Duration of cramps
A characteristic of muscle cramps is that they only stop for a short time and finally without any external influence. Usually such a cramp does not last longer than about three to four minutes at the most. However, the duration of a cramp can be shortened. This can be achieved by stretching the muscle in question and slightly warming the affected muscle area, for example with a cherry stone cushion or a hot water bottle. A compression of the muscle can also be helpful.
When do the cramps occur?
Muscle cramps of the toes, but also of the calves, have the tendency to occur frequently at rest and especially at night. The reason for this phenomenon is as little understood as the cause of cramps in general. In the meantime, however, it has been shown that stretching exercises of the corresponding muscles are suitable for the prevention of night-time foot and calf cramps.
A study with 80 participants showed already in 2012 that evening stretching brings a clear benefit compared to the otherwise usual pure quinine or magnesium therapy. A tendency towards muscle cramps is particularly noticeable during sports. The lower leg muscles, as well as the muscles of the feet and toes, are particularly susceptible to this, as they experience a great deal of stress during many types of sport.
In addition to the prophylactic measures described above, such as regular stretching and a balanced diet, the complaints can also be alleviated with some immediate measures. First of all, it is important to interrupt the exercise or training when cramps occur. Then, stretching the cramping muscle can interrupt the muscle spasm.
This usually corresponds to bending the affected toe towards the back of the foot. The subsequent massaging or compression of the muscles of the arch of the foot promotes blood circulation and also helps to relax the muscle. Heat is also often helpful in the case of an acute cramp.
Apart from this, in the case of frequent cramps, it is important to slowly increase the intensity of the training and to exercise regularly so that the muscles can get used to the strain. Good, i.e. stable and not too tight, footwear is also important in this case. Even when swimming, magnesium supplements are rarely the right way to avoid cramps in the toes and feet.
Instead, an appropriate warm-up program and stretching exercises at the beginning are much more important. Above all, people who are very prone to muscle cramps should take time to gradually increase the load. This applies both to the respective training session and to the training program over a long period of time.
Additionally, regular stretching exercises several times a day can prevent cramps.Magnesium in the form of effervescent tablets, granules, chewable tablets or capsules is often considered a panacea for muscle cramps. The idea behind it is finally also very plausible – magnesium represents an antagonist to calcium, which is released in the muscle cells during muscle activity. From a scientific point of view, however, the effect of magnesium preparations is considered rather unsatisfactory.
In the last several studies, for example, it was found that magnesium is hardly suitable for the prophylaxis of cramps. The reason why magnesium is nevertheless so frequently recommended lies simply in the helplessness of medicine on this subject, as to date no exact causes for paraphysiological muscle cramps have been identified and thus no causal therapy can be developed. The consequence of a high magnesium intake due to dietary supplements is even in some cases an overdose, which can also cause side effects, but can at least be considered a waste of money.
A more effective means of preventing cramps in the toes and other parts of the body is instead stretching exercises and sufficient exercise. By training the muscles in this way, the occurrence of cramps can in many cases at least be significantly reduced. Should frequent and severe cramps occur nevertheless, it is advisable to consult a doctor, since serious internal or neurological basic diseases can also lead to muscle cramps.
Paraphysiological muscle cramps, i.e. those which are not due to an underlying disease, are the unpleasant companion of many pregnancies. Especially the calf muscles, the foot muscles or the thigh muscles are often affected. They also occur more frequently at night and often rob those affected completely of their sleep.
The reasons behind the cramps are to be found in the increased stress during pregnancy due to the constantly increasing weight of the child. This not only results in circulatory disorders of the musculature; in addition, a deficiency of trace elements such as magnesium and calcium, which are needed for the development of the child in larger quantities than before, can also occur. First of all, it should be emphasized that cramps in the legs and feet (even if they are stressful) are not dangerous for the child or the mother.
They can be alleviated on the one hand by a balanced diet. However, regular exercise in combination with light stretching exercises of the lower extremities is much more important. These can also help to interrupt cramps during a seizure.
As far as dietary supplements are concerned, especially magnesium tablets, it can be said that their effect is very limited. In fact, various studies on this subject have shown that although taking them can reduce the number of daily muscle cramps by a good quarter, placebo preparations had exactly the same effect. The most effective remedies therefore remain movement and stretching exercises. Finally, it must be mentioned that quinine, a frequently used and freely available muscle cramp remedy, should definitely not be taken during pregnancy. Apart from various side effects such as cardiac arrhythmia and gastrointestinal complaints, which are known to occur while taking the preparations, quinine can lead to premature labor and thus premature births during pregnancy.
