If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night with leg pain, you may familiar with leg cramps. Leg cramps can last from a few seconds to up to 10 minutes and are characterized by a sudden pain due to shortening of a muscle. It occurs most often in the calf, but can also occur in the other parts of the body (though it is less common).
Leg cramping can be caused by a variety of factors, such as:
Ageing
Late-stage pregnancy
Exercises where your calves are strained or overworked
Medications (ie- cholesterol and high blood pressure meds)
Liver disease due to alcoholism
Dehydration (not drinking enough fluids)
Electrolyte imbalance
While most cramps will go away within a few minutes, without intervention, you can try stretching or massaging the affected area to decrease the duration of the cramping.
If this is a common occurrence for you, you may want to examine your diet, as you may not be getting adequate amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium. As dehydration is also a factor, increasing your water intake may also make a difference for you.
Other ways to prevent leg cramping include calf stretches. They are simple and easy to do, and can be performed just about anywhere.
The first stretch can be performed on a set of stairs. Face the stairs as you would if you were ascending the staircase. Hold onto the bannister for support and place the middle of your foot on the edge of the stair. Your toes should be facing up—“toes to your nose”, with the stretch felt on the back of your leg, below your knee. Hold for a few seconds, and repeat as needed. This stretch can also be performed with both legs simultaneously, but only if you have good balance and adequate support.
The next stretch can be done facing a wall, at arms length. Your hand should just be able to touch the wall. Lean forward, bending your knees until you feel a stretch. Hold for a few seconds, and repeat.
Both of these poses can be performed in sets for a total of 5 minutes of daily stretching. Repeat three times a day, the last time just before bed. If you notice that the frequency and severity of your cramps reduce, then you can try them just once or twice a day. Keep in mind that the stretches may not completely eliminate the cramping, and may only reduce them. Nutrition and other lifestyle factors must also be considered.
Speak to your chiropractor or physician if your leg cramps last longer than 10 minutes, are accompanied by numbness or tingling, or interrupting your sleep.
Maureen RMT
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