Leg Cramps: Why Do They Occur?

It has certainly happened to you to experience leg cramps throughout your life. You may even be wondering what is really going on in this part of the body. The cramps cause so much pain, but they are nothing more than a series of involuntary muscle contractions.

The back of the legs is rounded. In fact, the legs are made up of different muscles. One of them is the sural triceps muscle, which is involved in the onset of this painful problem.

Most people experience leg cramps at night, with intense pain that wakes them from sleep. In this article, we will explain why cramps occur and what you need to do to alleviate or prevent this discomfort.

Why do leg cramps occur?

When you have leg cramps, you are actually experiencing involuntary contraction of the sural triceps muscle. This muscle shortens, which is visible even to the naked eye. The cramps are very painful.

Researchers do not know exactly why this is happening. But we know a few factors related to the appearance of cramps. First, leg cramps are associated with intense exercise performed over a long period of time. They also occur if you make the wrong moves.

Secondly, cramps also occur when you train without warming up your muscles first. It seems that exercise, along with lack of hydration, cause toxins to accumulate in the muscles. Therefore, they cause many muscle contractions.

However, in the case of ankle cramps, the cause is not always physical training. In fact, there are many factors that can trigger this problem (for example, alcohol, coffee, tobacco, certain medications or an unhealthy diet).

Can leg cramps be linked to another condition?

As you probably already know, leg cramps most often occur in the middle of the night, making you wake up. If this happens repeatedly, it is best to go through a short stretching routine before bed.

It is also important to note that when you exercise, you need to progress slowly. In other words, gradually increase the intensity, not suddenly. You need to know when to rest and do it right.

In addition, don’t forget to train your muscles before exercising. The same goes for hydration and diet. As we have seen, dehydration can cause these leg cramps.

Some experts recommend physical therapy exercises to prevent leg cramps. Ideally, you should do light stretches in a controlled manner. Avoid sitting on tiptoes or touching the painful area. In fact, these movements can cause another muscle spasm.

If you frequently have cramps in your legs, it is important to consult a doctor. The specialist will have to check if another type of pathology is causing this situation.