It can happen when in a flash: suddenly your calf muscle tightens and contracts, causing excruciating pain down your leg. What you have is cramp.
Common as they are, the cause of cramps is a bit of a mystery and has baffled scientists for years. Basically, a cramp is a sudden and involuntary muscle contraction. It can last anywhere from a few seconds to about ten minutes. Anyone can be prone to cramps, but two groups of people are particularly affected by leg cramps: pregnant women and older people. It’s believed that a third of people over 60 experience leg cramps.
However, many people associate this severe pain with exercise.
Salt, dehydration and electrolyte theory
This common affliction’s cause has often been ascribed to dehydration and low salt/electrolyte levels in the body. But there’s not much scientific evidence to support these theories; only a few small case–control studies.
The theory has been quite hard to disprove because muscle cramps are difficult to study due to the fact that they’re often spontaneous and involuntary, plus they stop after a short time.
According to researchers, cramps might be a phenomenon associated with ‘altered neuromuscular control’, stemming from multiple factors including muscle fatigue and damage. This would explain why the muscles affected by cramp are usually those that have been working hardest.
What to do when getting a cramp?
If you feel a sudden cramp attack of cramp, try to reverse the contraction by stretching the affected muscle. Do note though that there’s some disagreement surrounding the mechanism of this relief. In simple terms, stretching the muscle increases tension in the muscle tendon which sends impulses to the brain telling the cramping muscle to relax.
How can I prevent nocturnal cramp?
Some medications may decrease night-time leg cramps but these medications might not be effective and some are associated with some serious side-effects. So if you’re wanting a cramp-free kip, you could try stretching exercises. Gently stretch the affected muscles shortly before turning in. It may take a while before you notice an improvement. It’s worth trying the exercises for a few weeks to see if the cramps ease off. The cramps may not disappear altogether, but their frequency and/or severity may reduce.
Also, certain sleeping positions may prevent the calf muscle from shortening, contracting or tensing when lying in bed. If you lie on your back, make sure that your toes point upwards.
