Cramps are painful involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles, typically caused by fatigue or strain.?Almost everyone experiences muscle cramps, which come without warning. What causes them, and what can you do to relieve them??Cramps occur involuntarily and you really don?t have much control over them.?Nighttime leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf. The muscle cramps can sometimes happen in the thigh or the foot. They often occur just as you are falling asleep or waking up.

Most common?causes of muscle cramps are?poor blood circulation in the legs overexertion of the calf muscles while exercising?insufficient stretching before exercise and?dehydration.

10 Ways?To Get Rid Of Foot And Leg Cramps

If your body is running low on magnesium or potassium and calcium for?pregnant women,?malfunctioning nerves which could be caused by a problem such as a spinal cord injury or pinched nerve in the neck or back.

Massage?To Get Rid Of Cramps

When muscle cramps occur,?Massage the area of your leg that is cramping. Massage gets to the heart of the problem by addressing trigger points and relaxing tense muscles and also helps blood flow to the affected muscle.?Apply pressure using your fingers to the area of the foot that is cramping and press firmly on the spots where you feel the pain and massage. You can also get a professional massage to help with thigh cramps. Professional massage is so important as these professionals understand which muscles are affected, but also which muscle are going to have secondary inflammation due to the first injury or cramp.

Stretch The Cramped Muscle

Before you can treat a thigh cramp with stretching, it?s important to identify which muscle on your thigh is cramping.?Stretching increases blood flow to the affected area to ease the cramp.?Loosen up the sheets around your feet so that the feet aren’t pressed into a position that tightens your calf muscles as you sleep.

Hydrate

Dehydration is one of the causes of foot and leg cramps and increasing your fluid intake is a great remedy.?Every person is different, so there is no method to determine the exact amount of each electrolyte you would need to consume in order to prevent leg cramps.?Increase the amount of water you drink just before, and during your activities. Even drinking water while you are having a cramp can help to relieve it. If you’re a sportsman?water alone may not be enough for you because?during heavy exercise your body is also using electrolytes that need to be replenished. Depleting electrolytes in your body causes muscle cramps.?Provide more electrolytes in your system by drinking sports drinks, using salt tablets, and eating more foods that contain electrolytes.

Ice?to a Cramped Muscle

This is not for everyone?some people report benefit with applications of ice to a cramped muscle. Determine what works best for you.?Fill a small to medium sized baggie with ice, and add enough water to barely cover the ice. Squeeze the air out, seal it well, then wrap the baggie with damp towel, and apply it to the area. Another?option is to use a bag of frozen veggies, like peas or corn. Wrap the package in a damp towel and apply it to the area.

Banana Juice

Cramping may be due to deficient potassium and electrolytes?in your body, grabbing a banana and eating it will increase your potassium and electrolytes?level. Make banana juice?chop the banana?into small pieces, or mash it into a paste with a fork.?Freeze the chopped banana to make a creamier, colder drink.?Add the banana to a blender. Pour in about ??? cup crushed ice.?Pour milk or your favorite milk substitute into the blender until it reaches about ? the height of your solid ingredients.?Blend until all ingredients are combined and smooth. This will take 1?3 minutes, depending on the power of your blender. Now drink it.

Hot or Cold Compresses

Apply hot or cold compresses to your foot or leg. Rubbing ice along the affected muscle, use?warm towel or a heating pad and?take a warm bath or shower, can relax a muscle cramp and ease inflammation.?It is better you leave it there for about ten minutes to make sure that the pain goes away completely.

Moist Towel Wrap

Wrap a hot moist towel around the pain right away?of course it’s agony hopping around on one foot while you’re finding a towel and waiting for the water to run hot. But once you?get it on your?leg, the pain will pain goes away?instantly. If only you?could prevent them in the first place.

Preventative Measure

Having a tightly made bed and sleeping in certain positions, such as on your stomach, can exacerbate the tendency for muscle cramps. By loosening your covers and sleeping on your side, you may avoid thigh cramps.?Sleep on one of your sides with your knees slightly bent for optimal conditions to help minimize thigh cramps.
Sleeping in positions where your toes are pointing downward may exacerbate cramps.

Balanced Diet

Eat foods that are rich in minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.?foods that are rich in calcium and magnesium include milk, fish, meats, eggs, and fruit.?Include foods in your diet each day that contain potassium. Some foods rich in potassium include bananas, fish, avocados, and potatoes.?Also be sure to get enough salt in your diet. If the weather is hot, and you are sweating from the warmer temperatures, you may want to consider drinking a sports drink each day that contains electrolytes, including sodium, or sodium chloride.

Take Medications

If above remedies didn’t work this is the final solution, or if you have repeated problems with leg cramps, if you are elderly, have diabetes or liver disease, nerve compression caused by problems in your lower back, poor circulation in your legs, or thyroid disease, you may be at greater risk of developing leg cramps.?Diuretics used to treat high blood pressure, can cause changes in your body that normally keep minerals and electrolytes in balance. Your doctor may be able to adjust your medications to help.

Some More Tips That Might Help

• Children are?most likely experiencing growing pains. Many children find that drinking plenty of water helps ease growing pains.
• Using a mild muscle relaxing spray can also do the trick.
• If you are overweight, consider a weight loss program.
• Using Epsom salts in a warm bath may also help relieve thigh?cramps.
• Ultimately if your thigh cramps during or after a workout, just stretch that muscle then sit down for a bit and massage it.