AL Gondi
Calf muscle cramps are defined as painful sudden clutches of muscle that take a patient out of sound sleep or stop a player from continuing exercise and sending him/her to seek relief.
The calf muscle cramps can be due to:
1 Having irregular exercises.
2 Over-running, jogging or training that causes fatigue in the muscles.
3 Being sedentary with a lot of sitting that shorten or weaken calf muscles.
4 Long endurance exercise that can deplete the body of electrolytes.
5 Cramps are common in pregnant females.
6 Usually associated with factors affecting circulation.
7 Diabetics suffer from cramps more than non-diabetics.
8 Patients with hyperactive thyroids are more prone to cramps as they are unable to relax.
9 Drugs that remove fluids from the body may cause cramps due to loss of Potassium and Magnesium.
10 Wearing high heels especially when one is not used to them.
Cramps of chronic kidney failure.
Cramps are more common in early renal failure particularly at night. They are precipitated by scratching, awkward posture or repetitive exercise. This is due to Sodium depletion and is relived by saline infusion.
It is simple to manage cramps:
1 Flex your foot by pointing the toes toward the knee.
2 If it hurts too much to flex then grab your toes and pull them towards your knee then massage the calf gently.
3 Try walking if the cramp will not loosen.
4 Application of heat may help.
To avoid cramps:
1 Stretch your calf muscles two to three times daily especially before going to bed.
2 Do regular stretching exercise
3 If you exercise strenuously, stretch your calf muscles after workout.
4 Do not restrict your feet movement while in bed by blankets or sheets.
5 Avoid consumption of high protein diet as it increases calcium loss.
6 Avoid excessive caffeine, coffee and cola.
7 Do not wear high heels.
Drugs that may help prevent muscle cramps
1 Calcium: Calcium helps to regulate muscle contraction. Calcium can be found naturally from milk, yoghurt, cheese, greens and salmon eaten with soft bones.
It is recommended that calcium should come from natural diet except in the elderly and the very sick.
2 Magnesium: Magnesium is necessary for the proper function of nerves and muscles. Magnesium can be found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, green leafy vegetables, spinach, white beans and avocado.
3 Potassium: This is an electrolyte like sodium or chloride. When it is absorbed in body fluids it becomes an electrically charged ion. It is vital for normal muscle contraction and other body functions.
Potassium is plenty in fruits, vegetables, fish, beans and nuts, lean cut of meat, avocado, bananas, yogurt, tomatoes and oranges.
4 Vitamin E: This is found in vegetables oils, seeds, green vegetables and whole grains. Lastly, supplements are of no use.
— Gondi is a member of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya’s Medical Commission.
