Cramps are a common ailment, and for most people they don’t present too much of a problem. But if your cramps are frequent or particularly long lasting, you might be looking for some help.
What is a Cramp?
A cramp is the involuntary, usually painful contraction of part of a muscle. It commonly affects the calf or muscles within the foot. Duration can range from a few seconds to over a minute at a time. Cramps often occur overnight, and can be painful enough to wake you up. Sometimes the pain or tenderness will linger for up to 24 hours.
In a lot of cases, there is no known explanation for why the cramps happen. You may find that positioning is a factor, but that sometimes it will initiate a cramp and other times it won’t.
Who’s at Risk of Cramps?
Some people are more likely to suffer from cramps than others. These populations include:
- Over 60 year olds
- People who have:
- late stage kidney disease
- ALS
- liver cirrhosis
- diabetes, especially type 2
- fibromyalgia
- Pregnant people
- Athletes
Cramps associated with exercise are often blamed on electrolyte imbalance. Exercise that results in a lot of sweating can indeed cause a loss of electrolytes and lead to cramp, but the exercise in itself is not the problem. Hot and humid conditions may therefore make an athlete more susceptible to cramps.
Pregnancy related cramps most commonly occur in the third trimester. This is likely due to a combination of hormonal changes, fluid retention, and a change in the centre of gravity. The calf muscles have to work harder as the bump grows, simply in order to keep you upright. It may be possible that fatigue caused by this increased demand makes cramping overnight more likely. You might find that strengthening exercises alongside hands-on treatment for the muscles themselves is useful.
Management Strategies
One risk factor within your control is electrolyte balance, but unless you’ve lost a lot of fluid to sweat in the day, it’s unlikely that this is the cause of your nocturnal cramps. What can be helpful as first aid is to find the stretches that work on the affected muscles. Often the cramp is in the calf or sole of the foot. These two areas have some overlap in the movements that stretch them, so if you suffer from both, you might be able to manage them both with just one stretch. Your osteopath can help you identify the stretches that will best suit you, as well as providing hands on treatment to help relax the muscles that are prone to cramping.
Osteopathy is recognised as a therapy that may be able to help with the management of cramp. There is a suggestion that preventative stretching may make episodes less frequent or less intense.
Red Flags
The NHS recommends speaking to your GP if you cramps last over 10 minutes at a time, or come with swelling or numbness.
Click here to make an appointment in Wiltshire for your cramps
