Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps are one of the most common problems experienced with exercise. They are completely involuntary and occur when muscles are forcibly contracted and do not relax. Any muscle under which you have voluntary control can be affected by these cramps. In some cases, the cramps can be isolated to just one section of the muscle or they may involve all of the muscle. In other cases, several muscles within one group may be involved in the cramp. Some muscle groups are more prone to cramps than others. These muscle groups include muscles located at the back of the thigh (known as the hamstrings,) muscles located at the back of the lower leg and calf, muscles located at the front of the thigh and muscles that are located in any of the following locations: abdomen, arms, hands, feet and at the rib cage.

Muscles cramps can be mild or quite severe. This means you may experience them for just a small second or they may endure for a long period of time and be quite intensive. In some cases, the muscle that is affected can appear to twitch under the skin while at other times the muscle may be quite tight and hard. In severe cases, the muscle cramp can last up to 15 minutes, possibly even more.

The cause of muscle cramps are not generally known; however, it is believed that failure to stretch properly before exercising and exercising too much can lead to muscle cramps. In addition, exercising when you are dehydrated or when your body is depleted or salt as well as exercising when it is very hot may also lead to muscle cramps. All of these factors are related because the body is more susceptible to muscle cramps when the body is depleted of fluids through sweat; primarily minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium as well as salt.

Regardless of what type of exercise you participate in, it is possible for you to experience a cramp at some time or other. Generally, the cramp will occur toward the end of your exercise period as well as during the night after you have exercised intensely.

Steps you can take to prevent cramps include stretching properly before exercise and ensuring that you are replenishing your body with plenty of electrolytes while exercising. When you do experience a cramp, be sure to stop activity immediately and begin massing the affected muscle or muscle group. Muscles that are tight and tense can have heat applied to them while muscles that are tender and sore should have cold applied to them.

 
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