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Osteopathy (M.Ost)
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Osteopathy (D.O.)
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Medical Acupuncture (Dry Needling)
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Kinesiology Taping Certified
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Gait analysis and functional movement
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Sports Injury rehabilitation
@sportscarerev
36
You know the feeling, you’ve been running strong, or
in some cases plodding for a while, legs have been
doing some heaving, some climbing, some running,
some more plodding, probably even some crawling but
you’re still giving it your best shot.
You’re nearly finished, just a few more obstacles to go
and BOOM, it hits you like a bus.
CRAMP!
You’re now absolutely stuck solid, unable to move,
muscles are doing some kind of spasm dance
until someone comes to your rescue and manually
tells your foot to point the other way. Phew, that
was horrible. None of us enjoy cramp but do we
understand what causes it?
Dan Fernandes, tells us the science bit.
Leg cramps are a common symptom amongst active
and non-active individuals of the population.
It can be an extremely painful sensation that affects
many muscles but more commonly the hamstring,
calf or foot. It is associated with sudden muscle
contraction or a group of muscles that occurs during
or after strenuous exercise.
It is ordinarily caused by over working the muscles,
not warming up adequately or going too fast too quick.
Another highly likely reason is low levels of
Potassium, often caused by dehydration. Those
who consume the recommended daily amount of
water would be less likely to suffer. Potassium is an
important mineral in our body which helps maintain
the heart function and fluid balance. It regulates the
blood pressure and maintains healthy bones.
Medication is another likely trigger and can be a side
effect of Statins.
Pregnancy is also a common cause but less likely to
be the reason on an Obstacle Race course.
Liver disease is another source that sits high on the
list so if in doubt, check it out.
How to prevent muscle cramp?
Cramp can only be avoided if it occurs for
preventable reasons. A good warm up before exercise
and stretching after exercise or a gentle stretch
before going to bed will be beneficial. Stretching
will make the muscles and tendons more flexible
therefore reducing the possibility of spontaneous
muscle contraction.
Not consuming caffeine and not smoking can also
help avoid cramps.
Drinking the recommended daily amount of water will
keep you hydrated.
Some older people may suffer from cramps during
the sleep period, this is known as Nocturnal leg
cramps. There is a distinct difference between this
and restless legs syndrome.
Nocturnal leg cramps
Very similar to normal leg cramps which occur while
awake but instead occur at night during periods of
inactivity. They can also affect the calf’s, thighs or feet
muscles, symptoms lasting from several seconds up
to several minutes. Unfortunately, it can cause a post
effect of muscle soreness after the cramp goes away.
Nocturnal leg cramps are common in adults,
generally in the over 50’s, but that’s not to say it can’t
affect all ages, even children.
Nocturnal leg cramps are associated with some
medical conditions as well as pregnancy and have
also been linked to:
•
Sitting for long periods of time
•
Over-exertion of the muscles
•
Standing or working on concrete floors
•
Sitting improperly
If you are taking any of following medications
(intravenous iron sucrose, conjugated estrogens,
raloxifene, naproxen, and teriparatide) and you are
having leg cramps at night make sure you contact
your GP. These are strongly associated with leg
cramps.
Drugs.com and evidence based medicine has shown
that Quinine is no longer recommended to treat leg
cramps and it is severely restricted and may cause
serious and life-threatening bleeding problems.
If in any doubt, seek advice from an expert.
HEALTH: INJURIES
ask the expert
Frozen in action?
We’ve all been there
– CRAMP.
Meet our Sports Injury
Specialist.
Dan Fernandes,
(DO, M. Ost)
Sports Care Revolution
