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Home > Common Sports Injuries > Muscle Cramp                     Bookmark and Share Go Back Print This Page Add to Favorites

 


Overview

 


Muscle Contraction, Muscle Cramp Surgeons India, Muscle Cramp Surgery Doctors India Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions or spasms in one or more of your muscles. They often occur after exercise or at night, lasting a few seconds to several minutes. You have probably had a muscle cramp before. It is a very common muscle problem.

Muscle cramps can be caused by nerves that malfunction. Sometimes this malfunction is due to a health problem, such as a spinal cord injury or a pinched nerve in the neck or back.

The most commonly affected muscle groups are:


  1. Back of lower leg/calf muscles - known as the gastrocnemius.
  2. Front of thigh muscles - known as quadriceps.
  3. Inner thigh muscles - commonly referred to as hamstrings.

Anatomy


What parts of the body are involved?

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Muscles are composed of many fibers bundled together; the bigger, more frequently used muscles have more fibers than the smaller, lesser used ones. Among the muscles are voluntary and involuntary muscles. Voluntary, or striated muscles are those that we move by choice (for example, the muscles in your arms and legs). These muscles are attached to bones by tendons, a sinewy type of tissue. Involuntary muscles, or smooth muscles, are the ones that move on their own (for example, the muscles that control your diaphragm and help you breathe). The muscles in your heart are called involuntary cardiac muscles.


causes are :



  1. Straining or overusing a muscle
  2. Dehydration
  3. A lack of minerals in your diet or the depletion of minerals in your body
  4. Not enough blood getting to your muscles
Cramps can be very painful. Stretching or gently massaging the muscle can relieve this pain.


Why does it happen?

While the exact cause of muscle cramp is not known, some researchers believe that it is caused by inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue which, in turn, leads to a malfunction of the mechanism that controls muscle contractions. Other factors, which may lead to cramping, include working or exercising in intense heat, or becoming excessively dehydrated.

Let's examine these causes more closely:


  • muscles are basically bundles of fibres, which contract and expand to produce movement. Stretching lengthens muscle fibres so that they can contract and tighten more effectively during exercise. When someone with a poorly conditioned body embarks on a vigorous exercise programme without doing some form of stretching exercises beforehand, the inevitable result is muscle fatigue. This, in turn, leads to an alteration in spinal neural reflex activity, so that the electrical signals are mixed up.
  • over-exertion causes a severe reduction in a muscle's oxygen supply, which leads to a build-up of waste product and spasm. When a cramp begins, the spinal cord stimulates the muscle to keep contracting, leading to severe pain.
  • muscle cramps are much more likely to occur when exercising in very hot weather because sweating drains the body's fluids and also depletes essential supplies of salt and minerals such as magnesium, potassium and calcium. Loss of these essential nutrients can cause a muscle to go into spasm.

Symptoms


What do muscle cramps feel like?

Treatment Kolkata India, Muscle Cramp Surgery Cost India, Muscle Cramp Surgery Price Muscle cramps are painful, there's no doubt about it. The symptoms of muscle cramps usually come on quickly and intensely. They can be so strong that you may have to stop what you're doing, the discomfort of the cramping making it too difficult to continue. There are also cramps that occur after the fact. These delayed or nocturnal cramps can affect athletes.

The most obvious symptom of a muscle cramp is a sharp, acute pain in the affected muscle or muscles. If it's a large muscle that is involved, like the one in the calf of your leg, you may be able to feel a knot or hard lump in the muscle, just under the skin.


Why does it happen?

While the exact cause of muscle cramp is not known, some researchers believe that it is caused by inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue which, in turn, leads to a malfunction of the mechanism that controls muscle contractions. Other factors, which may lead to cramping, include working or exercising in intense heat, or becoming excessively dehydrated.

Let's examine these causes more closely:


  • muscles are basically bundles of fibres, which contract and expand to produce movement. Stretching lengthens muscle fibres so that they can contract and tighten more effectively during exercise. When someone with a poorly conditioned body embarks on a vigorous exercise programme without doing some form of stretching exercises beforehand, the inevitable result is muscle fatigue. This, in turn, leads to an alteration in spinal neural reflex activity, so that the electrical signals are mixed up.
  • over-exertion causes a severe reduction in a muscle's oxygen supply, which leads to a build-up of waste product and spasm. When a cramp begins, the spinal cord stimulates the muscle to keep contracting, leading to severe pain.
  • muscle cramps are much more likely to occur when exercising in very hot weather because sweating drains the body's fluids and also depletes essential supplies of salt and minerals such as magnesium, potassium and calcium. Loss of these essential nutrients can cause a muscle to go into spasm.


Diagnosis


Generally, people know what they are experiencing when they have a muscle cramp so they don't seek medical help to find out what they are and what caused them. However, sometimes muscle cramps are more serious and they are frequent, lengthy, and unbearably painful. If they are caused by an illness, rather than overexertion, the reason for them will need to be found.

When you first visit Physio and Massage Institute Ltd., our therapist will do a physical examination and take your medical history. Let us know if you have been ill recently with vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Anything that may cause dehydration is important information and should be shared with our therapist.

We’ll ask when the cramps began, how long you been having them, how long they last, and what are you usually doing when they start. Other questions, such as are you pregnant, taking any medications (including over-the-counter and natural or herbal remedies), do you smoke, and how much alcohol do you drink, will be asked. Our therapist will also need to know how much and how often you exercise.

We will want to know exactly where the cramping is occurring. Let our therapist know if there are any other types of pain that happen at the same time. We will want to know if the cramps are always in the same place or if they occur elsewhere.

Some patients may be referred to a doctor for further diagnosis. Once your diagnostic examination is complete, the specialists at Physio and Massage Institute Ltd. can help.



Treatment


What can be done to relieve the pain from muscle cramps?

The type of treatments required for muscle cramps depends on what is causing them. If you're having occasional muscle cramps from physical activity or overusing certain muscles, you can usually take care of the cramps yourself. Simply stopping the activity will stop the cramping. If the cramps continue, stretching the cramping muscle - although painful - should release the tension of the muscle. For example, if it is your calf muscle that is cramping, stand facing a wall or solid object that you can hold on to for balance. Keeping your heel of the sore leg as close to the floor as possible, tilt your body (slowly) to the wall or object, stretching the calf muscle. If you're lying in bed when the cramping starts, you can try pointing your toes straight up towards the ceiling, or grab hold of your toes and pull your foot up towards you,keeping your knee bent slightly.

For athletes who experience a lot of cramping good nutrition is important. Adequate fluid and electrolytes may help limit the cramping. This could mean meeting with a dietitian to discuss diet and eating habits.

Some muscle cramps can be caused as a side effect of certain medications. Talk to your doctor. Adjusting the dosages or changing the medication may help the cramping problem. Don't change any of your prescription drugs or stop taking them without your doctor's knowledge and approval.

If the cramps are caused by an illness, they should subside by treating the illness. Medications are generally not recommended or used for muscle cramps because of their side effects. Most muscle cramps are short-lived. By the time the medication has started working the cramping has already stopped. There are some cases where doctors may use Botox to stop cramping in certain muscles. This is decided on an individual basis and depends on the cause and the impact of the cramping.

Because muscle cramps come on so quickly and suddenly, usually resolving just as fast as they came, the best treatment is prevention. Anyone who is about to do something strenuous or athletic should warm up and stretch their muscles first. If you're moving furniture, digging up a garden, painting, or doing general maintenance that you're not used to, the muscles you will be using can get fatigued. By warming up and stretching them, this should be prevented.

It's also important to stretch correctly. It is best to stretch after a muscle is already warmed up.Don't stretch quickly. Stretch slowly and hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Any shorter than 30 seconds and there's no benefit. Some experts suggest that athletes continue to stretch daily. This may keep the muscles flexible. Also remember to stretch after the activity to allow the muscles to cool down.
























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