Hydration and Muscle Cramping - Page 2

How can I make cramps go away?

• Stretch and massage the muscle that is cramping.
• Ice is both a pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory. Try massaging the area with ice for no more than 10 minutes.
• Take a warm shower to relax the muscle, or place a heating pad over the muscle. Heat improves superficial blood circulation and makes muscles more flexible, so some people find heat more soothing for muscle cramps than ice.
• Walk around and jiggle your affected leg and elevate it.
• Try standing on the balls of your feet (tip-toes) and seeing if this helps.
Massage the calf, arch, and toes with baby oil for 5 minutes, using a back and forth motion across the length of the muscle. Rolling over the affected
• area from side to side with the palm of your hands can also help.

Almost everyone experiences a muscle cramp at one point in their life. There are a variety of muscle cramps and causes of muscle cramps. It is said that numerous medicines can cause muscle cramps. This makes it important to remember several remedies that can help you deal with your muscle cramp. Most cramps can be stopped if they can be stretched so try that first!

While drinking water during a cramp spasm will not help the cramp instantly fade away, staying hydrated regularly and especially during and after a work-out will keep those "Charlie Horses" and other cramps riding off into the sunset!