Muscle Cramps: Causes, Prevention & Natural Relief

Leg and back cramps can be caused by electrolyte imbalances, caffeine, or specific diets like ketosis. Increasing your intake of potassium and magnesium, particularly for runners and pregnant women, provides effective relief.

How to Treat a Hamstring Cramp

How to Treat a Hamstring Cramp

Hamstring cramps hurt and can halt your activity. Know what to do when your muscle cramps so you can get back in the game.

Read more →

Difference Between a Pulled Muscle & a Cramp

Muscle pain can stop you in your tracks. But is it a cramp or a pulled muscle that's bothering you? Though the terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing.

Read more →
runner sunrise

How to Recover From Bad Running Leg Cramps

Leg cramps from running are typically caused by overuse, muscle strain or dehydration. Running too far too quickly and without sufficient training or warming up can quickly lead to thigh and calf cramps.

Read more →
Businesswoman sitting at desk with laptop

How to Prevent Leg Cramps When Sitting at Work

Leg cramps are caused by involuntary muscle spasms and can cause sudden pain or discomfort in one or both legs. They can be a result of various factors such as dehydration, pregnancy, low blood sugar or low potassium levels. You can use a variety of techniques to prevent leg cramps when sitting at work.

Read more →
Mussles

Problems With Digesting Mussels

Mussels, sometimes called "the poor man's oyster," feature glossy dark blue shells and delicately flavored flesh. Rich in protein and minerals and high in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, mussels can be a healthful dietary choice. However, not everyone can or should eat them.

Read more →

Supplements for Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramping can feel as if your muscle is tightening involuntarily. This often-painful condition can result from extreme muscle fatigue or lost minerals in the body that affect your muscle functions. Muscle cramps are most common in the calf muscle, back of the thigh and front of the thigh.

Read more →

How Much Magnesium Helps Relieve Leg Cramps?

While many people don’t get enough magnesium in their diet, it’s uncommon to suffer from a true deficiency in magnesium — also known as hypomagnesemia. This isn’t to say that this condition doesn’t occur, but it’s rare.

Read more →
rear view of four football players on a football field

How to Stop Leg Cramps When Playing Football

Muscle cramps are the result of low sodium levels in your body, and several factors can influence the development. The type of fluids you consume prior to and during exercise is important, and heat can also affect your body's internal health.

Read more →
Glass of Beer and American Football

Beer Consumption & Muscle Cramps

Observers and participants alike frequently consume beer during and after sporting events. In fact, beer is sometimes more readily available than water, providing thirsty athletes with a much-desired source of fluids. However, athletes and observers should both exercise discretion when consuming alcoholic beverages.

Read more →
Handsome young man injured while running and jogging on road

Ketosis & Leg Cramps

Leg cramps can intrude on your deep sleep, jolting you out of bed with an intense, sharp pain. When you become dehydrated or have an electrolyte imbalance, your risk of leg cramps increases. Dehydration results from not drinking enough fluid, sweating profusely, working outdoors in the heat and from stomach illnesses.

Read more →
sports  injury

What Causes Cramping After Workouts?

Muscle cramps are a common occurrence in both novice and seasoned athletes. The exact mechanism that triggers a cramp is not clear, but several conditions have been pointed out as likely culprits, including dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and muscle fatigue.

Read more →

Water Pills & Muscle Cramps

About one-third of the U.S. population age 20 and older has hypertension, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although they are used to treat several other conditions as well, diuretics are commonly prescribed as a treatment for high blood pressure.

Read more →
Young man flexing his biceps

Creatine and Muscle Cramps

Creatine is a naturally occurring nutrient that can help rapidly restore energy during intense activity such as weightlifting or sprinting. Creatine also gathers a large amount of water and can cause imbalances in hydration and electrolytes, resulting in cramping.

Read more →
Runner with hamstring muscle painful spasm

What Causes Leg Cramps After Exercise?

Leg cramps are a common experience for many athletes, but they don't have to be part of your exercise regimen. In many cases, taking some simple preventive measures can eliminate cramps altogether. In the event they persist, however, you should consult your doctor to rule out an underlying medical disorder.

Read more →
Close-up of a peeled banana

How to Stop Leg Cramps With Bananas

Leg cramps, also called charley horses, are involuntary muscle spasms that typically occur suddenly and for no apparent reason. They often happen at night and can be excruciatingly painful -- painful enough to wake you out of a sound sleep.

Read more →

Iron Supplements & Leg Cramps

Your body needs the essential mineral iron for your red blood cells to function properly as well as to transport and store oxygen in your blood and muscles. Iron also plays an important role in producing adenosine triphosphate, which provides your body with energy.

Read more →
Woman drinking her orange juice

How Much Potassium Do You Need for Leg Cramps?

Almost everyone experiences at least one painful leg cramp at some point in life, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Potassium, a mineral which, if you have a deficiency, could cause leg cramps, plays an important role in muscle contraction.

Read more →
Mountain Biker Biking Down Stairs in Front of Cathedral

Cramps in the Calf Muscle While Bicycling

The exact cause of calf muscle cramps is still not certain, but several factors appear to trigger cramping. For example, if you're dehydrated, lack some crucial body salts, push yourself too hard or are simply a little older, you're more likely to suffer from a calf cramp.

Read more →
Pregnant Asian couple hugging

Leg, Arm & Back Cramps in Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a wonderful time in a woman’s life. However, being pregnant also means that your body will undergo some dramatic changes. Cramps are one of the many unpleasant physical symptoms commonly associated with pregnancy.

Read more →