When’s the last time you’ve suffered from a painful leg muscle cramp? I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’m getting them more and more as I get older. Well, it’s been getting especially bad for me recently, so I’ve decided to go out and research the causes of leg cramps and how I can prevent them. If you’re suffering from leg cramps like me, I hope you find this information useful!
First things first, what are leg cramps? Well, WebMD describes them as a painful spasm of the muscles in either your foot, calf, or thigh. A lot of people will receive leg cramps right after they wake up or just as they’re about to fall sleep. It seems that a bodily process that happens when one is about to go to sleep or wake up triggers muscle spasms, but researchers aren’t sure of a direct cause yet.
Causes of Leg Cramps:
So what causes leg cramps? Well, here are some potential reasons…
Constant Standing
If you’re like me, you like being on you feet all day. What you don’t like, however, is leg cramps. Unfortunately, standing can be a fair bit of exercise if done constantly, and you’ll probably never stretch before you stand, which can cause leg cramps. This problem even gets worse for woman who have to be in heels all day because they add extra stress to a small area.
Dehydration
Some people cramp from dehydration. When we don’t drink enough water, our body doesn’t get the electrolytes it needs. When your body lacks electrolytes, it doesn’t have the resources needed to prevent sudden muscle contractions, which can lead to painful cramps throughout your body.
Exercise
Although overall exercise is great for your body, in the short-term it can cause deterioration in your muscles that can lead to cramps. In the couple hours after you exercise, be sure to take extra care of your muscles in order to ensure that muscle exhaustion and soreness doesn’t lead to cramps.
Cold Temperature
Although many of us prefer to be in cold temperatures while we’re sleeping, did you know that cold temperatures can actually make you more susceptible to muscle cramps? Although doctors aren’t completely sure, they believe that cold temperatures while sleeping causes muscles to contract, stiffen, and become inflexible, which can cause muscle cramps to occur.
Preventing Leg Cramps:
So how can we prevent leg cramps? Well, here are a couple good ways…
Warm Showers
If you didn’t know, muscles usually perform optimally when they’re warm. So if you’re suffering from sore muscles that might be prone to cramping, try taking a warm shower in order to alleviate the soreness.
If you want to get even more involved, try dunking the area of your body that’s particularly sore to get an even more pronounced affect.
Soap
Here’s a solution that people have no idea how it works. People claim from all over that placing a bar of soap between the mattress and the bottom sheet of your bed will prevent any cramps while sleeping. It doesn’t matter the type of soap or what the ingredients are. People claim that it just works!
I’m not sure about this, it could be placebo effect. What do you think?
Pickle Juice
I’m not going to lie. I don’t know anyone that would drink pickle juice voluntarily. Well if you’re suffering from leg cramps, it might just be the best solution for you.
When we sweat, the first thing we lose from our bodies is salt. Pickle juice is full of salt, sugar, and vinegar, and reenergizing your body with this solution is a way to quickly alleviate your muscle pains and cramps.
Bananas
You’e probably heard this one before. Bananas are filled with potassium, a micronutrient that athletes all around the world swear is the key ingredient in preventing cramps. You’ll oftentimes see famous athletes gobbling down a banana before a big match or game. How could you not? Not only do bananas work well against preventing cramps, but they’re also delicious!
What did you think about this information regarding leg cramps? Did you find it useful? I want to hear your thoughts. Let me know in the comments below!
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