What is causing my leg cramps?!
Question: About 6 months ago I got my first leg cramp in the middle of the night from slightly stretching. Ever since then I've had leg and foot-arch cramps about 2-3 times a month, only at night though. I do a lot of leg exercises, like the eliptical, and I'm a vegetarian. For the past few weeks I haven't done any leg exercising, but I still get cramps. What is causing these spasms?
Also, I'm 16 yrs. old.
Answers: About 6 months ago I got my first leg cramp in the middle of the night from slightly stretching. Ever since then I've had leg and foot-arch cramps about 2-3 times a month, only at night though. I do a lot of leg exercises, like the eliptical, and I'm a vegetarian. For the past few weeks I haven't done any leg exercising, but I still get cramps. What is causing these spasms?
Also, I'm 16 yrs. old.
Kind of sounds like a "charlie horse" cramp. I get those in my sleep and after work outs as well.
It can be a sign of dehydration and possibly over exertion.
As someone mentioned you may need some more potassium, like in bananas. You may also need more calcium, so Tums may help. Stretching before bed can be helpful. A cold pack can help soothe your pain. I have seen runners placed in a cold bath to relieve their cramping.
cramps are your muscles starving for either oxygen or fuel, i suggest you start taking a mulit-vitamin. bananas are also a good home-remedy...
the main cause of cramping is lack of salt and because you exercise you perspire more which contains salt. You need to add salt to your food or take salt tablets
Lack of water..lack of protein.
Being a vegetarian...you need to make sure you are getting plenty of protein.
Muscles need water and protein. Make sure you are taking a good multivitamin to get your folic acid too.
Put more beans into your diet or increase your soy for protein.
You could be doing something everyday that pulls a muscle. I used to have it, and my mom told me it was probably a pulled muscle so all day i watched what i did and it worked. you should try it. If that doesn't work look it up on the Internet, or go to the Doctor.
i would try drinking a lot of water cause the same thing happened to me and then i started drinking more water and it just stopped. =]
well i get those too and i askede my doctor and he said that it has nothing to do with vitamins or anything its because i curl in my sleep and it cause pains and cramps in my legs.So most likely thats what is with you.