Leg cramps, a small problem that is often encountered in daily life, often inadvertently cause pain and inconvenience to people.

This article will provide you with a comprehensive overview of leg cramps, including an overview of them, their causes, signs and symptoms of them, how to relieve or treat them, and how to prevent them.

The picture comes from the Internet

introduce

Leg cramps, medically known as muscle spasms, are sudden, involuntary, and forced contractions of muscles.

This contraction is usually accompanied by severe pain that can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Leg cramps can occur at any age and time, but are more common after sleeping at night, exercising, or staying in the same position for long periods of time.

cause

1. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance: Prolonged exercise or excessive sweating can lead to the loss of water and electrolytes (e.g., potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium) in the body, which can trigger cramps.
2. Excessive fatigue: After a long period of exercise or exertion, the muscles are overtired and prone to cramps.
3. Lack of stretching: Lack of proper stretching before and after exercise, muscle tension, increases the risk of cramps.
4. Poor blood circulation: Standing or sitting for a long time may lead to poor blood circulation in the lower limbs, triggering cramps.
5. Nerve compression: In some cases, such as a herniated disc in the lumbar spine, it can compress a nerve and cause leg cramps.
6. Medication side effects: Certain medications, such as diuretics, can cause electrolyte imbalances, which can cause cramps.
7. Chronic diseases: Chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypothyroidism can also cause leg cramps.

Symptom signs

1. Muscle tightness: The affected muscles suddenly become tense, like a tense rubber band.
2. Severe pain: Severe pain in the area of the cramp, sometimes spreading quickly.
3. Visible muscle contraction: The contraction of the muscles is visible to the naked eye, and the muscle mass becomes noticeable.
4. Duration: Cramps may last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

How to alleviate or treat

1. Stretching: Gently stretch the affected muscles. For calf cramps, you can take a sitting position and push the balls of your feet up to stretch your calf muscles.
2. Massage: Gently massage cramped muscles to help relax and relieve tension.
3. Warm compresses: Using a hot towel or hot water bottle to apply to the cramped area can help relax the muscles.
4. Drink water: Stay hydrated, as dehydration can lead to muscle cramps.
5. Rest: Temporarily stop activity to allow your muscles to rest.

How to prevent it

1. Moderate exercise: Exercise regularly to build the endurance and flexibility of your muscles.
2. Stay hydrated: Make sure you drink plenty of fluids, especially during exercise or hot weather.
3. Electrolyte balance: Supplement with foods or beverages that contain potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which are essential for muscle function.
4. Get proper rest: Avoid excessive fatigue and get enough sleep.
5. Warm environments: In cold environments, take care to stay warm, as low temperatures can increase the risk of cramps.
6. Avoid staying in the same position for long periods of time: Sitting or standing for long periods of time may cause poor circulation and increase the risk of cramps

Tips:

Xiaobian used to have leg cramps a lot, especially when I was sleeping at night, when I suddenly had leg cramps, I jumped up from the bed in pain, and quickly rubbed my calves to relieve it

At those times, it was said on the Internet that eating bananas can relieve leg cramps, so eating bananas often is indeed effective, but the symptoms are not cured, and if you don’t eat them occasionally, leg cramps will appear again

Later, after learning more about the causes of leg cramps, Xiaobian began to do the “three-dimensional forward bending” stretching action (that is, the picture below), which can effectively stretch the legs, and the effect on leg cramps is very obvious.