A muscle cramp is a painful, involuntary contraction of the muscle that occurs suddenly. Muscle cramps that develop during or immediately after sports are also called ‘exercise-associated muscle cramps’.

How exercise-associated muscle cramps arise is not yet completely clear. It is thought to be related to excessive muscle contraction. This assumption is supported by the fact that cramps in (top-level) sports often occur in extra time. During regular playing time, players rarely get cramps.

Even less is known about cramps that occur without exercising. They may be related to excessive activity in the spinal cord, causing the muscle to contract too much. Other proposed causes include dehydration (not drinking enough) and mineral deficiency (primarily magnesium).

Treatment of cramps

For exercise-associated muscle cramps, stretching is a good way to relieve the pain within 10-20 seconds.

The treatment of cramps that occur without exercise consists of drinking more fluids and, if necessary, taking extra magnesium. In addition, training the muscles is an important point of focus.

Advice

Do stretching exercises.
Drink enough (1.5 to 2 liters per day).
Drink less or no alcohol.
Try exercising less frequently and less intensely for a while.
Some people benefit from a warm bath.

Muscle Cramp

Treatment of cramps

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