Muscle Cramps

We (as in ME) all get them... Especially those annoying Toe Cramps. I seriously hate them. So I decided to do a little bit of reasearch about why I get them, and also some cures and exercises to help prevent them.. Now it's just a matter of doing the exercises and fingers-crossed... They'll Stop!

Introduction

Any regular sufferer of toe cramps will look at a ballerina, her toes pointed impossibly, and simply cringe. There's no way they'd be able to do that and get away with it. Actually, toe cramps can become a chronic problem for professional dancers, despite their outstanding muscle tone. For some people, any slightly abnormal movement of the toes, even wriggling them in the sand, gives rise to excruciating pain and the kind of toe curling that is not related to pleasurable activities! Toe cramps can come from nowhere. One minute you're lying in bed, happily watching TV and the next, you're writhing in agony and you feel as though your toes have turned against you, waging a war you think you won't win. [http://www.crampshelp.com]

What Your Symptom Is Telling You

Muscle cramps are an "equal opportunity" pain: They don't discriminate between the star athlete and someone who barely moves. You may be competing in a long-distance bike race, taking leisurely laps in the pool or sleeping soundly in bed. Suddenly, a muscle seizes up and grips you in pain.

A cramp is caused by anything that interferes with the muscle's natural ability to contract and relax. Take a foot spasm, for example. When feet are flexed for propulsion while swimming or when tight bedsheets force your toes downward, the muscle tendons become overstretched and the nerves extending through your foot and into your calf can become hyperexcitable. When this happens, the nerve signals become confused, according to Robert Nirschl, M.D., assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. The result: a painful cramp. "Your muscles may get the message to contract, but not to relax," he explains.

Profuse perspiration can also cause a muscle cramp. Heavy sweating drains your body of important minerals: potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium. These minerals, called electrolytes, carry electrical charges to the nerves that control a muscle's impulse to contract and relax. Lack of fluids can upset the delicate balance of electrolytes, causing nerve signals to misfire.

If you've actually injured a muscle from overuse, a cramp may go into a continuous contraction, or spasm. While "cramp" and "spasm" are often used interchangeably, a spasm generally means the muscle fibers have "locked up" to protect the injured muscle.

People who have conditions that interfere with blood circulation or muscle metabolism can experience repeated cramps. These conditions include diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disease.

Symptom Relief

Here's how to ease out of the grip of a muscle cramp, no matter what the cause.

Stretch and squeeze.
Stretch a cramped leg muscle with one hand and alternately squeeze and release the muscle with the other hand. "This mechanical kneading restores blood flow and generally helps relax the spasm and tightness in seconds," says Dr. Nirschl.
Point your toes back toward your chin.
This is a quick way to halt a leg cramp while swimming, according to Harry Daniell, M.D., clinical professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine.
Cool it.
If stretching doesn't release a cramp and the muscle's in painful spasm, an ice massage will numb the area, according to Irene von Estorff, M.D., assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine at the New York HospitalCornell Medical College in New York City. Rub the ice over the cramped muscle for three to five minutes. Make sure to keep the ice moving so you don't harm skin tissue.
Pinch your upper lip.
Oddly enough, pinching the area above the upper lip with your finger and thumb can make a leg cramp vanish, according to Dr. Nirschl. He's not sure why this works, but there are two possible reasons: The upper lip may be a pressure point that helps relax the muscle. Or, he says, it simply may be that the pain of the pinch distracts you from the pain of the cramp until it releases on its own.
Quench your thirst pronto.
"If you're exerting yourself, dripping with sweat and suddenly feel a cramp in your thigh, take a few swigs of water or whatever fluid is handy," says Robert Wortmann, M.D., chairman of the Department of Medicine at East Carolina University School of Medicine in Greenville, North Carolina. If you follow swigging with stretching, the cramp should vanish quickly.
Keep on sipping. "To prevent cramping during a sweaty workout, take three or four normal swallows of water every ten minutes," says Owen Anderson, Ph.D., editor of Running Research News.
Pass up the salt.
Whatever you do, avoid taking salt tablets or very salty liquids such as soft drinks when you're perspiring. "Salt actually draws fluid out of muscles and into the stomach," says Dr. Nirschl.
Pack a sports drink on a hot day.
If you're going to be sweating profusely during a long hike, you may need to replace potassium and other electrolytes that plain water can't provide. "Sipping electrolyte sports drinks such as Gatorade at regular intervals may be a good idea," says Dr. Nirschl. These replacement drinks also contain glucose, which helps electrolytes get absorbed quicker than plain water.
Do wall push-ups before bedtime.
"In a study with 44 people, we found that calf-stretching exercises, performed three times per day for a week, helped cure nocturnal leg cramps," says Dr. Daniell. To perform the calf stretch, he says, stand facing a wall about two feet away. Place your hands on the wall and slowly lean forward, keeping your heels in contact with the floor. Hold the position for ten seconds and relax for five seconds. Do this two more times.
Serve yourself a quinine nightcap.
"This age-old remedy seems to work for nocturnal leg cramps," says Dr. Daniell. Possibly, quinine make nerves less excitable. In any case, taking quinine and vitamin E tablets (like Q-vel) or 12 ounces of plain tonic water each night probably won't hurt, and it may help. But talk to your doctor first.

Exercise Those Feet For Better Health

Many people underestimate the importance of keeping their toes physically fit. Toes take a lot of abuse from the hours we spend on our feet each day. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society recommends doing the following simple exercises to strengthen your toes and prevent foot discomfort.

Toe raise, toe point, toe curl
Hold each position for five seconds and repeat 10 times. This especially recommended for people with hammertoes or toe cramps.
Toe squeeze
Place cigarette filters or small corks between your toes and hold a squeeze for five seconds. Do this 10 times. Recommended for people with hammertoes and toe cramps.
Big toe pulls
Place a thick rubber band around the big toes and pull them away from each other and toward the small toes. Hold for five seconds and repeat 10 times. Recommended for people with bunions or toe cramps.
Toe pulls
Put a thick rubber band around all of your toes and spread them. Hold this position for five seconds and repeat 10 times. This is especially good for people with bunions, hammertoes or toe cramps.
Golf ball roll
Roll a golf ball under the ball of your foot for two minutes. This is a great massage for the bottom of the foot and is recommended for people with plantar fasciitis (heel pain), arch strain or foot cramps.
Towel curls
Place a small towel on the floor and curl it toward you, using only your toes. You can increase the resistance by putting a weight on the end of the towel. Relax and repeat this exercise five times. Recommended for people with hammertoes, toe cramps and pain in the ball of the foot.
Marble pick-up
Place 20 marbles on the floor. Pick up one marble at a time and put it in a small bowl. Do this exercise until you have picked up all 20 marbles. Recommended for people with pain in the ball of the foot, hammertoes and toe cramps.
Sand walking
Take off your shoes and walk in the sand at the beach. This not only massages your feet, but also strengthens your toes and is good for general foot conditioning.
Foot Rotations
Cross your legs, point the toe down and move your foot in circles, first clockwise, then counterclockwise. The foot can also be rotated gently in and out and moved up and down at the ankle.