Exercise is essential to good health. Regular, moderate exercise helps maintain a proper metabolism and supports proper immune function, but some people suffer from muscle spasms and bruising during or after exercise. There are several possible causes for spasms and bruising.
Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasms, or cramps, are the involuntary clenching or contracting of a muscle. Muscle spasms can range from being mildly annoying, such muscle twitching, to excruciatingly painful, and can last from a few seconds to several hours. Some spasms are so severe that they cause bruising to the tissues surrounding the muscle. There are many possible causes of muscle spasms, including nutritional deficiency, dehydration, strenuous exercise and electrolyte depletion. During exercise, muscles are constantly working, and those muscles need the proper amounts of hydration, electrolytes and nutrients to work at their peak and not spasm.
Bruises
Bruises, also called contusions, occur when small blood vessels under the surface of the skin are broken. The blood leaks into surrounding tissues and causes discoloration. Bruises are often painful, and the pain can very depending on location and severity of the bruise. Skin, muscle and bones can be bruised, with bone bruises being the most severe. Bruises can be the result of vigorous exercise, and some medications can make you more prone to bruising, as can nutritional deficiency -- especially vitamin B12 -- anemia and some diseases. If you are nutritionally deficient, such as being low in iron, you can bruise simply from pressing against an object like a weight bar or by working your muscles.
Prevention
Proper nutrition and vitamin intake is very important for health. Sufficient vitamin levels ensure your body gets what it needs to function properly and to heal when injured. Rest, proper warm-up and cool-down and stretching are all important ways to prevent exercise-induced muscle spasms and bruising. It also is important not to overdo the workout. Adequate hydration levels will help prevent muscle spasms.
Treatment
Prolonged muscle spasm in the leg is called a charley horse and the worst thing to do is tense up in response to the pain, even though this is an automatic reaction. Combining deep breaths and muscle relaxation is the best way to ease the pain of the spasm. Treat bruises with ice during the first several days, then with heat to help the blood get absorbed back into the tissues.
References
- MedlinePlus: Bruises
- Acu-cell Disorders: Muscle Spasms / Cramps: Nutritional Causes, Prevention & Therapies
- "Therapeutic exercise"; Treatment of Muscle Spasms;Hans Kraus;1963
- Home Remedies: Bruises
