A muscle cramp is a strong, painful contraction or tightening of a muscle that comes on suddenly and lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. It often occurs in the legs. Below are some remedies you can try to stop muscle cramps.
- Massage the muscle that is in spasm.
- Take a warm shower or bath to relax the muscle. A heating pad placed on the muscle can also help.
- Use an ice or cold pack if applying heat does not work for you. Always keep a cloth between your skin and the ice pack.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, will often help alleviate leg cramps.
- Stretch calf muscles if you are having a leg cramp:
- Sitting: straighten your leg and flex your foot up toward your knee. It may help to place a rolled towel under the ball of your foot and, while holding the towel at both ends, gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight.
- Standing: face the wall and put your hands on the wall as if you were trying to push it away. Keep the knee of the affected leg straight, the heel on the ground and bend the knee of the other leg. Lean forward.
Consult your doctor if muscle cramps keep coming back, interfere with your sleep or are severe.
