Leg Cramps: Causes & Cures

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A lot of daily activities can put strain on your leg muscles, as well as fitness and nutritional deficiencies. They are going to happen, but here is how to get rid of them!

What causes them? 

Overuse of a muscle, dehydration, muscle strain, or even simply holding a position for a prolonged period of time could result in a muscle cramp. For many people, however, the cause is unknown. Most are completely harmless, but in some cases it could be the direct result of an underlying cause.

Inadequate blood supply- The narrowing of the arteries that deliver blood to your legs can produce cramp-like pain in your legs and feet while you are exercising.

Nerve compression- Compression of nerves in your spine also can produce cramp like pain in your legs. The pain usually worsens the longer you walk.

Mineral depletion- Too little potassium, calcium, or magnesium in your diet can contribute to leg cramps. Diuretics and medications often prescribed for high blood pressure may also deplete these minerals.

How to stop a leg cramp

There are a plethora of ways to alleviate nighttime leg cramps. Once a leg cramp starts, the best method to relieve them is movement. Try and walk around for a while, even shake or jiggle the leg while rubbing the muscles.

Apply a hot compress to the extremity. A hot water bottle or electric heating pad could relax and loosen up the muscle, easing the cramps. If you don’t have a heating pad, try massaging a generous amount of VapoRub into the cramp area. Eventually, the cooling effect should kick in and relieve the cramp.

Our Musculoskeletal system hits its peak at the age of 20, and while it maintains its peak for an additional 20 years, the reality is that it does eventually begin to break down, and the muscles become less flexible. It is important to maintain a physically active lifestyle and practice stretching as well.

You could also try this effective drink!

4 Tsp Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tsp Pure Raw Honey

16oz. Warm Water

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together, and drink half in the morning and half at night.

Preventative Measures

Drinking plenty of water is essential, since cramps are cause by dehydration a lot of the time. It is also important to maintain a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables. Supplementing with and eating foods with the following vitamins is also important.

Magnesium

Magnesium intake can help limit the frequency of night time leg cramps, especially for pregnant women. Health experts recommend getting at least 300 milligrams of magnesium each day. Foods like chocolate, quinoa, lentils, and spinach are rich in magnesium.

Potassium

Potassium works with sodium o control the fluid balance in the body, and they have to be in the right proportions in order to work properly. Try cutting back on the sodium, and boost potassium levels by eating more apples, bananas, dried fruit, avocado, mushrooms, spinach, and potatoes.