Arthritis: Causes, Effects and Remedies

Leg cramps are actually muscle cramps that are involuntary in nature and cause a lot of pain. The muscles may begin to contract on their own and may not be able to relax. In such a case, the person experiencing the cramps may feel unable to walk. Even if leg cramps are mild, they may cause a lot of ensuing pain.

Leg cramps are usually experienced in the lower leg or the calf muscle and both front and back of the thigh. While cramps are common in other parts of the body as well, they are most common in the legs. The cramping muscle often feels extremely hard and bulging. You can feel the muscles hardening.


Often people mistake leg cramps for muscle spasms and twitches, but these are completely different. Night cramps are extremely common and occur when you are sleeping. These are extremely uncomfortable and may cut short your sleep. Such cramps may be felt in both the legs and the foot.

Symptoms of Leg Cramps

The symptoms for leg cramps are usually very straightforward. The muscles begin to tighten involuntarily, and you can feel them harden in the legs.

The leg may become hard to touch as well. Often, the leg muscles may bulge or appear misshapen when they are cramped.

You will also experience pain, especially if you try to put some weight on it. Since the leg cramps are caused due to involuntary contraction of the muscles, there is little you can do to correct them. Even after the muscle is relaxed, you may continue to feel the pain for some time after. Leg cramps have the same symptoms as muscle cramps in any other area of your body.

Causes of Leg Cramps

Muscle cramps almost always occur when your muscles are either overused or injured. Dehydration is another reason for muscle cramps. When you are dehydrated, the electrolyte level of your body becomes unbalanced, and the low levels of calcium and potassium can cause cramps. If you do not stretch before exercising or participating in any kind of sports activity, it could cause the muscles to overstretch and get cramped. People often experience cramps while swimming or playing golf, tennis and other sports.

Some of the other common causes of muscle spasms include the following:

• Alcoholism: Alcohol abuse can cause the body to lose precious fluids and the muscles to get dehydrated. This could lead to severe and painful cramping in muscles.
• Hypothyroidism: This is a hormonal condition in which the lack of thyroid hormones causes the muscles to spasm and cramp uncontrollably.
• Kidney Failure: When the kidneys are not able to filter the blood normally, it can upset the electrolyte balance in the body and cause cramping of muscles.
• Medications: There are certain medications that may cause muscle spasms and cramps as side effects.
• Pregnancy: The hormonal changes taking place during the time of pregnancy can cause several physical changes as well. Pregnant women experience excessive cramping, especially in their legs.
• Metabolic Problems: Some metabolic problems may cause cramping.
• Premenstrual Syndrome: PMS is one of the leading causes of cramping. Cramping in PMS occurs due to the hormonal changes in the body.

Remedies for Leg Cramps

While leg cramps are painful, they are not a serious health condition, and therefore, the treatment can be attempted at home. Cramps do not require medical attention and with a little home care, natural remedies as well as lifestyle changes, you can get rid of them for good. Here are some simple things you can do to take care of your cramped muscles and spasms.

• If you experience leg cramps while you are performing any rigorous exercise, stop immediately. Stretch your legs and with your forefinger and thumb, massage the area where you are experiencing the cramps. Gently kneading the muscles with your fingers can help them get back to their original shape and stop contracting.
• If you have a heating pad available, apply some heat to the affected area. This will help relax the muscles and dispel the muscular tension, which may have caused the cramping. Do not keep applying the heat. Apply it for a few seconds and then remove the heating pad. Attempt this again after massaging the muscles for a few seconds. Keep repeating till the muscles are no longer painful and sore.
• Heat will not be of much help if you have already experienced leg cramps and are dealing with their painful aftermath. To get relief from the pain, apply an ice pack on the cramped muscles. This will soothe the painful muscles and the pain will subside.
• If the muscles are still sore and painful, and if the severe cramping feels debilitating, you can consume some over the counter pain medications to get relief. In addition, you can also try non steroidal anti inflammatory medications. Do consult your doctor before you consume any of those. If the pain still persists, ask your doctor to prescribe you a stronger medication.
• Keep yourself well hydrated, especially if you are planning to work out or are participating in sports. When you go out for a game or for practice, keep water and energy drinks with you so that you can replenish lost fluids every now and then. Salt tablets and sports drinks also help you replenish lost fluids and minerals, therefore maintaining the healthy electrolyte balance.
• Do not work out beyond your ability. The best way is to start slow and increase gradually. As your stamina increases, you will find it easier to work out as well.
• Perform adequate stretching before you begin any kind of work out. Even if you are going to the gym, dedicating the first few minutes to stretching exercises is a good idea. There are no permanent cures for leg cramps.

Diet for Leg Cramps

There is no specific diet for leg cramps. However, since it has been seen that keeping yourself hydrated can prevent cramping in the muscles, most physicians recommend it.

In case you persistently experience leg cramps, it is best if you can consume lots of water and sports drinks to replenish any fluids that you lose.

This is also needed if you are spending time outside in the sun or are planning to participate in any sports activities.

Those who suffer from nocturnal leg cramps should consume bitter lemon and tonic water regularly as this can reduce your body’s tendency to get cramps. You may also consume foods rich in vitamin D for treatment of persistent leg cramps.

Suggestion for Leg Cramps

Regular exercises for stretching your calf and thigh muscles can help in controlling leg cramps and muscle spasms.

Yoga has certain stretching exercises that are gentle and help tone and soothe the muscles. Enroll yourself in local yoga center to ensure that you don’t worsen the situation by attempting poses at home.

If you have overused and overstretched muscles, it is best to rest them before you continue with any other strenuous activity that may further strain them. Specific poses like the Tadasana (Mountain Pose) in yoga can help stretch your legs before you begin other exercises.

If you have an exercise regime, you may begin it by practicing the Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation). This is a yoga pose that works all your muscles and makes them supple enough to withstand the stretching and stress during your regular exercises.