Charley horse! Wow, those muscle cramps, often in the calf, can stop you in mid-swim or make you sit right up in bed.
What causes a charley horse? They’re muscle spasms, with several common causes:
- muscle overuse
- nerve irritation
- dehydration
When a charley horse strikes, stop the activity, and stretch out. Massage the muscles, and add heat if necessary to relax the muscle.
Since the most common cause of charley horses in activity is dehydration, make sure you’re drinking enough all day long. Even mild dehydration can lead to problems. If you’re taking diuretics to treat high blood pressure and you’re having muscle cramping, review the meds with your doctor. Cimetidine, a heart burn reliever, may also be a culprit.
If you’re getting charley horses during walking, swimming or other activities make sure you’re getting enough calcium and potassium-rich foods as well as hydration. Skim milk, yoghurt and perhaps a calcium supplement might help. Orange juice and bananas are a good source of potassium. Consider a sports drink that replaces salts and minerals if you’re sweating a lot during your activity.
Since muscle spasms can occur from overuse, make sure you’re stretching properly, especially your calf and leg muscles. Take a little time to warm up your muscle and prepare them for activity. Stretching also improves flexibility. If you get charley horses after getting into bed or while you sleep, stretch your muscles before going to sleep.
Here’s a stretch I found on-line that might relieve charley horses:
- Stretch the muscle the charley horse is affecting. If it’s your calf, push your heel forward, point your toes upwards, lean forward and try to pull your toes back towards you. If you can’t reach your toes, bend your knees until you can reach them and pull back.
- If the charley horse is in your foot, stand up and put some weight on it. Then grab a towel or stretch band, loop it under the ball of your foot and pull upwards to stretch the arch. Another option is to stand and curl your toes under your foot.
- If the charley horse affects another muscle, massage the muscle in the direction that the muscle runs (so if it’s your calf, you massage up and down as opposed to side to side, as the muscle runs up and down).
Use your common sense and contact your health care provider if you’re having continued muscle cramping or weakness with muscle spasms. A review of both your meds and your exercise program might be in order.