Categories: LifeHacks

Causes of Leg Cramps and How to Prevent It From Happening Again

Give relief to those poor legs.

Aging sucks as far as your body is concerned. Once you turn 30, you start to feel those aches and pains that go full blast when you get to your 40s and 50s. If you start feeling cramps in your legs at night, especially during your sleeping time, this may be a sign of nocturnal leg cramps.

This type of cramps usually happens in your lower legs, but in more intense cases the pain can also affect your thighs and feet. The sharp pain can be so intense it can wake you up and it can last from seconds to minutes. The pain may disappear eventually, but soreness in the morning is the aftermath of the cramps.

Leg cramps are usually mistaken for restless leg syndrome, but they are not the same thing.

Source: NYTimes

Yes, they both happen during sleeping hours, but restless leg syndrome is a neurological disorder. One afflicted by this gets the overwhelming and uncontrollable urge to move the legs. This does not happen with night cramps.

Leg cramps are caused by the usual culprits such as bad posture, exercise, and standing on concrete floors on extended periods of time. But other factors such as medications, pregnancy, and excessive alcohol consumption can also contribute to leg cramps.

If you are suffering from leg cramps, you can do the following to treat it and prevent it from happening again:

1) Place heating pad on affected areas.

Source: Natraspashop.com

Heat relaxes the muscles and therefore can lessen pain. Taking a warm bath before bed is also recommended.

2) Include more potassium and magnesium in your diet.

Source: Momjunction.com

You can’t go wrong with bananas!

3) Wear proper footwear.

Source: Livestrong.com

There are ergonomic shoes that are made for support and proper alignment of the spine.

4) Do leg exercises while on a swimming pool.

Source: Lifescript.com

This can give you the workout you need while lessening the impact on your muscles and joints.

For most of us, leg pain can’t be avoided especially if it comes with aging. But you don’t have to suffer any more than you have. There are remedies and preventive measures for fast and long-term relief.