How To Massage Leg Cramps Video

Leg cramps are painful involuntary contractions of the muscles in the leg. Get expert tips and advice on massage and other treatments in this video.

Take Action

Go up length of muscle
Stretch the muscles
Use fingertips
Ask person about comfort

About this Author

Malu works for Retreat Massage Therapy as a massage therapist. She is well versed in techniques that are particularly helpful for athletes.

MALU LUJAN: Okay. So we are going to use some techniques to help with leg cramps. These are similar to some of the techniques that we have used already, some of them are and some are not. And they are very simple. And one basic rule of thumb with leg cramps is sometimes just resting is sufficient. And if you get in there and try to massage somebody too hard and they have a leg cramp, it might cause them to cramp up a little more, so just see what they need at the time. I am going to use a little bit of massage oil. And I am using firm, gentle pressure and just smoothing. I am going the length of the muscle. A very common place for people to get leg cramps is in their calves. And going the length of the muscle really helps to alleviate tension if you have leg cramps. Another thing you can do is stretch. And if you had a leg cramp in the front of your leg or in the back of your leg, this can be a great stretch. If your Achilles tendon is tight, this is a very good stretch for that. So I am just putting the palm of my hand into the ball of her foot between that and the toes, and I'm stretching her. That stretches the entire back of the calf, and this stretches the front of the body. Another technique you can use is to just put their foot on your shoulder. And I've got my fingertips in the center of her calf and the front of my hand is on her shin, the side of her legs, and again just kind of stretching the muscle as you massage. You can also squeeze. Is that too heard?

How to Massage Leg Cramps Video

Take Action

About this Author