Muscle Cramps

My beloved gets muscle cramps. Not quiet little unobtrusive ones, usually big ones, announced by severe grimacing of the face, the jumping up like a jack-in-a-box, accompanied by a great variety in sound, the intensity of which usually indicates the severity of the cramp!

What causes muscle cramps?
- Dehydration.
Drink plenty of liquids every day, generally at least six glasses of water or other beverages daily. Fluids help your muscles contract and relax and keep muscle cells hydrated and less irritable. Drink fluids before any exercise activity. During exercise, drink fluids regularly, and continue drinking water or other fluids after you're finished.

- Stretch your muscles.
Stretch before and after you use any muscle for an extended period. If you tend to have leg cramps at night, stretch before bedtime.

So nothing new there, we've been down the road of making sure he takes enough liquids and the stretching!!


It does not matter where he is, when that cramp hits him, he reacts - and always quite suddenly! Trust me - he loses all decorum.
Needless to say, I end up initially in a paralysed state of shock, after which I rapidly move into action rubbing, scolding and cajoling all at once.
We've found these self-care actions actually help:

- Stretch and massage.
Stretch the cramped muscle and gently rub it to help it relax.
For a calf cramp, put your weight on your cramped leg and bend your knee slightly.
If you're unable to stand, try pulling the top of your foot on the affected side toward your head while your leg is in a straightened position.
This is particularly good for a help ease a back thigh or hamstring cramp.
For a front thigh or quadriceps cramp, use a chair to steady yourself and try pulling your foot on the affected side up toward your buttock.

- Apply cold or heat.
Intermittently use a cold pack to relax tense muscles and then use a warm towel or heating pad to help relieve any pain or tenderness.