While walking, running, exercising, dancing, or any other daily activity, we feel that some of the muscle in the leg is involuntarily and forcibly contracted. We are not in a state to control the muscle and undergo tremendous pain. This condition is often called as leg cramps. This cramp is unexpected, uncontrolled contraction of a muscle. Such cramps often result into a visible or clear hardening of the involved muscle. A muscle that reluctantly contracts is in a “spasm.” The spasm becomes a cramp when it is forceful and sustained.
There are different types and causes of muscle cramps. The sufferer can feel the cramps for a few seconds or some minutes or occasionally even longer. It is noticed that cramps in legs and feet are the most common among adults as well as teenagers. Even though there are no clear reasons why anyone suffers from the leg cramps, there are some possible factors leading to the situation. Leg cramps usually happen when you are sleeping i.e. you are resting your bed.
Muscle fatigue, heavy exercising, dehydration, increased weight, electrolyte imbalances, etc. are considered as contributing factors for leg cramps. Adoption of adequate nutrition and hydration could help you avoid leg cramps. It is noticed that people who work out and exercise in an unusual manner suffer from leg cramps. At the same time, patients who are overweight are prone to developing leg cramps.
If you are witnessing leg cramps on regular basis then see your doctor. In case it is not a regular scenario, you can easily avoid this by changing your habits and adopting some exercises.
Tips To Cure Leg Cramps Naturally
Try To Relax The Muscle With Hot Water
Taking a warm shower or bath, or keeping a heating pad on the affected muscle helps you reach relaxation. The other way is to put your foot in warm water. Take some hot water in the bucket and immerse your foot in the water.
Try To Relax The Muscle With Cold Pack
This could be done by keeping ice on the affected muscle. Make sure to use a cloth between your skin and the ice pack.
Jiggle Your Leg When It’s In Cramp
When you feel cramp and muscle of your leg is not controllable, try to shake the affected leg. Once the cramp goes away, try to rotate your foot in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
Drink at least three full glasses of water daily, including one before bedtime. Also ensure to consume plenty of fluid like fresh fruit juices before, during, and after exercise.
Eating Bananas Helps In Curing Your Cramps
Bananas are said to be a good home remedy for cramps. Whenever you experience any cramps, just treat yourself with some bananas.
Apply Emu Oil On The Affected Area
Due to its hypo- allergenic feature, Emu Oil has been proven to be suitable for all humans, and pets. Keep the pack of Emu Oil handy and when you experience the cramp, simply massage the affected area for about 10 minutes. This will really help to ease the pain caused due to cramps.
Consume Hot Beverages Like Hot Tea
Consume some hot tea and add some lemon juice into it when you experience the pain. The heat generated through this solution offers some instant aid from the cramps.
Exercise To Avoid Cramps
Adhering to daily exercise regime helps you to prevent cramps. Exercising actually helps to relax the muscles and hence avoid cramps to a large extent.
Stretching Exercises
These exercises can prevent you from leg cramps. Initially, it is suggested to do stretching exercises of affected muscles for about fifteen minutes daily. This fifteen minutes slot could be divided into five minutes exercise, three times a day. It is also suggested to do the stretching once before you go to bed. This will help you ease from the horrible cramps when you are fast asleep.
How To Stretch
Stretching could be either done with help of leaning on the wall or when you are sitting in a relaxed position. While doing it with support of the wall, stand at some distance from a wall. Bend forward and lean on the wall, but keep soles of your feet flat on the floor. You will feel stretch into your calf muscles. Moving slowly forces the muscle to work harder and muscles strength will increase faster.
You can also stretch the muscle while sitting in a chair or on edge of your bed. While sitting, straighten your leg and flex your foot up toward your knee. The leg cramps will not ease off into first attempt. Keep trying this for about one or two week and notice if you have any relaxation in the cramps.
Take Care Of Posture When You Are Fast Asleep
Take care of posture when you are resting in your bed. It will of course help to sleep in positions, which prevent the calf muscle from shortening when the patient is sleeping.
Caution: Please use Home Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.