8 Tips To Reduce Pain From A Cramp

To avoid a cramp, you should stay hydrated, avoid a sedentary lifestyle, change your posture regularly and wear appropriate clothing.

Caused by excessive exercise, pregnancy, or a lack of potassium, a cramp is a painful contraction that usually affects the legs and prevents us from walking properly. That is why, in this article, we will give you some tips to reduce the pain of cramps.

Sharp pain in the legs or calves, called cramps, can last from a few seconds to several minutes. To reduce it, you can use the following techniques.

1. Toe curls

• As soon as you feel the tightness, stretch your leg, for example, on the bed, sofa or chair. Curl your toes back (point them towards your knees). Bring your torso forward and hold your toes with one hand to facilitate flexion.
• Hold this position for at least a minute.
• Rest and repeat two more times.

2. Relieve a cramp by walking on your heels

Take off your shoes and lift your feet so that only your heels are in contact with the ground. You can lean on a piece of furniture so you don’t fall down until you have mastered the technique. Then take a few steps.

The pressure on the heels and the position of the muscles are great for calming a painful cramp. In addition, this technique improves blood circulation to the lower limbs.

3. Massages

It doesn’t matter which part of the body is cramping. Massages can be very helpful in reducing pain and the inability to continue with our activities. In turn, they stimulate blood circulation to the affected area and soothe the discomfort.

Try to gradually stretch the muscles to relax them. You can do the massages with your hands or you can help yourself with something, such as a tennis ball or roller.

 4. Calf stretching to relieve a cramp

If the cramp occurs in this area, you can relieve the pain in a very simple way.

• Stand against a wall.
• Place the leg with the cramp behind the other at a distance of about 30 cm.
• Bend the front knee so that the back leg is straight. You can put your hands on the wall to keep your balance.

Another option for stretching the calves is as follows.

• In the same starting position as the previous exercise, rest the top of the ball of the foot on the wall (including the toes). The heel touches the ground. Hands should be against the wall.
• Press down on the arms while bending the elbows. This will stretch the calf.

5. Tiptoe walking

This exercise helps reduce pain caused by cramps by stretching the calves, which will improve blood circulation in the area. It’s as easy as tiptoeing around the room.

A second alternative to generate the same effect is to stand with your feet hip-width apart and lift your heels up. You can stand upright by leaning on a table, chair, the wall, etc. Then let a few seconds pass and lower your heels. Start over. Repeat the operation until the pain subsides.

6. Heat helps relieve a cramp

If you have one of these heating pads, you can use them when a cramp appears. Do not apply for more than 15 minutes.

You can also use a heated compress in the oven or a wet towel with very hot water.

Taking a hot shower (as hot as possible) is also a great technique for reducing cramps. Try to make sure that the water drains well over the affected area. Shower for about 5 minutes.

7. Comfortable posture

If the cramp is caused by sitting in the same position in front of the computer for hours, try to move around a bit and make sure the affected area is not folded.

Stand up, stretch your legs or lie down on a sofa (or do stretching on the chair), etc.

8. Legs raised

This tip is useful for cramps when they occur at night (when you sleep). Place a cushion or clothing under the calves so that they are higher than the rest of the body. Try to sleep like this every day.

If you are prone to nighttime cramps, we recommend that you do the following exercise before going to bed: Lie down with your head towards the foot of the bed. Lift your legs up and hold your heels to the wall behind the headboard. Hold the position for a few minutes (as long as possible) to get the blood flowing again.

The tips below will help you prevent cramps.

• Drink at least 2 liters of water throughout the day. In summer or if you are exercising, you should increase to 3 liters per day.
• The shoes should be padded, have arch supports and thus allow the foot to move comfortably. Socks should not put too much pressure on the calves. Tight pants are also not recommended.
• During working hours, get up from your seat and walk around the desk regularly. Use the stairs instead of taking the elevator. In addition, take advantage of downtime to exercise your calves with flexions or circular movements.