Leg cramps - NHS

Leg cramps happen when a muscle in the leg shortens and causes a sudden pain that can make it hard to move. The cramps can last from a few seconds to 10 minutes ... Skiptomaincontent Home HealthAtoZ Backto HealthAtoZ Legcramps Legcrampsarecommon,usuallyharmlessandonlylastashorttime.Theycanhappenatanytime,butmostpeoplehavethematnightorwhenresting. Checkifit'slegcramps Legcrampshappenwhenamuscleinthelegshortensandcausesasuddenpainthatcanmakeithardtomove.Thecrampscanlastfromafewsecondsto10minutes.Theycanaffectthe:calfmuscle,belowthekneeatthebackofthelegmusclesinthefeetorthethighs(lessoften)Afterthecramphasstopped,themusclemightfeelsoreforupto24hours. Thingsyoucandoaboutlegcrampsyourself DuringacrampStretchingandmassagingthemusclemayeasethepainduringacramp,althoughmostcrampsgoawaywithoutyoudoinganything.Paracetamoloribuprofencanhelptoeasemusclesorenessafteracramp,buttheywillnothelpwhenit'shappeningastheytaketoolongtowork.PreventingcrampsRegularcalf-stretchingexercisesmayhelptoreducecrampsbutmaynotcompletelystopthemfromhappening. Howtostretchcalfmuscles Standfacingawallandstretchoutyourarmsuntilyourhandscanjusttouchit.Makesureyouareabletostandupstraightandthatyourfeetareflatonthefloor.Leanforward,pressingyourhandsagainstthewalluntilyoufeelyourcalfmusclesstretch.Holdfor2or3seconds.Standupstraightagain.Repeatafewtimesfor5minutes,3timesaday(thelasttimejustbeforebed).Ifthenumberofcrampsreduces,youmightonlyneedtodotheexerciseonceortwiceaday. Non-urgentadvice:SeeaGPif: legcrampsaredisturbingyoursleepyoualsohavenumbnessorswellinginyourlegscrampslastlongerthan10minutesyouhaveanyothersymptomsorconcerns Information: Coronavirus(COVID-19)update:howtocontactaGPIt'sstillimportanttogethelpfromaGPifyouneedit.TocontactyourGPsurgery:visittheirwebsiteusetheNHSAppcallthemFindoutaboutusingtheNHSduringCOVID-19 TreatmentforlegcrampsfromaGP AGPwillexamineyoutotrytofindoutthereasonforyourlegcramps.Theywillsuggestatreatmentdependingonthecause.Thismightbe:stretchingexercisesquininetabletsifexercisehasnothelpedQuinineisnotsuitableforeveryone.TheGPwilldiscusspotentialrisksandsideeffectswithyou. Causesoflegcramps Legcrampscansometimesbecausedby:ageingputtingtoomuchstrainonmusclesduringexercise,whichcanbeworseinhotorhumidweatherpregnancy(usuallyinthelaterstage)certainmedicines,forexamplemedicineforloweringcholesterol(statins)orhighbloodpressure(diuretics)notdrinkingenoughfluids(dehydration)liverdiseasebecauseoftoomuchalcoholThereasonforsomecrampsisunknown. Pagelastreviewed:16December2020 Nextreviewdue:16December2023