Cramps are a very common problem that many people suffer from, most often in their feet and legs. A cramp is an involuntary and forcible contraction or shortening of a muscle, which can cause pain and immobility while it is occurring. Although cramps generally don’t last for too long, people who suffer from them regularly find them very uncomfortable and annoying. If you have recurring cramps here are three tips to help relieve them:
- Stretch or loosen the muscle
- Drink more water
- Magnesium
- Stretch or loosen the muscle
Most people who suffer from cramps know that stretching the muscle that is cramping can help to relieve a cramp while it is happening. Most people don’t realise that you can decrease the likelihood of suffering from a cramp by regularly stretching or loosening the muscle. If you suffer from cramps in your feet, rolling your foot on a tennis ball can help to loosen the muscles in your feet. If you suffer from cramps in your calf muscles, then stretching the calf muscles or rolling them on a foam roller can help to loosen the muscles. The more you can stretch or loosen the offending muscle, the less likely you are to have a cramp.
- Drink more water
A common reason for people to suffer from cramps is dehydration. Increasing your fluid intake can help to decrease the likelihood of suffering from cramps. Generally, adults are advised to drink two litres of water a day. If you drink less than this, particularly if you are active, you may have a higher likelihood of suffering from cramps. So, the more water you can drink the less likely you are to suffer from cramps.
- Magnesium
The above two tips don’t cost anything except a bit of your time, so they are always my first suggestion for people suffering from cramps. Another possible way of helping to relieve cramps is taking a magnesium supplement. This is a very common supplement these days; we stock the Bioceuticals range called Ultra Muscleze. Magnesium supplements can be found in most chemists. Magnesium helps muscles to relax and is often used to help with muscle soreness and tightness. It is also commonly used to help relieve muscle cramps and can be a very effective way of preventing them. Magnesium can also help you sleep better at night, so this will be doubly effective if cramps wake you in the middle of the night.
