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Muscle Cramps
General Information
Pesky muscle cramps can come at the worst times — during a big game or practice, or even when you’re asleep.
Muscle cramps are involuntary, forceful contractions of skeletal muscles. While most aren’t serious and go away after a few seconds or minutes, like a charley horse, frequent muscle cramps may indicate another medical condition.
See one of our experienced sports medicine providers at Goshen Orthopedics if you have frequent muscle cramps related to activity. We can help you get to the underlying cause and prevent muscle cramps. Call (574) 534-2548 to make an appointment today.
As a partner of local schools and sports centers, our team is committed to the well-being of our young athletes. We know that addressing even small issues like muscle cramps can make a big difference in how you enjoy your activities. That’s important to us.
What causes muscle cramps?
The cause of muscle cramps isn’t completely understood. Experts know that dehydration, loss of electrolytes, medications, inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue all contribute to muscle cramps.
It’s common for athletes to get muscle cramps in a variety of areas:
- Calves
- Hamstrings on the back of your thighs
- Quadriceps on the front of your thighs
- Feet
- Hands
- Arms
- Abdomen
Muscle cramps can be recognized by pain, muscle hardness, visible distortion or twitching.
How to treat muscle cramps
Muscle cramps tend to go away on their own, but you can try these tips to speed up relief:
- Stop any activity that may have brought on the cramp.
- Gently stretch or massage the muscle.
- Apply cold to ease soreness.
- Apply heat to loosen tight muscles.
If you get frequent muscle cramps, one of our Orthopedics specialists can help get to the root cause. When you meet with one of our providers at Goshen Orthopedics, we’ll ask you how often you get muscle cramps and where they’re located, as well as show you prevention techniques.
Our providers work together to find the right treatment for every patient. You’ll notice our passion as soon as you come through our doors.