Muscle Cramps and Spasms: Therapy

Therapy of cramps and spasms of the musculature is carried out depending on the cause.

Symptomatic muscle spasms should be excluded!

General measures

  • Acute muscle spasm: stretch cramped muscle or tense antagonists.
  • For prophylaxis in nocturnal calf cramps, passive stretching exercises should be performed regularly.
  • Stretching the cramped muscles or tension of the counterparts of the affected muscles.
  • Adjustment of the physical performance
  • Massages after the load
  • Limited alcohol consumption (men: max. 25 g alcohol per day; women: max. 12 g alcohol per day).
  • Review of permanent medication due topossible effect on the existing disease.
  • Avoidance of environmental stress:
    • Physical work, especially in the heat
    • Sports load, especially in the heat

Nutritional medicine

  • Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
  • Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
    • A total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruit daily (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit).
    • Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
    • High-fiber diet (whole grains, vegetables).
  • Observance of the following special dietary recommendations:
    • Diet rich in:
      • Vitamins (vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12).
      • Minerals (magnesium)
  • Other specific dietary recommendations depending on the cause of cramps and spasms of the muscles.
  • Selection of appropriate foods based on the nutritional analysis.
  • See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – if necessary, taking a suitable dietary supplement.
  • Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.

Sports Medicine

  • Stretching before sports-muscular exercise cannot prevent muscle cramps: in the study, static stretching as well as proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) involving holding and relaxing, agonists and antagonists were tested for this purpose. There was no increase in the electrical spasm threshold.