What to do about calf cramps Causes of calf cramps

　　Here is a summary of the causes of calf cramps:

　　1. Cold stimulation. Like in winter in a cold environment exercise . Inadequate preparation activities and low swimming water temperature in summer can easily cause leg cramps. night sleep Not covered with a quilt, my calf muscles were stimulated by the cold. The cramps will be so painful that they wake you up.

　　2. Muscles contract too fast continuously. During strenuous exercise. The whole body is in a state of tension and the leg muscles contract too quickly. If the relaxation time is too short, the local metabolite lactic acid will increase, making it difficult to coordinate muscle contraction and relaxation, causing calf muscle spasm.

　　3. Excessive sweating. Exercise for a long time. Exerting a lot of exercise, sweating a lot, and not replenishing salt in time can cause electrolyte imbalance in the body. There is a massive loss of fluids and electrolytes in the body. Accumulation of metabolic waste products. Poor local blood circulation in muscles can also cause spasms.

　　4. Excessive fatigue. Calf muscles are most susceptible to fatigue when traveling long distances, climbing mountains, or climbing high. Because every time you climb higher. One foot supports the whole body's weight. The force required by the muscles of this leg to lift the foot will be six times the human body weight. When it is tired to a certain level, cramps will occur.

　　5. Calcium deficiency. during muscle contraction. Calcium ions play an important role. When the concentration of calcium ions in the blood is too low, muscles are prone to excitement and spasm. Teenagers grow and develop rapidly and are prone to calcium deficiency, so leg cramps often occur.

　　6. Poor sleeping posture, such as lying on your back for a long time with the quilt pressed against the top of your feet, or lying on your stomach for a long time with the tops of your feet touching the bed, forcing certain muscles of the calf to be in an absolutely relaxed state for a long time, causing "passive contracture" of the muscles.

　　7. Excessive emotional stress. Excessive emotional stress can cause stiffness in the body, leading to calf cramps.

　　8. Certain chronic disease , the incidence of cramps in pregnant women will also increase.

　　9. The influence of drugs. Certain blood pressure and blood lipid-lowering drugs may also cause foot cramps.

　　The causes of calf cramps are generally the above. As long as you pay more attention to them, they can be prevented. Of course, exercising regularly and strengthening your physique are the key to maintaining good health. healthy the best method.

　　Treatment for calf cramps

　　Prevention of calf cramps:

　　1. Wear comfortable shoes. Flat feet and other anatomy issues make some people particularly susceptible to leg cramps. Proper shoes are one way to compensate.

　　2. Loosen the bedding. When lying on your back, the quilt may press against the foot, which can tighten the gastrocnemius and plantar muscles. Tight muscles are prone to spasms. Just loosen the bedding a little.

　　3. Stretch your muscles. Stretching your gastrocnemius and foot muscles before bed can help prevent cramps in the first place. You can also place the front of your foot on the first step of the stair step, and slowly press down on your heel so that the heel position is lower than the step position.

　　4. Drink appropriate amounts of water. Large amounts of fluid can dilute the concentration of sodium in the blood, which can cause a variety of problems, including muscle cramps. How much water you should drink depends on your activity level and the food you eat.

　　5. In order to prevent the occurrence of calf cramps, you should pay attention to avoid catching cold in your legs or suddenly exercising too hard or for too long; pay attention to supplement calcium in your diet. Calcium-rich foods include dried shrimps, dried shrimps, dairy products and their products, bone broth, etc. More exercise and sunshine are beneficial to bone growth and health care. You can also take calcium lactate orally.

　　Treatments for calf cramps:

　　1. Toe grabbing and muscle stretching methods

　　Whether during exercise or sleep, when calf cramps occur, you can immediately reach out and grasp the toes of the cramped foot, tilt the toes upward as much as possible, push the heels down as much as possible, and at the same time straighten the knee joint.

　　2. Crossed arm raising method

　　If your right calf has cramps, raise your left arm high; if your left calf has cramps, raise your right arm. After raising your arms, you will feel your arms being stretched, stretching your whole body; or following the raising movement of your arms, you will feel your entire body being stretched.

　　3. Philtaxis compression method

　　When you have calf cramps, you can immediately press the Renzhong point on your upper lip. After pressing, the spasm of the gastrocnemius muscle will gradually relax and the pain will be relieved.

　　4. Gastrocnemius muscle nerve Root pressing method

　　On the inside of the knee joint, there is a place where the head of the gastrocnemius muscle attaches, and the nerve root leading to the gastrocnemius muscle is here. Therefore, when your calf has cramps, use your fingers to feel around the inner side of the knee joint. There is a hard and protruding muscle, and press it hard. The nerves leading the spasm and contraction will calm down, and the calf spasm will stop.

　　When cramps occur, you only need to "do the opposite", that is, pull your toes in the opposite direction of the force and hold for more than 1 to 2 minutes, and the effect will be achieved. Specifically, if the muscles at the back of the calf are cramping, you can twist your feet to raise the soles of your feet and try to straighten your knee joints; when the muscles in the front of your calves are cramping, you can press the soles of your feet and forcefully flex your toes.