Muscle cramp involve a sudden, involuntary contraction and tightening of a muscle that will not immediately relax. It can range in intensity from a slight twitch to a severe contraction and last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes. The most common muscle groups affected are the calf muscles, the upper leg, the feet and hands.
Causes of Cramp
The main factors that contribute to muscle cramp are:
- Poor flexibility and tight muscles
- Muscle fatigue and overuse
- Dehydration
- Electrolyte and mineral depletion
Other factors include working or exercising in high heat and humidity, inadequate blood supply, injury or muscle strain and excessive use of alcohol, drugs and medication.
Treating Muscle Cramp
Muscle cramps and spasms will usually go away on their own but there are a few steps you can take to decrease their severity and duration:
- Stop the activity that triggered the cramp in the first place
- Gently stretch the effected muscle or muscle group
- Keep the effected areas moving with light activity and gentle massage
- Continue to apply heat and massage to help promote blood flow
Preventing Muscle Cramp
Improving your cardiovascular fitness will improve the delivery of blood to your muscles, which will ensure that they have adequate amounts of oxygen and nutrients to function properly.
Stretching will keep your muscles loose and flexible and will help to stop them from tightening up and cramping.
You should be consuming at least 8 to 10 glasses of filtered water a day and more if you are involved in strenuous physical activity or live and work in high heat and humidity.
If you are prone to muscle cramp you should also look at increasing your intake of minerals and electrolytes. The minerals that are most important are Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. Simply adding a small amount of mineral salt to your cooking, (such as sea salt or Celtic salt) will help to increase your intake of these important minerals.
If you suffer from bad cramp at frequently intervals, especially at night, you should see your doctor as you may have circulatory problems.
Source: MACKENZIE, B. (2002) Muscle Cramp
