Why do we cramp?

January 30, 2020 Guest User

I’m pretty sure you have all experienced a muscle cramp once in your life.

It can occur while exercising, sitting at a desk, during the day or at night.

BUT WHY DO MUSCLES CRAMP?

Despite being quite common it’s not totally clear why cramps appear.

Here are some theories which may apply to you.

One main reason is your muscle is too exhausted and tight. After doing a heavy workout/activity it’s very important to help your muscles to release again. To get away from the “crampy” feeling it’s necessary to cool down, to stretch you out and drink lots of water. The cool down aspect is important to bring your tension and heart rate back to a normal level. The stretching exercises support your muscles to get back to their normal length again. While exercising you sweat, which leads to water and electrolytes loss which could cause muscle spasm.
Another cause is inactivity during the day. If you have a profession in which you’re sitting or standing on the spot your blood flow will slow down. To keep your blood circulation running in your legs you need the so called “muscular pump”. To activate this “muscular pump” you have to move from time to time. The best exercise in this case are calf raises or using stairs instead of an elevator.
If you come back from a muscle damage or a previous injury you might have a cramp easier if you haven’t reached the right conditioning yet.
If you’re training or walking outside while the sun is burning down you might suffer from dehydration even more. Sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium are just a few electrolytes that play a major role to regulate muscle contraction and relaxation. Make sure you supply your body sufficiently.
Some medications have cramps as a side effect.

To keep it short and easy.