Cramps: The Common Pain We Can Live Without

Cramps shouldn’t be ignored, particularly if they’re ongoing. While we all suffer that nasty pain from time to time, some of us will endure muscle cramps on an ongoing basis. If that’s the case for you, we recommend you come and see us at our Newmarket physio clinic. There might be something we can do about it.

Muscle cramps are a sudden tightening of the muscle, which then fails to relax. Cramps last from just seconds to quite a few minutes and the affected muscle will often feel rock hard and tender to the touch, with a burning sensation often used to describe that feeling. The most common areas for a muscle cramp are in the lower leg, foot, back, and frequently in muscles that cross two joints.

Muscle cramps may be brought on by a number of different activities and conditions. Often these causes are only temporary and will go away after some rest and stretching. The most common causes of muscle spasms are:

• Over exertion and overuse of muscles
• Inadequate stretching before an activity
• Lack of basic fitness and being overweight
• Existing muscle strains and injuries
• Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures
• Inadequate blood flow
• Stress
• Mineral deficiency particularly potassium, magnesium and calcium
• Dehydration
• Weakness of the glutes

There are things you can do to treat occasional cramps, such as stretching out the muscle, or using a combination of heat to relax the muscle followed by ice to numb the pain.

If you suffer from muscle cramps on an ongoing basis, you should seek our professional advice. Depending on what we find, our treatment options might include:

• Stretching to help lengthen the muscle fibres and allow a more powerful contraction when exercising.
• Lengthening of hypertonic muscles where there is an increased state of active muscle contraction.
• Restoring joint range of motion.
• Strengthening weak muscles.
• Discussing modifications to your lifestyle which might bring on cramps. For example, your fluid intake, reducing the amount of coffee or alcohol you drink, or vitamin/electrolyte balancing.
• Modifying your current exercise regime.

Just because we all get cramps occasionally, it doesn’t mean they should be written off as a fact of life. Occasionally, muscle cramps indicate more serious conditions affecting nerves, arteries, thyroid glands and chronic infection. It is our opinion that ignorance isn’t bliss when it comes to cramps, and if they keep flaring up, they need to be checked out.