Leg Cramps Causes – Symptoms – Exercise and Remedies
Dr.Kut | Feb 01, 2010 | Comments 0
Every once in a while we experience severe leg cramps especially after a workout. Leg cramps symptoms are generally described as an involuntary and forcibly contracted muscle which does not relax causing a palpable hardening of the involved muscle. This symptom may occur for several seconds or a few minutes or hours depending on the severity of the condition. Cramps usually involve muscles and usually occur during or after muscle contractions. In severe cases of leg cramps, an individual may experience soreness and swelling which can be persistent and may last for several days. When an individual experience leg cramps they usually stops what activity they are doing because their muscles may feel bulge, firm and tender.
The incidence of muscle cramps increases with age, however, there are cases among children as well. Most commonly involved muscles are those under our voluntary control especially our lower extremities such as our leg and calf.
Cramps are undesirable, painful sensations caused by muscle contraction and in most cases, leg cramps causes are electrolyte imbalances such as low blood sodium and potassium levels, usually during dehydration. Other causes of muscle cramps are overexertion, hyperflexion, hypoxia, extreme cold temperature, and dehydration, low salt level in the blood or low calcium blood levels which is more common among adolescents with depressed blood calcium levels brought by bone maturation process. In some cases leg cramps may appear as a complication of pregnancy, kidney disease, thyroid or parathyroid disease, hypokalemia, or hypocalcemia, restless-leg syndrome, varicose veins and on rare cases may include multiple sclerosis.
Electrolyte imbalance plays a major role for the developments of muscle cramps and tetany. The main problem began when electrolytes are disrupted leading to hypokalemia and hypocalcemia. This initially makes the body loses large amounts of interstitial fluid through sweat which comprises of mostly salt and water. Osmotic loses of sodium chloride active particles creates an osmotic imbalance resulting to swelling of muscle cells. In this manner, the calcium pump between the muscle lumen and sarcoplasmic reticulum becomes disabled, causing calcium ions to remain bound to the troponin protein creating an effect of continued muscle contraction. When lactic acid is high in the muscle cells this event also occurs.
Leg cramps spasm and leg cramps are associated with each other. People often mistakenly believe they are the same in definition and may interchange the word most of the time. Leg cramps spasm is defined as an involuntary muscle contraction of the involved muscle group of the leg. It is only when this spasm became sustained, severe, and forceful when it is called leg cramps. In this case, leg cramps is defined as an involuntary and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax which resulted to a visible hardening of the affected leg muscle.
When it comes to muscle cramps in the lower extremities, the most commonly affected area are the thigh and calf. Leg cramps involving the thigh can happen to anyone but the most at risk are the pregnant women, overweight individuals, and elderly with many pre-existing medical condition. Both leg cramps of the thigh and calf leg cramps are caused by circulatory problems on the leg. Poor blood supply to the leg muscles may block arteries supplying the leg muscles and may therefore lead to leg cramps. Conditions such as peripheral artery disease and other circulatory disorders may contribute to cramps and muscle pain during physical activity. In calf leg cramps, calf muscles are usually painful which is otherwise known as claudication pain.
Management of leg cramps is simple and in most cases the symptoms stop if the muscles involved are stretched. Cure of leg cramps may also include soft massage, inhaling deeply, and applying heat or cold. Gentle massage will promote relaxation while heat application may also relax and improve superficial blood circulation. If the leg cramps is associated with dehydration due to strenuous physical activity, fluid and electrolyte replacement (sodium and potassium) is advised.
REFERENCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cramp
http://www.medicinenet.com/muscle_cramps/page2.htm
http://www.ehow.com/about_5143716_causes-thigh-cramps.html
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Filed Under: Bones, Joints and Muscles
