be caused by varicose veins and are graded as Grade 2 Muscle strain.

4.Cellulites – This is also known as inflammation of subcutaneous tissues or of the skin and one of cause of calf pain.

Treatment for calf pain

When a calf pain is diagnosed, its treatment depends upon the severity of the calf muscle pain. The treatment may include the following steps in orderly manner depending on the strain:-

1.To give a complete rest to your lower legs without following the activities of strain on it. This can be continued until the pain and local tenderness of the muscle are gone. It may hardly continue for 1 to 2 weeks.

2.You can always apply some cold pack or ice to the calf area 3 to 4 times a day. Keep the ice or cold pack in a cloth or towel and apply it on your skin for at least 20 minutes each time.

3.If you see some kind of additional swelling around your lower leg you can wear an elastic compression bandage to reduce the swelling of the part.

4.You can try keeping your leg at little height than your heart as possible to reduce the swelling. You can find the difference in 24 hours.

5.If your swelling still remains and you still have the tenderness in the calf with a pain then you can better go for pain relief medications such as aspirin or acetaminophen.

6.If you are a sports person and wants to return back to your physical activity then it is always suggested to use heat. For rest of then do not try to use heat at least for 4 to 5 days.

7.When you feel like most of the pain and swelling is reduced you can start with slight stretching exercise for at least 5 to 6 times a day. Remember the thing that your stretching activities should not be beyond your limitations.

It is always true that you can only help yourself from getting calf muscle pain and the best way is to keep yourself fit and your calf muscle strong and ready for sudden physical stress!  For calf pain or leg cramps at night find a remedy here.

By Jayashree Pakhare

Pain, Pranayama

When you say “relax my calf muscles, relax all nerves holding my calf muscle” lying down after aerobics you should have sensed the muscle going limp and resting peacefully. The same way in pregnancy you say “relax my pelvic muscles

How a Chiropractor Can Help A Herniated Disc

Pain that runs down the back of a leg and into the calf, or pain that spreads to the buttocks regions. Often pain in just one leg, but sometimes felt in both. Weakness, tingling or numbness experienced in the legs or feet.

Painful Vericose Vein  What should I do

It hurts when I’m sitting, or lying down or standing, and it won’t stop and is making my whole calf ache. My dad is scheduling me an appt. with the Doctor, but I’m really scared that it could be something else. 

Pilates Leg Exercises For Strength And Flexibility

They not only help to elongate and tone the muscles of the thighs and calves but they strengthen and stabilize the muscles of the pelvis for better walking and less hip joint pain. Position: All of these exercises are positioned lying on your side with your hips and shoulders stacked on top of each other. The head rests on the bottom arm and the legs are piked forward about 10 degrees for better balance.

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You never used to get leg cramps (until recently), you run regularly and exercise for two hours a day or more, you’re fit, you’ve got a ’6 pack stomach’ – so you can eat anything you like, within reason, right?

Leg cramps And Bad Diet, The Elastic Band Theory

It just doesn’t work like that – let me explain using the ‘elastic band theory of health and longevity’ to explain why you’re starting to get  leg cramps, muscle cramps and other health problems that are sure to follow.

The body is just like a wonderful machine – so good in fact that for over 30 to 40 years, no matter how ‘low grade’ the ‘fuel’ you put in, your body just works and works and works.
In fact, some people find that as they hit their mid thirties, that they’re just as fast as in their early twenties. Sure, you’re putting on a little weight, that’s normal, but overall you find that you’re just as fast and don’t need to train as often or as hard.

That is until one day you start getting cramps that won’t go away, or you can’t put up with that joint pain like you used to or your blood pressure starts to rise, or you need glasses or your hair starts going grey – fast.

Just like a thick elastic band, from a health point of view, the body can just keep stretching and stretching and stretching until one day it just ‘snaps’.

That’s when professional athletes just ‘drop dead’ from cardiovascular disease and that’s when you find out you have diabetes, cancer, or arthritis or you’re told by your doctor that you have a ‘problem heart’ and you’re professional sporting career is over.

It is really a ‘no-brainer’ that an unhealthy diet will contribute towards muscle cramps or other health problems and that these conditions are really just early warning signs or worse things to come.

Prevention of cramps and other health challenges from a nutrition point of view comes down to consuming a mostly fresh food diet that is high in minerals, avoiding ‘empty’ foods that are high in sugar and low in minerals and which also introduce toxins and antibiotics into our systems.

Fast foods of any type, fried food, processed or refined carbohydrates (such as cakes, biscuits and most types of bread), alcohol and excessive amounts of caffeine are all examples of foods to avoid.

In terms of cramping, eating the wrong food does the following:

1.Reduces our muscles’ energy reserves and makes cramping more likely

2.Deprives the muscles of minerals required to relax and contract the muscles.

3.Introduces toxins (preservatives, food colouring and flavour enhancers) that have a stimulatory effect on the muscles that induce cramping and tend to inhibit the relaxation response that prevents cramping.

And while muscle cramps, running cramps you suffer during exercise and leg cramps at night are the end result of these nutritional problems, it’s the other lifestyle-threatening and life-threatening conditions you should be worried about.

My advice – cramps are just indicators of potentially more serious health problems. Fix the cramps from a nutritional point of view and you’re taking positive action from a long term health and longevity perspective.

Nutrition is important and so is hydration and these can go a loong way to preventing cramps

Running and Hydration – the Basics: A Few Handy Tips on Drinking

These chemicals play important roles, such as helping to absorb fluids (sodium) and to avoid cramps (potassium). All runners will be losing these chemicals, but those who are especially salty sweaters will see a crusty white film 

How to Avoid Running Cramps: Tips for Preventing Side Cramps

Do painful stomach cramps slow you down when you’re running? You’re not the only one. Find out how to stop runners’ cramps before they stop you.

Nighttime Leg Cramps

Low levels of certain minerals known as electrolytes—magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium—have long been linked to leg cramps. Marathon runners sweating out the miles are particularly prone to this variety.

Healthy Tipping Point: Your Questions, Answered!

I’ve only gotten a few cramps while running, actually. According to this website, researchers believe that the side stitch is caused by stretching the ligaments that extend from the diaphragm to the internal organs, particularly the liver. … Runners tend to exhale every two or four steps. Most people exhale as the left foot hits the ground, but some people exhale when the right foot hits the ground. It is the later group who seem more prone to get side stitches.

Muscle Cramps The Myths And Mystery

The myth, the legends, and the facts about muscle cramps of athletes are a medical mystery. Cramps afflict 39 percent of marathon runners, 79 percent of triathletes, and 60 percent of cyclists at one time or another

Copyright – www.Running-Cramp-Relief.com
Article Author: Paul Newland

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A painful muscle cramp is involuntary, that sustained tightening of one or more of your muscles.

It can sometimes result in intense pain and an inability to use the affected muscles.

Leg Cramps are very powerful contractions of the muscles in which pain occurs in lower leg. Night leg cramps often occur just as you’re falling asleep or just as you’re waking up. The other leg cramps occurs after exercise especially if you are dehydrated, overtired or overheated.

Leg cramps usually aren’t serious, but in rare cases, they can be symptoms of intermittent claudicating which is a form of atherosclerosis that causes inadequate blood supply to the legs.

Some of the causes of leg cramps are mentioned below:

Our body needs some elements to balance, if there is a chemical imbalance such as magnesium and potassium in the body, it can cause leg cramps. If a person breaks a bone, the muscles surrounding the area will sometimes spasm as a means of protecting it. This is the body’s clever way of immobilizing the bone and stabilizing it. In pregnant women, leg cramps often arise due to changes in the calcium metabolism. In this case, sometimes a doctor will start the patient on a course of calcium supplements if the pain is significant. Calcium deficiency can be an issue for people other than pregnant women and can be the cause of their cramps too.

There are  various remedies for leg cramps some of which are mentioned below:

Minor cramps can often be prevented by drinking enough water and stretching before and after exercise. The remedies may help prevent and relieve leg cramps, according to some health professionals. You can use a warm towel or heating pad to get relieve from pain. You can also drink 15 grams of fresh bathu juice daily with an empty stomach also don’t add salt and sugar to it.

Author: Dr John Anne

Minerals: Calcium – Herbal & Natural Remedies

Calcium also helps the metabolism work properly though, and it is essential to the muscles functioning properly in your body too. In fact, getting extra calcium will help relieve muscle cramps

Instant Relief From A Muscle Cramp

The muscle cramps that happen in the middle of the night are typically caused by a deficiency of calcium and magnesium. Sources of calcium include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, seeds and nuts, and seaweeds.

Foot and Leg Cramps

Other factors such as dehydration, depletion of electrolytes (potassium, sodium, calcium or magnesium), injuries, and inflammation and nerve damage can cause cramps. Cramps are more common during exer fef cise in the heat because of sweat.

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