30 Apr Muscle Cramps
For that brief moment, you are in agony!
We have probably all experienced a muscle cramp at some stage in life. It may have occurred randomly just from being in an awkward position or it may come about after heavy exercise, either way when you get one you know about it! For a short period that cramp can be debilitating but what is actually going on? Let’s have a look.
What is happening?
A muscle cramp is a continued involuntary contraction of muscle. Cramps usually occur in the limbs especially the thighs and legs but can happen to any skeletal muscle.
Why it happens?
There is no clear reason why they happen, but there is a belief that few factors play a role, these include: inadequate stretching, muscle fatigue, dehydration and electrolyte depletion.
Muscle fatigue leads to depletion of oxygen for that muscle and alters neural motor control which then causes the muscle to contract. Shortened muscles fibres are more prone to injury.
Dehydration and electrolyte depletion drains your body’s fluids, salt and minerals which can lead to muscle cramps.
How to fix it?
Most of the time cramps will subside when stopping the activity you were doing when the cramp started or putting the muscle through a gentle stretch.
If they are something you experience regularly then you may want to try:
- Stretching before and after exercise
- Drinking fluid which is electrolyte rich
- Increasing magnesium (or applying the oil to the muscle),Vitamin D and Vitamin B to your diet
- Also massaging the effecting muscle will help
Fortunately cramps pose very little to danger and are normally very little to worry about but if they are something you are struggling with or would like to find out more then please feel to contact us.
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