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How to Relieve Calf Cramps

Author: Luba Lee / Source: wikiHow

If your calf muscle painfully seizes up and feels tight, you’re likely suffering from a calf cramp. Cramps are common during exercise, but they also plague many people at night while they sleep. Although painful, a calf cramp is typically a relatively harmless condition that will go away on its own after a few minutes.

If you get calf cramps frequently, evaluate your personal habits and see what you can do to prevent them from happening in the future.[1]

  1. 1 Transfer your weight to your cramped leg. At the onset of a calf cramp, lift your other leg or lean to the side where you’re cramping to see if your leg can hold weight. If it can, try walking for a few minutes to see if you can walk it off.[2]
    • You can also alternate your weight from one leg to the other and shake your leg out. This can help loosen the muscle and release the cramp.
  2. 2 Sit with your leg extended if you can’t stand. If the cramped leg won’t hold your weight, find a comfortable place where you can sit with your leg extended straight out from your torso. Roll your foot in circles to engage the calf muscle and try to loosen it up.[3]
    • You can also lean over and grab the toes of your foot, pulling them back gently towards you. This will give the calf muscle a good stretch and hopefully encourage it to loosen up and release the cramp.
  3. 3 Gently rub the affected muscle. Light massage not only relaxes the muscle to help it release, but it also soothes the tissues so your calf may not be as sore later. Even after the cramping ends, you’ll likely feel sore and stiff for several hours.[4]
    • Massaging the muscle also warms it. Heat can help the muscle loosen up and release.
  4. 4 Place a warm towel or heating pad to the muscle. Damp heat provides hydration and helps loosen up the muscle. It may also reduce inflammation around the area of the cramp, which can help ease soreness in your calf later.[5]
    • You might also find relief from soaking in a warm bath for a few minutes as you gently massage your calf.

    Variation: Add anti-inflammatory treatments to the water, such as baking soda, Epsom salts, or oatmeal.

  5. 5 Apply an ice pack to a severe cramp. Severe cramps don’t always respond to heat. For some people, applying heat to a cramp makes it feel even worse. If your cramp doesn’t respond to heat, try placing an ice pack on your calf for a few minutes.[6]
    • Place a towel between your skin and the ice pack to avoid damaging your skin. Only leave the ice pack on for 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. 6 Contact your doctor if your cramps are severe and persistent. You may need prescription drugs to provide relief if you suffer from repeated cramping that doesn’t respond to self-treatment. Your doctor will review your medical history and diagnose the cause of your cramps, which may be symptomatic of another health condition.[7]
    • Doctors may prescribe muscle relaxers or pain-relievers to help prevent calf cramps or make them a bit easier to deal with. The medications prescribed will depend on the cause of your cramps.

    Tip: Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, typically won’t provide any immediate relief for muscle cramps because they take too long to work. However, they can help ease any soreness or tenderness in the affected muscle later.

  1. 1 Stretch your calf muscles gently before engaging in activity. To stretch your calves, stand arm’s length away from a wall. Face the wall with your feet flat against the floor, toes pointed towards the wall. Press your hands against the wall and lean forward slowly until you feel a stretch in your calves. Hold the stretch for 2 to 3 seconds, then release.[8]
    • Repeat the stretch 5 times, breathing deeply through the stretch. Don’t stretch so far that it hurts – just enough that you feel the stretch.

    Variation: Stand with your toes and the front half of your feet on the edge of a step, with your heels hanging off. Slowly lower your heels until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold the stretch for 2 to 3 seconds, then raise your heels back up. Repeat the stretch 5 times, breathing deeply.

  2. 2 Stay well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Exercise-related cramps are more likely to occur if you are dehydrated. Men should drink at least 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of water each day, while women should drink at least…

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