Muscle cramps are sudden, severe, involuntary muscle contractions that can occur in any muscle group. They appear as hard lumps and are painful and distressing. However, cramps usually go away on their own within 2-15 minutes. They most commonly occur in the calves, legs, and feet.
There are many causes of cramps that are difficult to control. Therefore, we cannot control the occurrence of cramps. The causes are:
- Muscles that are overworked during activities
- The blood circulation to the muscles suddenly stops.
- Nerves malfunction during sleep
- It can be caused by certain diseases, such as liver and kidney disease.
- The body experiences abnormal conditions, such as lack of minerals, toxins, or infections.
- Caused by the use of certain drugs, such as diuretics or raloxifene.
Causes of cramps
- Muscle cramps and fatigue may occur from walking a lot.
- Staying in the same position for a long time, such as sitting for a long time or standing on a hard surface for a long time.
- Chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke. In this case, the doctor will prescribe medication to prevent cramps.
How to prevent cramps
- You should warm up and stretch your muscles before and after exercising regularly for about 15-20 minutes to help prevent muscle injuries.
- Drink enough water, at least 8-10 glasses or 2 liters per day, to avoid dehydration, especially when exercising.
- Eat foods that are rich in magnesium and potassium regularly, such as fish, milk, avocados, spinach, raisins, bananas, grains, ทางเข้า ufabet, and nuts.
- For those who often get cramps while sleeping at night, sleep with your legs elevated using a pillow to raise your legs about 10 centimeters above the bed.
- Frequent stretching exercises can help reduce the chances of cramps. Try to swing your ankle up and down frequently to improve circulation and prevent calf muscles from contracting.
- Be careful when lifting heavy objects or doing activities that use heavy muscles continuously.
- Elderly people should move their limbs slowly and avoid being in very cold places.
- Avoid drinking alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.
- Get enough sleep, 7-9 hours per day.
How to provide first aid when you have cramps
- Stretch your muscles. If it’s your calf, lift your leg up and hold it there for a while. The tense muscles will gradually relax.
- Massage gently but do not press as it will cause more pain.
- Applying a cold compress to the painful area will help speed recovery. Generally, cramps will go away on their own within 5 minutes of resting or after 2-3 minutes of stretching.
Although cramps can happen to anyone when using muscles heavily or staying in the same position for a long time, if we know how to deal with them and how to prevent them correctly, we will reduce the chances of cramp and severe muscle pain when cramp occur.