What Causes Leg Muscle Cramps | Leg Cramps Remedy

Leg cramps are a common problem that most of us have experienced at some point or the other. These are extremely painful and need proper care and rest to heal. Leg cramps happen when any of the leg muscles involuntarily creates a tension that causes pain and immobility of the leg. Usually, the hamstring, quadriceps, and calf muscles experience cramps. The cramp can last from a few minutes to a few hours, and sometimes even longer. Anyone can be affected by leg cramps, but elderly people are found to be more at risk.

The common symptoms of leg cramps are – sudden pull in the leg muscle with numbing pain, inability to move the leg, and tenderness of the affected muscle.

Leg cramps can happen due to several reasons. Some of the common reasons of leg cramps are:

• Rigorous exercise


• Faulty posture


• Muscle fatigue or over-exertion


• Dehydration


• Imbalance of sodium or potassium salts in blood


• An underactive thyroid gland


• Alcohol abuse


• Obesity


• Vascular diseases


• Use of diuretics and certain other medicines

But, there are still some other reasons that are not completely known. They are known as idiopathic leg cramps. This happens when a muscle, already in contracted position, is made to contract further due to some unknown reasons. This type of cramp is usually experienced at night when in our sleep the leg is kept slightly bent.

Tips To Prevent Leg Cramps

Here are a few simple measures that can help you avoid muscle cramps.

• The first step towards relieving cramps is to stretch and massage the contracted muscle. In most cases, proper stretching and massaging can relieve the attack of cramps.


• You can also use heat treatment – take a towel, soak in hot water, and press it on the contracted muscle – to get relief from pain. In these cases, no particular medication or treatment is necessary. If, however, you had been experiencing frequent and severe leg cramps, it is better to seek proper medical advice from a doctor.


• Drink good amount of water throughout the day and also take a glass of warm water (or milk) before going to sleep.


• Massage your legs with essential oils – olive oil, rosemary oil, or lavender oil – and do some mild exercise daily. As a regular exercise, you can stretch your legs while sitting and try to pull your toes.


• Take a hot shower before going to sleep – this a good way to relax the muscles.