Many types of exercise can cause muscle cramps. If you have painful or frequent leg cramps, it may be a sign that something is wrong. Some cramps are caused by dehydration and loss of electrolytes, while others are caused by overworking your muscles. In more serious situations, underlying medical conditions, such as hardened arteries, can cause cramps. If you are not able to treat or identify the cause of your leg cramps, consult a health care provider.
Exertional Heat Cramps
Exercising for extended periods of time can cause your body to lose fluids and electrolytes through sweat. If you do not replace these during your workout, you can suffer from exertional heat cramps. Your muscles need sodium, potassium and magnesium to contract and relax properly. Exertional heat cramps are a common cause of muscle cramps for athletes, but you can help prevent them with diet. Increase your intake of potassium rich foods, such as bananas. Drinking sports beverages or water with added salt through the duration of your workout will help replenish the fluids and electrolytes that you lose.
Muscle Fatigue
Intense and prolonged periods of exercise can lead to muscle fatigue. When you overuse, injure or strain your muscles or tendons, painful muscle cramps can follow. Muscle fatigue suppresses the activity of neurons that inhibit muscle contraction. When the spindles of your muscle fibers are stimulated from exercise, this can cause uncontrolled and painful muscle contractions. Prevent muscle fatigue and related cramps by conditioning your muscles gradually and stretching before you exercise. Low-intensity exercises that use a range of your muscles are less likely to cause extreme fatigue for a particular muscle.
Medical Conditions
Different medical conditions can be an underlying cause of muscle cramps that occur during and after exercise. This can include nutrient deficiency, hormone imbalance, circulatory problem, stress or medication that you are taking. If your leg cramps become frequent or painful, consult your health care provider to rule out serious medical conditions that can cause muscle cramps, such as a herniated disc, Lou Gehrig's disease, an irritated nerve connected to your leg muscle, hardened arteries, thyroid problems, infection, liver cirrhosis or a narrowing spinal canal.
Treatment
Stop exercising as soon as your leg muscles begin to cramp. Massage or gently stretch the affected muscle and use a hot compress to relieve its tightness. To treat the underlying cause of frequent cramps, identify the type of cramp you are experiencing. If you do not know the cause or are not able to treat them yourself, consult your health care provider.
References
- MedlinePlus: Leg Pain
- MedlinePlus: Charley Horse
- "Current Sports Medicine Reports"; Muscle Cramps During Exercise -- Is It Fatigue or Electrolyte Deficit; Michael Bergeron; July 2008
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Muscle Cramps
