A muscle cramp is a sudden and involuntary contraction of one or more of your muscles.
Almost everyone will suffer from a cramp at some point and often the cause is not known. Though generally harmless, muscle cramps are very painful and can make it temporarily impossible to use the affected muscle. Most muscle cramps develop in the leg muscles, particularly in the calf. Besides the sudden, sharp pain, you might also feel or see a hard lump of muscle tissue beneath your skin.
Muscle cramps may occur during exercise or at rest and dehydration is a
common cause. Some medicines or medical conditions can make cramps more frequent so please see your doctor if you experience repeated cramping for no obvious reason.
A cramp can usually be stopped if you try to stretch the affected muscle or
contract the opposing muscle and these other actions can also help:
- A warm bath can relax tense muscles
- Avoid high heeled shoes and stretch your legs before bed
- Make sure that you keep well hydrated
- Improve blood flow with gentle massage
- Maintain adequate levels of magnesium and potassium especially whenexercising.
If you need help and advice with any injury and want to talk it through, please get in touch.