Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps are synonymous with sportsmen. But pregnant women and others are equally prone. Find out how to handle the problem.

Every time of the year is sports time and sportsmen are being pushed to the extreme at the risk of a burnout. A muscle cramp is a small price to pay on the way to glory for athletes. A cramp is nothing but a sudden, tight and intense pain in the musc le locked in a spasm. The muscles that are under our control are more likely to go into a spasm along with the long muscles attached to joints on either sides – for example the calf muscles.

Cramps could occur in calf muscles, thigh muscles and not uncommon in feet, hands, arms and muscle fibres of the abdomen. As one would aver muscle cramps are likely to happen in individuals who are prone to intense physical activity like sportsmen and in individuals whose work involves standing for long hours.

These cramps could appear like a mild tic to the intense tightening of the fibres like distorted twitch under the skin. An athlete who has been on a lay off gets back to active sport without the necessary conditioning is more likely to suffer from cramps and for weekend sportsmen who are not used to much activity. Dehydration triggers off cramps due to depleted levels of the electrolytes i.e potassium, magnesium and calcium from the muscle fibres.

While cramps are common in people involved in rigorous physical activity, it is worth examining why individuals not involved any form of sport or physical activity also face the situation. One of the causes is ‘restless legs syndrome’ in which the person has a drawing and uncomfortable pain in the lower limbs while at rest and attempting to sleep; here the muscles fibres are likely to get cramped.

In persons having to wear splints to immobilise the parts of the body, the likelihood of cramps is enhanced. In diseases where there is a fluid shift and accumulation called as ascites in the abdomen, the impairment of the electrolyte mechanism due to liver diseases or in people who need to undergo dialysis to flush out the toxins at regular intervals have a likelihood of going into cramps. Last but not the least, when the necessary elements ie. calcium, potassium and magnesium are reduced either due to increased loss, less intake or impaired assimilation, cramps are round the corner. Pregnant women are likely to develop cramps in the last trimester when there is accumulation of fluid in the lower limbs. In diseases of neuro muscular origin like muscular dystrophy where the activity of muscle fibres is diminished due to improper communication between the nerves and muscles, cramps are a painful feature.

Homoeopathic medicine has good remedies to reduce the frequency of cramps by treating the causes. Sportsmen would do well to take Kali phos, which can see that there is no immediate drop in electrolytes during play; Ma gnesia phos is a good remedy for cramps. For weekend sportsmen, the muscular fatigue is remedied by Bellis perennis. Ferrum met and Arnica are good remedies for symptoms of restless leg syndrome. The imbalance o f electrolytes due to insufficient assimilation is corrected by Plumbum met. To strengthen the tone of the muscles so that they do not go into cramps at the slightest pretext due to neuro-muscular diseases is done by remedies like Physostigma, Cimcifuga and Calcarea phos.