Leg cramps are painful, involuntary contractions of the muscle tissue in your thighs or calves. They are relatively common in runners, especially runners who participate in long-distance events. If you develop leg cramps while running, you can take a number of steps to ease your pain and stop cramps from returning in the future.
Leg Cramp Basics
Cramping is most likely to occur in the hamstring and quadriceps muscles in your thighs and the gastrocnemius muscles in your calves. Cramping in runners or other exercisers typically stems from overuse of the affected muscles, insufficient fluid intake or depletion of the body's normal levels of calcium, potassium or other important minerals. You can easily develop a cramp toward the end of extended or intense activity, or within a window of four to six hours after you cease your activity.
When Cramping Occurs
If your legs start to cramp when you're running or engaged in any other activity, stop and gently stretch your affected muscle until your muscle contraction starts to ease. You should also massage your cramping muscle. An application of some form of heat can also help ease cramping by encouraging muscle relaxation. After you cramp ends and your pain eases, you can also apply ice or another cold source.
Additional Treatments
If muscle soreness lingers after a cramp, ease your pain with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen. You can correct any effects of dehydration by drinking water. In some cases, you may need to consume a mineral-containing sports drink or take salt tablets in order to fully restore your normal mineral balance. Some people with severe leg cramps actually damage their muscle tissue. If this is true for you, you have an injury called a strain. To heal this injury, you will need to follow a course of rehabilitation that includes rest and passive and active exercises for your strained muscle.
Considerations
If you have a leg cramp that causes severe pain and/or doesn't respond to self-treatment, seek treatment from your doctor. Also see your doctor if your cramps last for a prolonged amount of time or reappear frequently. You can help reduce your chances for developing a cramp by only running or exercising within your current capabilities, staying properly hydrated and warming up with a stretching routine that includes quadriceps, hamstring and calf stretches. Ask your doctor and a certified fitness professional for more information on treating or avoiding running-related leg cramps.
