| Home | Articles | Links | Auctions | Products | Books |
Cramp - Prevention and TreatmentSymptoms Muscle cramps occur when a muscle or group of muscles begin to contract involuntarily and will not then relax. So, for example, the calf muscle is extended as if the foot were pointed, but the foot is in fact in the normal position. The cramp can occur in any muscle or muscles, but in sports terms, cramp is most often seen in the back or the front of the thigh. That however depends on the sport, some sports like bowling being more prone to cramps in the back or the abdomen. Once a cramp attack begins, the intensity can vary widely between mild temporary discomfort, and prolonged severe pain. Prolonged in this case meaning anything up to ten or twelve minutes, but in a well trained and conditioned athlete it's unusual to exceed a few minutes. Causes of Cramp The exact cause of cramp is open to debate and not yet fully understood - if it were we wouldn't get it, but there are two basic causes for sport related cramps. We aren't going to cover other groups who get cramp such as the elderly and pregnant women as that's outside the scope of this article. There are however three basic causes that are agreed on and we'll cover each in turn. The three being:
Fatigue and Conditioning These two factors are so closely related that we'll treat them as one. It's well known among professional athletes of all kinds that they're more likely to suffer from cramp early in the season, when first taking up the sport or after a long layoff. The conclusion we can draw from this is that athletes are less likely to suffer from cramp when at their peak fitness. It's also clearly seen when watching football on TV that if the game should go into extra time the incidence of cramp will greatly increase. It's also clear that the players most likely to suffer from cramp are those who have given their all in the first 90 minutes and those who are towards the end of their playing career. In the case of professional athletes there is little than can be done about this as they must always operate at one hundred percent of their fitness level, but for an average amateur, this can be minimised by generally increasing fitness levels and not exercising beyond your capability. This of course is easier said that done when taking part in an event like a marathon which by definition is pushing a person's fitness levels to the limit. Hydration The other clear major cause of cramp is hydration. This happens when there is a lack of fluid in the body, generally caused by sweating, which leaches the body of essential minerals. The exact way in which the lost minerals like calcium and potassium operate on the muscles is not well understood, but the muscles cannot operate efficiently without them and so begin to spasm. This type of cramp is often experienced by athletes who are exercising in higher temperatures than normal and so sweating a good deal more than usual.
Treatment
In the case of cramp caused by hydration the obvious remedy is to drink water or
better still a
sports drinks boosted with electrolytes. If you know you will be
exercising in unusually high temperatures or for a longer period than usual, make
sure to boost your fluid levels at regular intervals.
|
