Materiały źródłowe

• #1 Muscle Cramps

  https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/musclecramps.html

  Muscles cramps are abrupt, harsh, involuntary muscle contractions that can cause mild-to-severe agony and immobility (Minetto et al.,2013). […] According to Giuriato, the occurrence rate of muscle cramping is 50-60% in a healthy population. […] Muscle cramps are multifactorial that Giuriato and colleagues (2018) have categorized into three groups: (1) nocturnal cramps, which occur during sleep without any clear causal mechanism; (2) pathological cramps, which are a consequence of having diabetes, nerve dysfunctions, or metabolic disorders in the body; (3) exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC), the muscle cramps that occur while exercising or post-exercise. […] With marathon runners, Schwellnus et al. (1997) summarize research that shows certain risk factors are more associated with the occurrence of a muscle cramp. These risks include a longer history of running (i.e., running years), older chronological age of the individual, higher body mass index, shorter daily stretching time, irregular stretching habits and a positive family history of cramping.

• #2 Healthy Aging: Muscle Cramps & Spasms | MUSC Health | Charleston SC

  https://muschealth.org/medical-services/geriatrics-and-aging/healthy-aging/cramps-and-spasms

  Cramps occur commonly, it is estimated that 60 percent of adults have cramps from time to time. […] In addition to age, there are a number of risk factors that often are associated with muscle cramping. These include medications, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, certain diseases, and exercise. […] Cramps are associated with physical exertion. Even the best conditioned athletes can be brought to their knees and removed from competition because of cramps. […] Dehydration for any reason predisposes one to cramping. […] Some of the diseases associated with cramping include alcoholism, hypothyroidism, myopathies, renal disease with dialysis, and excessive sweating.

• #3 Muscle Cramps – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499895/

  Muscle cramps result in continuous, involuntary, painful, and localized contraction of an entire muscle group, individual single muscle, or select muscle fibers. […] The specific etiology is not well understood and possible causes depend on the physiological or pathological situation in which the cramps appear. […] The etiology of the cramp depends on the situation in which it occurs. It is not possible to draw up the causes, and the possible physiological or pathological differences in which the cramp occurs must be highlighted, as different scenarios give rise to cramps. […] Heat-associated muscle cramping is often seen during sports and rigorous exercise or physical activity. In this situation, large losses of sweat and electrolytes are believed to be the underlying pathologic mechanism.

• #4 Muscle cramp – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/muscle-cramp/symptoms-causes/syc-20350820

  A muscle cramp can happen after working a muscle too hard or straining it, losing body fluids through sweat or simply holding a position for a long time. Often, however, the cause isn’t known. […] Most muscle cramps are harmless. But some might be related to a medical concern, such as: […] Not enough blood flow. A narrowing of the arteries that bring blood to the legs can cause a cramping pain in the legs and feet during exercise. These cramps usually go away soon after exercise stops. […] Nerve compression. Pressure on the nerves in the spine also can cause cramping pain in the legs. The pain usually gets worse with walking. Walking bent slightly forward, such as when pushing a shopping cart, might ease cramping. […] Not enough minerals. Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in the diet can cause leg cramps. Medicines often prescribed for high blood pressure can cause increased urination, which may drain the body of these minerals.

• #5 Muscle Spasms | Charley Horse | MedlinePlus

  https://medlineplus.gov/musclecramps.html

  Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions or spasms in one or more of your muscles. They are very common and often occur after exercise. Some people get muscle cramps, especially leg cramps, at night. They can be painful, and they may last a few seconds to several minutes. […] Causes of muscle cramps include: […] Straining or overusing a muscle. This is the most common cause. […] Compression of your nerves, from problems such as a spinal cord injury or a pinched nerve in the neck or back […] Dehydration […] Low levels of electrolytes such as magnesium, potassium, or calcium […] Not enough blood getting to your muscles […] Pregnancy […] Certain medicines […] Getting dialysis. […] Sometimes the cause of muscle cramps is unknown.

• #6 What Is the Cause of Muscle Cramps? – IDEA Health & Fitness Association

  https://www.ideafit.com/what-is-the-cause-of-muscle-cramps/

  In the past, studies have suggested treating muscle cramps in workers and firefighters with fluids and electrolytes. But those studies did not measure hydration. More recent studies that have estimated blood volume and plasma volume do not support the theory that dehydration has a direct link to exercise-associated cramps. […] While exercising in a hot, humid environment may be correlated with the development of muscle cramps, no evidence shows cramps are linked to an increase in core body temperature. […] The newest concept of muscle cramps is a neuromuscular theory (Giuriato et al. 2018). This theory has evolved to point to two origins: a central origin (spinal column) and a peripheral one (neuromuscular junction). […] The central or spinal origin theory suggests that the involuntary contraction of a muscle occurs when nerve messages to the spinal column are altered, perhaps due to muscle fatigue. This results in an imbalance of excitatory (from muscle spindles) and inhibitory (from Golgi tendon organs) spinal messages to muscles. This neural signaling imbalance leads to enhanced muscle cell excitability and cramping.

• #7 Muscle Spasms: Causes, Symptoms, Duration, Treatment & Prevention

  https://www.medicinenet.com/muscle_spasms/article.htm

  A muscle spasm, or muscle cramp, is an involuntary contraction of a muscle. Muscle spasms occur suddenly, usually resolve quickly, and are often painful. […] There are a variety of causes of muscle spasms, and each depends upon predisposing factors, the part of the body involved, and the environment that the body is in. […] Spasms may occur when a muscle is overused, tired, previously injured, or strained. […] The spasm may occur if the muscle has been overstretched or if it has been held in the same position for a prolonged period of time. […] In effect, the muscle cell runs out of energy and fluid and becomes hyperexcitable, resulting in a forceful contraction. […] Overuse as a cause of skeletal muscle spasms is often seen in athletes who are doing strenuous exercise in a hot environment.

• #8 What Are Common Causes of Muscle Cramps and Spasms? – Scripps Health

  https://www.scripps.org/news_items/6374-common-triggers-for-muscle-spasms-and-cramps

  A cramp is a sudden contraction or tightening of a muscle that usually lasts a few seconds to a few minutes. Cramps are caused by muscle spasms involuntary contractions of one or more muscles. […] Muscle cramps and spasms are often a part of the bodys normal stress response, says Rio Dickens-Celestin, MD, an internal medicine physician at Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley. […] Identifying and addressing the underlying cause, however, is the best long-term approach, she says. […] Cramps or spasms in the muscles often have no clear cause. However, if they are keeping you up at night or interrupting your workout, explore these four common reasons: […] Dehydration is a classic cause of cramps. […] Muscles were made to move, so being sedentary for long periods of time can lead to cramping. […] If you go on a long bike ride or do an intense workout, you might experience cramping. […] In some cases, a lack of magnesium, calcium, sodium or potassium can contribute to cramping.

• #9 Muscle Cramp & Spasms | Causes, Prevention & Treatment

  https://stretchcoach.com/articles/muscle-cramp/?srsltid=AfmBOorjmqxDx51sv80LB_HrO3Nl6o-bF6cgkkVgq5eafiA2zMsIc87f

  Muscle cramps and spasms can involve part or all of a muscle, or a number of muscles within a muscle group. […] People who are at the greatest risk of muscle cramps and spasms are those who are ill, overweight, or unfit. Those who take drugs or certain medication, and those who live or work in excessive heat and humidity are also prone to cramping. Muscle cramps are also common among endurance athletes and people over 65 years of age who perform strenuous physical activity. […] There are a number of factors that contribute to muscle cramps and spasms, the main ones being: Intense physical effort; Muscle fatigue, exhaustion, and overuse; Working or exercising in high heat and humidity; Dehydration; Electrolyte and mineral depletion; Poor flexibility and tight muscles; Muscle strain or injury; Poor blood circulation; Excessive use of alcohol or drugs; and As a side effect of certain medications.

• #10 Leg Cramps: 13 Causes and Treatment

  https://www.health.com/condition/chronic-pain/leg-cramps-causes

  Possible causes of leg cramps (charley horses) are too much or too little exercise, dehydration, low electrolyte levels, and certain conditions. […] One of the classic causes of leg cramps is dehydration. […] The reason dehydration causes cramping is largely theoretical. It may be that fluid depletion causes nerve endings to become sensitized. […] Electrolytes are the essential minerals that affect muscle function and many other bodily functions. Lost electrolytes can also contribute to leg cramping. […] An imbalance in sodium, calcium, magnesium, or potassium may cause leg cramps. […] Pregnancy increases the risk for leg cramps. […] Many people develop leg cramps due to overusing a muscle. […] Strenuous exercise is a key cause of leg cramps. […] You may be more prone to leg cramps when you are overtired.

• #11 Muscle Cramps – Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

  https://resources.healthgrades.com/right-care/bones-joints-and-muscles/muscle-cramps

  Muscle cramps result from an involuntary contraction of the skeletal muscles and are a common symptom of dehydration, fatigue, poor circulation, and nerve compression. Muscle fatigue from improper conditioning or prolonged exercise is a common cause of muscle cramps. Other common causes include sitting in one place for a long period of time and vascular disorders, both of which decrease blood circulation to the muscles. […] Muscle cramps result from an involuntary contraction of a skeletal muscle. Overuse, prolonged exercise without proper conditioning, and fatigue are common causes of muscle cramps. In addition, dehydration and depletion of electrolytes, including magnesium, calcium and potassium, can lead to muscle cramps. […] Diabetes-related artery disease might reduce circulation to a muscle and cause cramping. Not moving a muscle for a long period of time may also lead to muscle cramps when circulation is reduced or a nerve is compressed. Cramping can also result from low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

• #12 Leg Cramps at Night: Causes, Pain Relief & Prevention

  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14170-leg-cramps

  Leg cramps are painful, involuntary muscle contractions that can last seconds or minutes. Some medical conditions and drugs can cause them, and there are some risk factors you’ll want to avoid. […] Possible causes of these leg cramps include: Involuntary nerve discharges. Part of your leg muscle isn’t getting enough blood. Stress. Too much high-intensity exercise. […] Possible causes for leg cramps at night (nocturnal leg cramps) include: Sitting for long periods of time (like at a desk job). Overusing your muscles. Standing or working on concrete floors. Having poor posture during the day. Kidney failure, diabetic nerve damage, mineral deficits and issues with blood flow. […] Medications have side effects. A prescription you’re taking could be causing your leg cramps. […] Cancer treatments like chemotherapy can cause nerve damage, which may also cause leg cramps.

• #13 Muscle Cramps – Causes and Prevention | MedPark Hospital

  https://www.medparkhospital.com/en-US/disease-and-treatment/muscle-cramps

  Muscle cramps can occur after muscle straining, excessive sweating, or staying in one position for long periods. Inadequate blood flow to the muscles or pressure on the spinal nerves can cause muscle spasms. Being malnourished such as not getting enough calcium, potassium, and magnesium, can lead to leg cramps. […] You can develop muscle cramps if: […] Your body loses salt and minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. […] Muscle cramps occur when one or more muscles suddenly and involuntarily contract, causing sharp and often intense pain. Strenuous exertion, particularly in a hot environment, can trigger muscle cramps. […] Certain medications or illnesses may also contribute to the occurrence of muscle cramps.

• #14 Muscle Cramps Explained by Science | Muscle Cramp Treatment Options

  https://www.physiotutors.com/wiki/muscle-cramps-explained/

  Not surprisingly, having a history of exercise-associated cramps seems to be the highest risk factor for future cramps. Although research is equivocal, it seems that a family history of cramping, as well as a specific collagen gene, might be contributing factors. Furthermore, men seem to be more prone to exercise-induced cramps than women, which might be due to a higher ratio of fast-twitch fibers in muscles of locomotion. At last, Schwabe et al. Have proven that higher exercise intensity and duration lead to a higher risk of cramping, and Shang et al. Found that cramp-prone athletes were more likely to have a history of tendon or ligament injury when compared to non-cramping athletes. […] At last, it appears that stretching is the most effective treatment in relieving acute fatigue-induced muscular cramping, as it is believed to increase tension in the Golgi tendon organ, resulting in an increased afferent reflex inhibition to the alpha motor neuron.

• #15 Coping with Muscle Cramps | American Osteopathic AssociationSearchSearch

  https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/muscle-cramp/

  Muscle cramps can occur anywhere, anytime to anyone. “No one is immune,” explains Dr. Quist. “You could be young or old, active or sedentary, and you could develop a muscle cramp doing just about anything.” However, Dr. Quist adds that infants, the elderly, the overweight and athletes are at the greatest risk for muscle cramps. […] According to Dr. Quist, some common causes of muscle cramps include: Insufficient stretching before exercise. Exercising in the heat. Muscle fatigue. […] “Imbalances in the levels of electrolytes in the blood, such as sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate, can also lead to muscle cramps,” Dr. Quist adds. […] Dr. Quist warns that if cramps are severe, happen frequently, respond poorly to simple treatments, or are not related to obvious causes like strenuous exercise, you should see your doctor. “They could be a symptom of problems with circulation, nerves, metabolism, hormones, medications or nutrition,” she says.

• #16 Causes of Muscle Spasms and Cramps

  https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-causes-muscle-spasms-and-cramps-3120487

  Muscle cramps and spasms happen when a muscle spontaneously contracts. The reason for this isn’t well understood, but some researchers believe cramps and spasms may be related to muscle fatigue, muscle strain, or other factors like dehydration. […] The exact cause of muscle cramps is still unknown, but the theories most commonly cited include: altered neuromuscular control, dehydration, electrolyte depletion, muscle fatigue, and doing a new activity. […] While all these theories are being studied, researchers are finding more evidence in favor of the „altered neuromuscular control” hypothesis. Some researchers think this may be the primary mechanism that leads to exercise-associated muscle cramping (EAMC). […] According to this theory, muscle cramping is often related to muscle fatigue and results in a disruption of muscle coordination and control.

• #17 What causes muscle cramps in exercise?

  https://www.mysportscience.com/post/what-causes-muscle-cramps-in-exercise

  Although cramping often occurs in prolonged exercise in the heat, cramping can also occur without dehydration or electrolyte imbalance and in cool environments. Therefore, there must be other causes for cramps that occur in these conditions. Cramping can be triggered by activities beyond exercise, including repetitive, small muscle group activities like typing, writing or pressing buttons. It was suggested that cramps could be caused by abnormal activity of the nerve that control muscle activity, originating in the central nervous system. […] Cramping is certainly more common in exercise in the heat, where sweating rates are high and electrolyte depletion results. However, cramping can also occur at times when electrolyte depletion/dehydration has not occurred. In these conditions, cramps are more likely to be caused by the altered control of muscle contraction by nerves, as a result of fatigue.

• #18 The real cause of muscle cramps: Altered neuromuscular control

  https://somaticmovementcenter.com/what-really-causes-muscle-cramps/

  Muscle cramps have long been attributed to electrolyte depletion and dehydration, especially when they occur in athletes. However, research does not support these theories, and instead points to altered neuromuscular control and muscle fatigue as the culprits. […] However, certain medical conditions including nerve compression, inadequate blood supply, and mineral depletion can cause muscle cramping. […] However, there are no published studies showing that electrolyte concentrations are abnormal in athletes at the time of cramping, nor are there any published studies showing that athletes with EAMC are more dehydrated than controls. […] As Dr. Schwellnus explains, EAMC tends to occur locally in working muscle groups, so the theory that a systemic imbalance like electrolyte depletion or dehydration is the cause does not make sense.

• #19 Muscle Cramps – OrthoInfo – AAOS

  https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/muscle-cramps

  Muscle cramps are more likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your body’s fluids, salt, and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium, and calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm. […] Although the exact cause of muscle cramps is unknown (idiopathic), some researchers believe inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue lead to abnormalities in the mechanisms (bodily processes) that control muscle contraction. […] Other factors may also be involved, including: Poor conditioning, Exercising or working in intense heat, Dehydration, Depletion of salt and minerals (electrolytes). […] Some people are predisposed to muscle cramps and get them regularly with any physical exertion. […] Those at greatest risk for cramps and other ailments related to excess heat include infants and young children, and people over age 65. Other factors that put people at greater risk for muscle cramp include: Being ill or overweight, Overexerting during work or exercise, Taking certain medications, such as pseudoephedrine (a decongestant) diuretics, and statins (used to treat high cholesterol). […] Muscle cramps are very common among endurance athletes, such as marathon runners and triathletes, and older people who perform strenuous physical activities.

• #20 Muscle Cramp & Spasms | Causes, Prevention & Treatment

  https://stretchcoach.com/articles/muscle-cramp/?srsltid=AfmBOorjmqxDx51sv80LB_HrO3Nl6o-bF6cgkkVgq5eafiA2zMsIc87f

  Muscle cramps and spasms can involve part or all of a muscle, or a number of muscles within a muscle group. […] People who are at the greatest risk of muscle cramps and spasms are those who are ill, overweight, or unfit. Those who take drugs or certain medication, and those who live or work in excessive heat and humidity are also prone to cramping. Muscle cramps are also common among endurance athletes and people over 65 years of age who perform strenuous physical activity. […] There are a number of factors that contribute to muscle cramps and spasms, the main ones being: Intense physical effort; Muscle fatigue, exhaustion, and overuse; Working or exercising in high heat and humidity; Dehydration; Electrolyte and mineral depletion; Poor flexibility and tight muscles; Muscle strain or injury; Poor blood circulation; Excessive use of alcohol or drugs; and As a side effect of certain medications.

• #21 Content – Health Encyclopedia – University of Rochester Medical Center

  https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content?contenttypeid=1&contentid=697

  Most people know the pain of a muscle cramp or „charley horse.” Muscle cramps are involuntary muscle contractions. They are common. But even though they can be quite painful, they don’t usually cause damage. […] Doctors don’t know the exact cause of muscle cramps. They usually occur after muscle tiredness (fatigue), dehydration, or heavy exercise. Simply staying in the same position for a long time may help cause a cramp. Prevent these problems and you can often prevent muscle cramps. Cramps affect almost everyone at some time in life. […] These are other common causes of muscle cramps: Pregnancy, Hypothyroidism, Abnormalities of metabolism, Alcoholism, Kidney failure, Certain medicines. […] Older adults are more likely to get muscle cramps because of normal muscle loss that comes with aging.

• #22 Muscle cramp | Better Health Channel

  https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/muscle-cramp

  A muscle cramp is an uncontrollable and painful spasm of a muscle. […] The exact cause is unknown, but some of the risk factors may include poor physical condition, dehydration and muscle fatigue. […] The exact cause of cramp is unknown but risk factors may include poor physical condition, mineral and electrolyte imbalances and tight, inflexible muscles. […] The exact cause of muscle cramp is not known, but risk factors may include: tight, inflexible muscles, poor physical condition, poor muscle tone, inadequate diet, physical overexertion, physical exertion of cold muscles, muscle injury, muscle fatigue, excessive perspiration, dehydration caused by, for example, a bout of gastroenteritis, reduced blood supply (ischaemia), wearing high-heeled shoes for lengthy periods. […] Certain diseases or conditions may increase the risk of muscle cramp, including: Atherosclerosis a condition characterised by narrowed arteries due to the formation of fatty plaques. Muscles are more likely to cramp if their blood supply is inadequate. […] Some medical conditions require the regular use of fluid pills (diuretics). These drugs can interfere with the body’s mineral balance and contribute to cramping.

• #23 Muscle Cramps: Causes and Treatments

  https://www.health.com/muscle-cramps-8744972

  Muscle cramps are a common symptom experienced by about 50% of people who are pregnant, particularly during the last three months of pregnancy and during the nighttime. Research suggests muscle cramps during pregnancy could be due to a change in neuromuscular function, peripheral nerve compressions, weight gain, increased muscle activity in the lower limbs, mineral fluctuations, and inadequate blood flow to the muscles. […] Several other health conditions and biological factors can also cause muscle cramps. Less common causes include nerve compression, peripheral artery disease (PAD), and cirrhosis.

• #24 Muscle Cramps: Causes and Treatments | Live Science

  https://www.livescience.com/muscle-cramps.html

  If you tend to get muscle cramps, you may have a genetic predisposition based on the type of collagen in your tendons, according to research by Malcolm Collins, a professor of exercise science and sports medicine at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. […] The simplest way to avoid cramps during and after exercise is to avoid overexertion. Several studies have found that athletes who cramped were often running faster than their normal speeds. Exercising in hot or humid conditions is more tiring and will cause muscles to fatigue faster. Staying hydrated and making sure your body is properly conditioned for exercise will also help stave off the fatigue that causes cramps. […] Once cramps hit, they can be relieved by stretching the muscle. To prevent nocturnal cramping, stretching leg muscles before bed has been shown to help, and there are some prescription medications that have varying levels of effectiveness in preventing and treating cramps.

• #25 Muscle Cramps Explained by Science | Muscle Cramp Treatment Options

  https://www.physiotutors.com/wiki/muscle-cramps-explained/

  Not surprisingly, having a history of exercise-associated cramps seems to be the highest risk factor for future cramps. Although research is equivocal, it seems that a family history of cramping, as well as a specific collagen gene, might be contributing factors. Furthermore, men seem to be more prone to exercise-induced cramps than women, which might be due to a higher ratio of fast-twitch fibers in muscles of locomotion. At last, Schwabe et al. Have proven that higher exercise intensity and duration lead to a higher risk of cramping, and Shang et al. Found that cramp-prone athletes were more likely to have a history of tendon or ligament injury when compared to non-cramping athletes. […] At last, it appears that stretching is the most effective treatment in relieving acute fatigue-induced muscular cramping, as it is believed to increase tension in the Golgi tendon organ, resulting in an increased afferent reflex inhibition to the alpha motor neuron.

• #26 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  Neurologic conditions in which peripheral nerve is affected are particularly prone to muscle cramps as a positive motor symptom. This includes motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where muscles cramps are an early and common symptom that may eventually fade as denervation becomes advanced. Radiculopathies can not only produce significant weakness, numbness, dysesthesia and radicular pain, but can also cause unilateral or bilateral proximal or distal muscle cramps in the affected myotome. Axonal neuropathies including hereditary neuropathies, acquired neuropathies, and idiopathic neuropathies can be associated with muscle cramps. Although traditionally muscle cramps have been considered most common in neuropathies with a high burden of motor or large fiber involvement, muscle cramps have also been observed with similar frequency in people with predominantly sensory or small fiber neuropathies. Acquired demyelinating neuropathies are also associated with muscle cramps. A high proportion of individuals with nonneuromuscular neurologic conditions experience muscle cramps.

• #27 What Causes Muscle Cramps?

  https://www.brainfacts.org/thinking-sensing-and-behaving/pain/2020/what-causes-muscle-cramps-070220

  For example, one of the most common explanations was that dehydration caused cramps. This was considered conventional wisdom many athletic trainers still suggest drinking more water to prevent or fix cramps. But modern research shows hydration has very little to do with exercise-induced cramps. […] Another folk remedy for cramps is eating bananas. The idea is that potassium helps get rid of cramps. But there is no evidence for this. […] Nowadays, most researchers believe the source of cramps is hyperactivity of motor neurons, rather than muscles. Motor neurons located in the spinal cord give the signals for muscle contraction. For some reason, when a neuron-muscle pair is used repeatedly during prolonged or vigorous exercise, the neuron can start to fire uncontrollably. This might be the cause of involuntary contractions. […] If this is the case, cramps are like epileptic seizures also caused by neurons firing when they shouldnt. Unfortunately, it also suggests theres no known prevention method or cure for muscle cramps, other than giving your muscles and your motor neurons a break.

• #28 The Real Cause of Muscle Cramps | TrainingPeaks

  https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/the-real-cause-of-muscle-cramps/

  Cramping is an issue that many endurance athletes face. New research is being done that shows that cramps are not caused by muscles, they are neuromuscular. […] Muscle cramps are often associated with fatigue, a painful example of a failure in neuromuscular performance. […] As a fuller picture of the etiology (cause) of muscle cramps is emerging through studies by researchers such as Dr. Rod MacKinnon, a Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist, there are new insights that will help prevent or minimize cramps. […] Regardless of the conditions that provoke it, muscles cramp because of hyper-excited nerves, alpha motoneurons to be more precise, the nerve cells that project from the spinal cord directly to many skeletal muscle fibers. […] Some important clues have surfaced over the past few years that lend support to the notion that calming hyper-excited nerves will prevent muscle cramps. […] This observation helps explain why some athletes are haunted by cramps, while others rarely have a problem. […] As a result of this research, we are coming closer to the understanding the true cause of cramping.

• #29 Muscle cramp – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/muscle-cramp/symptoms-causes/syc-20350820

  A muscle cramp can happen after working a muscle too hard or straining it, losing body fluids through sweat or simply holding a position for a long time. Often, however, the cause isn’t known. […] Most muscle cramps are harmless. But some might be related to a medical concern, such as: […] Not enough blood flow. A narrowing of the arteries that bring blood to the legs can cause a cramping pain in the legs and feet during exercise. These cramps usually go away soon after exercise stops. […] Nerve compression. Pressure on the nerves in the spine also can cause cramping pain in the legs. The pain usually gets worse with walking. Walking bent slightly forward, such as when pushing a shopping cart, might ease cramping. […] Not enough minerals. Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in the diet can cause leg cramps. Medicines often prescribed for high blood pressure can cause increased urination, which may drain the body of these minerals.

• #30 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  Neurologic conditions in which peripheral nerve is affected are particularly prone to muscle cramps as a positive motor symptom. This includes motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where muscles cramps are an early and common symptom that may eventually fade as denervation becomes advanced. Radiculopathies can not only produce significant weakness, numbness, dysesthesia and radicular pain, but can also cause unilateral or bilateral proximal or distal muscle cramps in the affected myotome. Axonal neuropathies including hereditary neuropathies, acquired neuropathies, and idiopathic neuropathies can be associated with muscle cramps. Although traditionally muscle cramps have been considered most common in neuropathies with a high burden of motor or large fiber involvement, muscle cramps have also been observed with similar frequency in people with predominantly sensory or small fiber neuropathies. Acquired demyelinating neuropathies are also associated with muscle cramps. A high proportion of individuals with nonneuromuscular neurologic conditions experience muscle cramps.

• #31 Muscular cramp: causes and management – PubMed

  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30168894/

  Muscular cramp is a common symptom in healthy people, especially among the elderly and in young people after vigorous or peak exercise. […] It is prominent in a number of benign neurological syndromes. […] It is a particular feature of chronic neurogenic disorders, especially amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. […] A literature review was undertaken to understand the diverse clinical associations of cramp and its neurophysiological basis, taking into account recent developments in membrane physiology and modulation of motor neuronal excitability. […] Many aspects of cramping remain incompletely understood and require further study. […] Current treatment options are correspondingly limited.

• #32 What Is the Cause of Muscle Cramps? – IDEA Health & Fitness Association

  https://www.ideafit.com/what-is-the-cause-of-muscle-cramps/

  In the past, studies have suggested treating muscle cramps in workers and firefighters with fluids and electrolytes. But those studies did not measure hydration. More recent studies that have estimated blood volume and plasma volume do not support the theory that dehydration has a direct link to exercise-associated cramps. […] While exercising in a hot, humid environment may be correlated with the development of muscle cramps, no evidence shows cramps are linked to an increase in core body temperature. […] The newest concept of muscle cramps is a neuromuscular theory (Giuriato et al. 2018). This theory has evolved to point to two origins: a central origin (spinal column) and a peripheral one (neuromuscular junction). […] The central or spinal origin theory suggests that the involuntary contraction of a muscle occurs when nerve messages to the spinal column are altered, perhaps due to muscle fatigue. This results in an imbalance of excitatory (from muscle spindles) and inhibitory (from Golgi tendon organs) spinal messages to muscles. This neural signaling imbalance leads to enhanced muscle cell excitability and cramping.

• #33 Muscle cramp – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/muscle-cramp/symptoms-causes/syc-20350820

  A muscle cramp can happen after working a muscle too hard or straining it, losing body fluids through sweat or simply holding a position for a long time. Often, however, the cause isn’t known. […] Most muscle cramps are harmless. But some might be related to a medical concern, such as: […] Not enough blood flow. A narrowing of the arteries that bring blood to the legs can cause a cramping pain in the legs and feet during exercise. These cramps usually go away soon after exercise stops. […] Nerve compression. Pressure on the nerves in the spine also can cause cramping pain in the legs. The pain usually gets worse with walking. Walking bent slightly forward, such as when pushing a shopping cart, might ease cramping. […] Not enough minerals. Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in the diet can cause leg cramps. Medicines often prescribed for high blood pressure can cause increased urination, which may drain the body of these minerals.

• #34 Muscle cramp | Better Health Channel

  https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/muscle-cramp

  A muscle cramp is an uncontrollable and painful spasm of a muscle. […] The exact cause is unknown, but some of the risk factors may include poor physical condition, dehydration and muscle fatigue. […] The exact cause of cramp is unknown but risk factors may include poor physical condition, mineral and electrolyte imbalances and tight, inflexible muscles. […] The exact cause of muscle cramp is not known, but risk factors may include: tight, inflexible muscles, poor physical condition, poor muscle tone, inadequate diet, physical overexertion, physical exertion of cold muscles, muscle injury, muscle fatigue, excessive perspiration, dehydration caused by, for example, a bout of gastroenteritis, reduced blood supply (ischaemia), wearing high-heeled shoes for lengthy periods. […] Certain diseases or conditions may increase the risk of muscle cramp, including: Atherosclerosis a condition characterised by narrowed arteries due to the formation of fatty plaques. Muscles are more likely to cramp if their blood supply is inadequate. […] Some medical conditions require the regular use of fluid pills (diuretics). These drugs can interfere with the body’s mineral balance and contribute to cramping.

• #35 Most Leg Cramps are Harmless, But Some Have a Deeper Cause

  https://www.baystatehealth.org/articles/pvd-and-leg-cramping

  Leg muscle cramps often happen for no known reason. These cramps may be caused by stress, not stressing enough, overworking your muscles, or not drinking enough water. […] Although most muscle cramps are harmless, some may be related to an underlying medical condition known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a form of peripheral vascular disease (PVD). […] The most common symptom of lower-extremity PAD, painful muscle cramps in calf, buttocks, thighs, or hips, is called claudication. […] Claudication occurs when your body can’t deliver the oxygen needed by your muscles to engage in an activity, most often walking, explains Blackwood. […] Blackwood notes, It’s important not to ignore cramping pain that repeatedly occurs when walking. The pain is your body sending a warning that something is amiss, and that part of your body isn’t receiving enough blood during.

• #36 Cramp – Wikipedia

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cramp

  Causes of cramping include hyperflexion, hypoxia, exposure to large changes in temperature, dehydration, or low blood salt. […] Muscle cramps can also be a symptom or complication of pregnancy; kidney disease; thyroid disease; hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, or hypocalcaemia (as conditions); restless legs syndrome; varicose veins; and multiple sclerosis. […] As early as 1965, researchers observed that leg cramps and restless legs syndrome can result from excess insulin, sometimes called hyperinsulinemia.

• #37 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #38 Leg Cramp Causes and Remedies

  https://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/what-causes-leg-cramps/

  The causes of leg cramps are often overworking or straining your muscles during exercise, a lack of blood flow to the muscle, an electrolyte imbalance, or simply holding a position for long periods of time. Muscle cramps are common during pregnancy and in people who take certain medications. […] Certain medical conditions and medications can make you more likely to have leg cramps. Diabetes, nutrient deficiencies, and blood flow problems are all possible causes. […] Dehydration (having too little fluid in your body) can cause leg cramps by altering your blood flow and the level of electrolytes in your body. […] Half or more of people with type 2 diabetes experience muscle cramps, and their pain is more severe than people without diabetes, according to a study in Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity.

• #39 Leg Cramps at Night: Causes, Pain Relief & Prevention

  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14170-leg-cramps

  Sometimes, leg cramps happen for no reason, but other times, they could be a sign or symptom of a health condition. Secondary leg cramps are a symptom or complication of a more serious health condition. […] Leg cramps can be a sign of serious conditions, including: ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Lou Gehrig’s disease): Progressive neuromuscular disease. Congestive heart failure: When your heart can’t pump blood well enough to give your body a normal supply. Cirrhosis of the liver: Scarring of your liver. Diabetes: A disease that prevents your body from properly using the energy from the food you eat.

• #40 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #41 Leg cramps | NHS inform

  https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/muscle-bone-and-joints/leg-and-foot-problems-and-conditions/leg-cramps/

  Leg cramps are a common and usually harmless condition. They cause the muscles in your leg to suddenly become tight and painful. […] A leg cramp is an episode of sudden pain in the muscles of the leg. Its caused by an involuntary contracting (shortening) of the leg muscle. […] The cause of leg cramps is sometimes unknown (idiopathic). In other cases, there may be an underlying condition or identifiable cause (secondary leg cramps). […] Idiopathic leg cramps may be caused by: abnormal nerve activity during sleep, excessive strain placed on leg muscles, for example during exercise, a sudden restriction in the blood supply to the affected muscles. […] Secondary leg cramps are caused by an underlying condition or another identifiable cause like: pregnancy the extra weight of pregnancy can place strain on the leg muscles, making them more vulnerable to cramping, exercise leg cramps are often experienced when resting after exercise, neurological conditions for example, motor neurone disease or peripheral neuropathy, liver disease if your liver stops working properly, toxins will build up in your blood, which can make your muscles spasm, infection some types of bacterial infection, like tetanus, can cause muscle cramps and spasm, toxins in some people, high levels of toxic (poisonous) substances in the blood, like lead or mercury, can cause leg cramps, dehydration in some people, low levels of water in the body can lead to a drop in your salt levels, which can trigger muscle cramps.

• #42 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #43 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #44 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #45 Muscle Cramps Treatment, Causes, Symptoms, Prevention

  https://www.emedicinehealth.com/muscle_cramps/article_em.htm

  Muscle cramps are felt to be caused by excessively excited nerves that stimulate the muscles. […] This can occur after injury to the nerve and/or muscle; dehydration; with low blood levels of calcium, magnesium, or potassium; from certain medications; and even at rest. […] Deficiencies of certain vitamins, including thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), and pyridoxine (B6), can also cause muscle cramps. […] Medications that can cause muscle cramps to include furosemide (Lasix, a diuretic), donepezil (Aricept for Alzheimer’s disease), neostigmine (Prostigmin for myasthenia gravis), raloxifene (Evista to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women), tolcapone (Tasmar for Parkinson’s disease), nifedipine (Procardia for angina, high blood pressure), and the asthma drugs terbutaline (Brethine) and albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin, and others). Some medicines used to lower cholesterol, including clofibrate (Atromid-S), pravastatin (Pravachol), atorvastatin (Lipitor), and lovastatin (Mevacor), can also cause cramps.

• #46 Charley Horse: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, & Prevention

  https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/muscle-spasms-cramps-charley-horse

  A charley horse is a muscle spasm — when a muscle suddenly tightens up on its own and cant relax. These cramps can happen anywhere in your body. They’re common in your legs and feet. […] Things that can trigger a charley horse include: Poor blood flow, Working your muscles too much, Not stretching enough, Being active in high or low temperatures, Dehydration, A lack of magnesium and/or potassium in your diet, Problems such as a spinal cord injury or a pinched nerve in your neck or back, Kidney disease, Getting dialysis, a treatment you get when you have kidney failure, Pregnancy, Stress, Poor posture, Muscle injury, Hyperexcitable nerves. […] Muscle cramps can also be a side effect of some drugs, such as: Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) and terbutaline (Brethine) — which are asthma medications, Donepezil (Aricept), used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, Furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), and other diuretics („water pills”) that lower the levels of certain electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and take fluid out of your body, Neostigmine (Prostigmine), used for myasthenia gravis, Nifedipine (Procardia), a treatment for angina and high blood pressure, Raloxifene (Evista), an osteoporosis treatment, Tolcapone (Tasmar), which treats Parkinson’s disease, Statin medications for cholesterol, such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), or simvastatin (Zocor).

• #47 Charley Horse: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, & Prevention

  https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/muscle-spasms-cramps-charley-horse

  A charley horse is a muscle spasm — when a muscle suddenly tightens up on its own and cant relax. These cramps can happen anywhere in your body. They’re common in your legs and feet. […] Things that can trigger a charley horse include: Poor blood flow, Working your muscles too much, Not stretching enough, Being active in high or low temperatures, Dehydration, A lack of magnesium and/or potassium in your diet, Problems such as a spinal cord injury or a pinched nerve in your neck or back, Kidney disease, Getting dialysis, a treatment you get when you have kidney failure, Pregnancy, Stress, Poor posture, Muscle injury, Hyperexcitable nerves. […] Muscle cramps can also be a side effect of some drugs, such as: Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) and terbutaline (Brethine) — which are asthma medications, Donepezil (Aricept), used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, Furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), and other diuretics („water pills”) that lower the levels of certain electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and take fluid out of your body, Neostigmine (Prostigmine), used for myasthenia gravis, Nifedipine (Procardia), a treatment for angina and high blood pressure, Raloxifene (Evista), an osteoporosis treatment, Tolcapone (Tasmar), which treats Parkinson’s disease, Statin medications for cholesterol, such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), or simvastatin (Zocor).

• #48 Charley Horse: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, & Prevention

  https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/muscle-spasms-cramps-charley-horse

  A charley horse is a muscle spasm — when a muscle suddenly tightens up on its own and cant relax. These cramps can happen anywhere in your body. They’re common in your legs and feet. […] Things that can trigger a charley horse include: Poor blood flow, Working your muscles too much, Not stretching enough, Being active in high or low temperatures, Dehydration, A lack of magnesium and/or potassium in your diet, Problems such as a spinal cord injury or a pinched nerve in your neck or back, Kidney disease, Getting dialysis, a treatment you get when you have kidney failure, Pregnancy, Stress, Poor posture, Muscle injury, Hyperexcitable nerves. […] Muscle cramps can also be a side effect of some drugs, such as: Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) and terbutaline (Brethine) — which are asthma medications, Donepezil (Aricept), used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, Furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), and other diuretics („water pills”) that lower the levels of certain electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and take fluid out of your body, Neostigmine (Prostigmine), used for myasthenia gravis, Nifedipine (Procardia), a treatment for angina and high blood pressure, Raloxifene (Evista), an osteoporosis treatment, Tolcapone (Tasmar), which treats Parkinson’s disease, Statin medications for cholesterol, such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), or simvastatin (Zocor).

• #49 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #50 Charley Horse: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, & Prevention

  https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/muscle-spasms-cramps-charley-horse

  A charley horse is a muscle spasm — when a muscle suddenly tightens up on its own and cant relax. These cramps can happen anywhere in your body. They’re common in your legs and feet. […] Things that can trigger a charley horse include: Poor blood flow, Working your muscles too much, Not stretching enough, Being active in high or low temperatures, Dehydration, A lack of magnesium and/or potassium in your diet, Problems such as a spinal cord injury or a pinched nerve in your neck or back, Kidney disease, Getting dialysis, a treatment you get when you have kidney failure, Pregnancy, Stress, Poor posture, Muscle injury, Hyperexcitable nerves. […] Muscle cramps can also be a side effect of some drugs, such as: Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) and terbutaline (Brethine) — which are asthma medications, Donepezil (Aricept), used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, Furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), and other diuretics („water pills”) that lower the levels of certain electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and take fluid out of your body, Neostigmine (Prostigmine), used for myasthenia gravis, Nifedipine (Procardia), a treatment for angina and high blood pressure, Raloxifene (Evista), an osteoporosis treatment, Tolcapone (Tasmar), which treats Parkinson’s disease, Statin medications for cholesterol, such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), or simvastatin (Zocor).

• #51 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #52 Muscle Cramps – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499895/

  Muscle cramps result in continuous, involuntary, painful, and localized contraction of an entire muscle group, individual single muscle, or select muscle fibers. […] The specific etiology is not well understood and possible causes depend on the physiological or pathological situation in which the cramps appear. […] The etiology of the cramp depends on the situation in which it occurs. It is not possible to draw up the causes, and the possible physiological or pathological differences in which the cramp occurs must be highlighted, as different scenarios give rise to cramps. […] Heat-associated muscle cramping is often seen during sports and rigorous exercise or physical activity. In this situation, large losses of sweat and electrolytes are believed to be the underlying pathologic mechanism.

• #53 Leg cramps

  https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/leg-cramps/

  Leg cramps can sometimes be caused by: […] The reason for some cramps is unknown.

• #54 Leg cramps | NHS inform

  https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/muscle-bone-and-joints/leg-and-foot-problems-and-conditions/leg-cramps/

  Leg cramps are a common and usually harmless condition. They cause the muscles in your leg to suddenly become tight and painful. […] A leg cramp is an episode of sudden pain in the muscles of the leg. Its caused by an involuntary contracting (shortening) of the leg muscle. […] The cause of leg cramps is sometimes unknown (idiopathic). In other cases, there may be an underlying condition or identifiable cause (secondary leg cramps). […] Idiopathic leg cramps may be caused by: abnormal nerve activity during sleep, excessive strain placed on leg muscles, for example during exercise, a sudden restriction in the blood supply to the affected muscles. […] Secondary leg cramps are caused by an underlying condition or another identifiable cause like: pregnancy the extra weight of pregnancy can place strain on the leg muscles, making them more vulnerable to cramping, exercise leg cramps are often experienced when resting after exercise, neurological conditions for example, motor neurone disease or peripheral neuropathy, liver disease if your liver stops working properly, toxins will build up in your blood, which can make your muscles spasm, infection some types of bacterial infection, like tetanus, can cause muscle cramps and spasm, toxins in some people, high levels of toxic (poisonous) substances in the blood, like lead or mercury, can cause leg cramps, dehydration in some people, low levels of water in the body can lead to a drop in your salt levels, which can trigger muscle cramps.

• #55 Muscle Cramps – Neurologic Disorders – Merck Manual Professional Edition

  https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/symptoms-of-neurologic-disorders/muscle-cramps

  Also, certain toxins can cause muscle cramps. […] Some Drugs, Disorders, and Other Conditions Associated With Muscle Cramps. […] In patients taking a causative drug. […] Benign idiopathic leg cramps: Unprovoked and unexplained cramps, typically in calf muscles and at night. […] Exercise-associated muscle cramping: Cramping of involved muscles during exercise or in the few hours after exercise. […] Focal cramps suggest benign idiopathic leg cramps, exercise-associated muscle cramping, musculoskeletal abnormalities, peripheral nervous system causes, or an early degenerative disorder that can be asymmetric, such as a motor neuron disorder. […] A normal examination and compatible history suggests benign idiopathic leg cramps or exercise-associated muscle cramping. […] Underlying conditions are treated when identified.

• #56 Muscle Cramps – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499895/

  The pathophysiology of muscle cramps is not always clear and depends on the patient’s pathological condition. […] Despite the depletion of electrolytes during treatment in patients with dialysis, there is no direct relationship between the presence of cramps and dialysis. […] The causes of these cramps are not well known but probably derived from neuronal hyperexcitability. […] The etiology of cramps in hemodialysis patients is not clear. […] The presence of cramps varies depending on the muscle area: cervical (9%), thigh (43%), calf (70%), toe (50%), abdominal muscles (12%), and fingers (74%). […] The exact cause of this disorder is not completely clarified. It could be an alteration of neuromuscular function, excessive weight gain, peripheral nerve compressions, insufficient blood flow to the muscles, and increased work by the muscles of the lower limbs.

• #57

  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-019-01162-1

  Muscle cramp is a temporary but intense and painful involuntary contraction of skeletal muscle that can occur in many different situations. The causes of, and cures for, the cramps that occur during or soon after exercise remain uncertain, although there is evidence that some cases may be associated with disturbances of water and salt balance, while others appear to involve sustained abnormal spinal reflex activity secondary to fatigue of the affected muscles. […] Two main hypotheses have been proposed and continue to be debated: a disturbance of water and salt balance, and a neurological cause resulting in sustained abnormal discharge of motor drive to the afflicted muscles. […] There are many different potential causes of muscle cramps, most of which are not associated with exercise but with a range of clinical conditions or the use of drugs for the treatment of those conditions.

• #58 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #59 Leg Cramps: 13 Causes and Treatment

  https://www.health.com/condition/chronic-pain/leg-cramps-causes

  Possible causes of leg cramps (charley horses) are too much or too little exercise, dehydration, low electrolyte levels, and certain conditions. […] One of the classic causes of leg cramps is dehydration. […] The reason dehydration causes cramping is largely theoretical. It may be that fluid depletion causes nerve endings to become sensitized. […] Electrolytes are the essential minerals that affect muscle function and many other bodily functions. Lost electrolytes can also contribute to leg cramping. […] An imbalance in sodium, calcium, magnesium, or potassium may cause leg cramps. […] Pregnancy increases the risk for leg cramps. […] Many people develop leg cramps due to overusing a muscle. […] Strenuous exercise is a key cause of leg cramps. […] You may be more prone to leg cramps when you are overtired.

• #60 Muscle Cramps: Symptoms, causes, treatments, and your questions answered.

  https://examine.com/conditions/muscle-cramps/?srsltid=AfmBOoroTrSo2pWVQCssu4Ahh3KAtwFjv06a9EBPvGFPf4uP0NkhbTBu

  Muscle cramps are more common during physical exertion and in hot weather, but can also be caused by certain medications, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances. […] While muscle cramps are commonly believed to be caused by dehydration or electrolyte imbalances, they are more likely due to muscle fatigue and nerve dysfunction. […] The underlying cause of muscle cramps is not well understood. […] One hypothesis for the cause of muscle cramps is because of dehydration and/or electrolyte abnormalities. However, trials have shown no significant correlations between hydration, serum electrolyte levels, and muscle cramps. […] A stronger hypothesis may be muscle fatigue and nerve dysfunction, and would help to explain why muscle cramps can occur after changes to exercise (e.g., unusually high volume or intensity, or unusual heat or humidity in the environment). […] The cause may ultimately be multifactorial. People with muscle cramps should be examined by a licensed healthcare professional to explore the above potential causes, along with more rare causes of muscle cramps, such as drugs, liver diseases, and neurological diseases.

• #61 Causes of Muscle Spasms and Cramps

  https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-causes-muscle-spasms-and-cramps-3120487

  A 2018 review concluded that there was better evidence in favor of the neuromuscular hypothesis, and that there was only inconsistent evidence to support the dehydration and electrolyte depletion theory. […] The exact cause of muscle cramps isn’t known for sure, but some researchers believe it may be related to muscle fatigue and a disruption in muscle control.

• #62 Health check: why do we get muscle cramps?

  https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-do-we-get-muscle-cramps-93493

  But recent reviews have downplayed this theory, as the evidence is mostly observational. This means while there may be an association between dehydration, salt depletion and cramps, we cant prove one caused the other. […] Also, in these studies, people who were prone to cramps didnt have differences in hydration or electrolyte content compared to people who were not prone to cramps. […] The recent reviews suggest what is called the altered neuromuscular control hypothesis to explain cramps. Here, the protective reflex action is disrupted, which usually happens when the muscle is tired. So, in this instance, the muscle contracts, but the usual signal to the spinal cord for it to relax is inhibited. There is now no protective relaxing of the muscle that follows, meaning it contracts for longer than you want it to.

• #63 Causes of Muscle Spasms and Cramps

  https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-causes-muscle-spasms-and-cramps-3120487

  Muscle cramps and spasms happen when a muscle spontaneously contracts. The reason for this isn’t well understood, but some researchers believe cramps and spasms may be related to muscle fatigue, muscle strain, or other factors like dehydration. […] The exact cause of muscle cramps is still unknown, but the theories most commonly cited include: altered neuromuscular control, dehydration, electrolyte depletion, muscle fatigue, and doing a new activity. […] While all these theories are being studied, researchers are finding more evidence in favor of the „altered neuromuscular control” hypothesis. Some researchers think this may be the primary mechanism that leads to exercise-associated muscle cramping (EAMC). […] According to this theory, muscle cramping is often related to muscle fatigue and results in a disruption of muscle coordination and control.

• #64 Muscle Cramps: Causes and Remedies Based on Latest Science

  https://trainright.com/muscle-cramp-cause-remedy/

  Cramping is by no means a new topic in the endurance community, and because EAMC can be debilitating in a race scenario cramping remains a hot topic. […] Despite our long affair with EAMC, we are not much closer to fully understand their etiology. If anything, our new understanding of EAMC is that they are complicated and likely stem from multiple compounding factors that make any one treatment or preventative technique unlikely to work for everyone, every time. […] The newest theory knocking at the door is the altered neuromuscular control theory. The premise of this new theory is that EAMC is most closely linked to the tenuous relationship between your nervous system and muscles contractions. This theory suggests that EAMC are a combination of several factors coalescing in a perfect (terrible) storm, overexciting your alpha motor neuron, ultimately resulting in a cramp.

• #65 Muscle Cramps Explained by Science | Muscle Cramp Treatment Options

  https://www.physiotutors.com/wiki/muscle-cramps-explained/

  In a 12-year summary report of marathon medical issues, cramping accounted for 6.1% of medical encounters, with 1.2 cases per 1.000 participants. However, exercise-associated muscle cramps are a problem in other vigorous sports too. […] It has long been thought that cramps are resulting from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. The theory behind it is that the extracellular fluid compartment becomes increasingly contracted due to sweating, leading to a loss of interstitial volume. In addition, excessive sweating can lead to concomitant sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, and potassium deficits. […] Schwellnus et al. (2009) popularized the idea that cramps occur due to an altered reflex control mechanism in response to neuromuscular fatigue. Specifically, muscle overload and fatigue engender an imbalance of the excitatory drive from muscle spindles and the inhibitory drive to the alpha motor neuron, which ultimately produces a localized cramp.

• #66 The Real Cause of Muscle Cramps | TrainingPeaks

  https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/the-real-cause-of-muscle-cramps/

  Cramping is an issue that many endurance athletes face. New research is being done that shows that cramps are not caused by muscles, they are neuromuscular. […] Muscle cramps are often associated with fatigue, a painful example of a failure in neuromuscular performance. […] As a fuller picture of the etiology (cause) of muscle cramps is emerging through studies by researchers such as Dr. Rod MacKinnon, a Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist, there are new insights that will help prevent or minimize cramps. […] Regardless of the conditions that provoke it, muscles cramp because of hyper-excited nerves, alpha motoneurons to be more precise, the nerve cells that project from the spinal cord directly to many skeletal muscle fibers. […] Some important clues have surfaced over the past few years that lend support to the notion that calming hyper-excited nerves will prevent muscle cramps. […] This observation helps explain why some athletes are haunted by cramps, while others rarely have a problem. […] As a result of this research, we are coming closer to the understanding the true cause of cramping.

• #67 Muscle Cramps: Causes and Treatments | Live Science

  https://www.livescience.com/muscle-cramps.html

  Muscle spasms are the sudden, intense and uncontrollable contraction of muscles. They’re painful and frustrating, and can stop athletes in their tracks or jolt someone awake in the middle of the night. Also called a muscle cramp or charley horse, a muscle spasm happens when the muscle is fatigued and becomes unable to relax. […] Researchers have hypothesized that exercise cramps might be caused by electrolyte imbalance or dehydration, but that’s primarily based on anecdotal evidence. Many experts agree that the strongest scientific evidence points to muscle cramps being caused by a miscommunication between the tendon that controls the muscle and the nervous system. According to a 2009 review by Dr. Martin Schwellnus, a professor and sports medicine physician at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, the miscommunication that causes exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC) is most likely the result of muscle fatigue.

• #68 Muscle Cramps Explained by Science | Muscle Cramp Treatment Options

  https://www.physiotutors.com/wiki/muscle-cramps-explained/

  Not surprisingly, having a history of exercise-associated cramps seems to be the highest risk factor for future cramps. Although research is equivocal, it seems that a family history of cramping, as well as a specific collagen gene, might be contributing factors. Furthermore, men seem to be more prone to exercise-induced cramps than women, which might be due to a higher ratio of fast-twitch fibers in muscles of locomotion. At last, Schwabe et al. Have proven that higher exercise intensity and duration lead to a higher risk of cramping, and Shang et al. Found that cramp-prone athletes were more likely to have a history of tendon or ligament injury when compared to non-cramping athletes. […] At last, it appears that stretching is the most effective treatment in relieving acute fatigue-induced muscular cramping, as it is believed to increase tension in the Golgi tendon organ, resulting in an increased afferent reflex inhibition to the alpha motor neuron.

• #69 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #70 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #71 Muscle Cramps

  https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2019-aug-july/muscle-cramps

  The pathophysiology of myogenic muscle cramps, in contrast, is usually the result of disrupted energy production in muscle cells and occurs most commonly in metabolic myopathies associated with disorders of glycogen, lipid, or mitochondrial metabolism. Metabolic myopathies cause deficient ATP levels. Because muscle relaxation is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent active process, actin and myosin chains do not disengage, causing an electrically silent cramp. The metabolic defect may also cause accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites that further aggravate ATP deficiency. Myopathic cramps are also a potential symptom of myopathies linked to muscle membrane or intramuscular structural dysfunction in acquired and hereditary myopathies. […] Causes of muscle cramps and investigations […] Physiologic stressors are a common precipitant to muscle cramps. The most common is dehydration, in which electrolyte loss disrupts neuromuscular junction function and membrane stability. Other physiologic stressors include unusually prolonged or strenuous exercise, particularly in a deconditioned state in which muscle tendon shortening is common. Pathologic states that disrupt the homeostatic environment or structural integrity of the neuromuscular axis or spinal connections also lead to muscle cramps. People with medical conditions in which fluid shifts occur are especially vulnerable to muscle cramps. For individuals being treated with hemodialysis, muscle cramps as part of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome are common, because changes in dialysate, flow rates, and dialysis parameters can cause fluid shifts. In people with cirrhosis, prevention with albumin infusion is a long-known strategy to mitigate this symptom. For individuals who are dehydrated or malnourished, muscle cramps may arise from electrolyte loss or vitamin B or D deficiency. People with endocrine disorders that affect electrolyte levels may also have muscle cramps and spasms. Muscle cramps are common in the setting of diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, the most important of which are neuropathy and nephropathy. Medications can also cause cramps, including thiazide diuretics, statins, beta-agonists, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cimetidine, steroids, morphine, penicillamine, some immunosuppressants, cardiotropics, antiretrovirals, and psychotropic medications.

• #72 Muscle Cramps: Causes and Remedies Based on Latest Science

  https://trainright.com/muscle-cramp-cause-remedy/

  The variables that are seemingly most important to causing this heightened fatigued state are: inadequate conditioning (particularly for heat or altitude), muscle damage, previous injury to both the cramping muscle or in the compensating muscle group, and certain medications like albuterol, conjugated estrogen, and statins. […] What this means is that although we should not completely eliminate dehydration or electrolyte imbalances entirely from the EAMC guidebook, there is likely more going on. Most likely, hydration and fueling problems act as one of the many players that work together to lead to EAMC. […] Muscles that are most likely to experience EAMC are muscles that are contracting in a shortened position. This is particularly true of muscles that cross two joints including your muscles that make up your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, your biceps brachii, and the long head of your triceps.

• #73

  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-019-01162-1

  This uncertainty is reflected in the conclusion of several recent reviews that the causes of EAMC, and therefore the treatment options, remain uncertain. […] The role of changes in hydration status and electrolyte balance as a factor in the aetiology of EAMC was dismissed by Schwellnus, who said that scientific evidence in support of the electrolyte depletion and dehydration hypotheses for the aetiology of EAMC comes mainly from anecdotal clinical observations, case series totalling 18 cases, and one small case-control study. […] The strongest evidence that sweat-related electrolyte imbalances are a factor in some muscle cramps is found in the large-scale observational and prospective studies of industrial workers. […] Schwellnus et al. hypothesised that cramp is caused by sustained abnormal spinal reflex activity which appears to be secondary to muscle fatigue. […] Therefore, rather than focusing on an either/or approach, there are good reasons to suggest that different mechanisms may apply in different situations.

• #74 What causes muscle cramps in exercise?

  https://www.mysportscience.com/post/what-causes-muscle-cramps-in-exercise

  Although cramping often occurs in prolonged exercise in the heat, cramping can also occur without dehydration or electrolyte imbalance and in cool environments. Therefore, there must be other causes for cramps that occur in these conditions. Cramping can be triggered by activities beyond exercise, including repetitive, small muscle group activities like typing, writing or pressing buttons. It was suggested that cramps could be caused by abnormal activity of the nerve that control muscle activity, originating in the central nervous system. […] Cramping is certainly more common in exercise in the heat, where sweating rates are high and electrolyte depletion results. However, cramping can also occur at times when electrolyte depletion/dehydration has not occurred. In these conditions, cramps are more likely to be caused by the altered control of muscle contraction by nerves, as a result of fatigue.

• #75 Muscle Cramps: Causes and Remedies Based on Latest Science

  https://trainright.com/muscle-cramp-cause-remedy/

  The variables that are seemingly most important to causing this heightened fatigued state are: inadequate conditioning (particularly for heat or altitude), muscle damage, previous injury to both the cramping muscle or in the compensating muscle group, and certain medications like albuterol, conjugated estrogen, and statins. […] What this means is that although we should not completely eliminate dehydration or electrolyte imbalances entirely from the EAMC guidebook, there is likely more going on. Most likely, hydration and fueling problems act as one of the many players that work together to lead to EAMC. […] Muscles that are most likely to experience EAMC are muscles that are contracting in a shortened position. This is particularly true of muscles that cross two joints including your muscles that make up your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, your biceps brachii, and the long head of your triceps.

• #76 Muscle Cramps – OrthoInfo – AAOS

  https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/muscle-cramps

  Muscle cramps are more likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your body’s fluids, salt, and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium, and calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm. […] Although the exact cause of muscle cramps is unknown (idiopathic), some researchers believe inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue lead to abnormalities in the mechanisms (bodily processes) that control muscle contraction. […] Other factors may also be involved, including: Poor conditioning, Exercising or working in intense heat, Dehydration, Depletion of salt and minerals (electrolytes). […] Some people are predisposed to muscle cramps and get them regularly with any physical exertion. […] Those at greatest risk for cramps and other ailments related to excess heat include infants and young children, and people over age 65. Other factors that put people at greater risk for muscle cramp include: Being ill or overweight, Overexerting during work or exercise, Taking certain medications, such as pseudoephedrine (a decongestant) diuretics, and statins (used to treat high cholesterol). […] Muscle cramps are very common among endurance athletes, such as marathon runners and triathletes, and older people who perform strenuous physical activities.

• #77 Muscle Cramp & Spasms | Causes, Prevention & Treatment

  https://stretchcoach.com/articles/muscle-cramp/?srsltid=AfmBOorjmqxDx51sv80LB_HrO3Nl6o-bF6cgkkVgq5eafiA2zMsIc87f

  Another important activity that is very effective in helping to prevent muscle cramps and spasms is ensuring adequate hydration and electrolyte replenishment. […] If you seem to be prone to muscle cramps and muscle spasms you should also look at increasing your intake of minerals and electrolytes. The minerals that are most important are Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, and Magnesium.

• #78

  https://www.barringtonortho.com/blog/muscle-cramps-why-do-they-happen

  If your body isn’t receiving enough calcium, magnesium, or potassium as part of your regular diet, you may be more susceptible to leg cramping. […] Not all cramps should be cause for alarm, but if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, it may be time to see an orthopedic specialist: Cause severe pain and discomfort, Come out of nowhere, Chronic, happening constantly, Cause muscle weakness and muscle fatigue, Legs are also swollen or red, Cramps are not improving even with preventative measures. […] The treatment for cramping muscle can vary depending on the cause and severity of the cramp. […] A regular program of stretching lengthens muscle fibers, making them more pliable and reducing the chance of injury. Stretching can also help prevent muscle cramps during and after exercise by promoting blood flow and increasing range of motion in the affected muscles.

• #79 Muscle Cramps: Causes and Treatments | Live Science

  https://www.livescience.com/muscle-cramps.html

  If you tend to get muscle cramps, you may have a genetic predisposition based on the type of collagen in your tendons, according to research by Malcolm Collins, a professor of exercise science and sports medicine at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. […] The simplest way to avoid cramps during and after exercise is to avoid overexertion. Several studies have found that athletes who cramped were often running faster than their normal speeds. Exercising in hot or humid conditions is more tiring and will cause muscles to fatigue faster. Staying hydrated and making sure your body is properly conditioned for exercise will also help stave off the fatigue that causes cramps. […] Once cramps hit, they can be relieved by stretching the muscle. To prevent nocturnal cramping, stretching leg muscles before bed has been shown to help, and there are some prescription medications that have varying levels of effectiveness in preventing and treating cramps.

• #80 Muscle Cramp & Spasms | Causes, Prevention & Treatment

  https://stretchcoach.com/articles/muscle-cramp/?srsltid=AfmBOorjmqxDx51sv80LB_HrO3Nl6o-bF6cgkkVgq5eafiA2zMsIc87f

  Another important activity that is very effective in helping to prevent muscle cramps and spasms is ensuring adequate hydration and electrolyte replenishment. […] If you seem to be prone to muscle cramps and muscle spasms you should also look at increasing your intake of minerals and electrolytes. The minerals that are most important are Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, and Magnesium.

• #81 Muscle Cramp & Spasms | Causes, Prevention & Treatment

  https://stretchcoach.com/articles/muscle-cramp/?srsltid=AfmBOorjmqxDx51sv80LB_HrO3Nl6o-bF6cgkkVgq5eafiA2zMsIc87f

  Muscle cramps and spasms can involve part or all of a muscle, or a number of muscles within a muscle group. […] People who are at the greatest risk of muscle cramps and spasms are those who are ill, overweight, or unfit. Those who take drugs or certain medication, and those who live or work in excessive heat and humidity are also prone to cramping. Muscle cramps are also common among endurance athletes and people over 65 years of age who perform strenuous physical activity. […] There are a number of factors that contribute to muscle cramps and spasms, the main ones being: Intense physical effort; Muscle fatigue, exhaustion, and overuse; Working or exercising in high heat and humidity; Dehydration; Electrolyte and mineral depletion; Poor flexibility and tight muscles; Muscle strain or injury; Poor blood circulation; Excessive use of alcohol or drugs; and As a side effect of certain medications.

• #82 Muscle spasms: Causes, symptoms, and treatment

  https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/muscle-spasms

  Muscle spasms are not usually anything to worry about, but in some cases, they can be a sign of an underlying neurological health condition. […] Overexercising, dehydration, and stress are the most common causes. […] Sometimes, muscle spasms can be a sign of an underlying health condition. Anyone with frequent or severe muscle spasms should speak to a doctor.

• #83 Muscle Cramps

  https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/musclecramps.html

  The following is an analysis of three early theories on the causes of EAMC. Serum electrolyte theory: Blood plasma contains all electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, phosphate and more. […] Dehydration theory: Early studies, which did not directly measure hydration in workers and fireman experiencing cramps, treated study participants with fluids and electrolytes to manage muscle cramps. […] Environmental theory: The environmental theory comes from the term and condition referred to as 'heat cramps.’ […] The newest concept of muscle cramps is a neuromuscular theory (Giuriato et al., 2018). […] The central, or spinal, origin theory suggests that the involuntary contraction of a muscle cramp occurs when nerve messages to the spinal column are altered, perhaps due to muscle fatigue.

• #84 Health check: why do we get muscle cramps?

  https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-do-we-get-muscle-cramps-93493

  No one really knows exactly why this occurs. It may be due to increased fatigue from carrying the extra body weight, or increased pressure on the leg muscles due to slowed return of blood to the heart. […] Salt tablets and magnesium have been commonly used for cramps, but because electrolyte imbalance and dehydration dont appear to be the cause, their usefulness is debatable. […] Given the overall lack of understanding of exactly how cramps occur, evidence-based prevention strategies are few and far between. If fatigue is one of the main causes of increased susceptibility to cramps, then methods to delay fatigue such as fluid intake and salt replacement during exercise may help prevent them. This can also aid performance.

• #85 Muscle Cramps: Causes and Remedies Based on Latest Science

  https://trainright.com/muscle-cramp-cause-remedy/

  The variables that are seemingly most important to causing this heightened fatigued state are: inadequate conditioning (particularly for heat or altitude), muscle damage, previous injury to both the cramping muscle or in the compensating muscle group, and certain medications like albuterol, conjugated estrogen, and statins. […] What this means is that although we should not completely eliminate dehydration or electrolyte imbalances entirely from the EAMC guidebook, there is likely more going on. Most likely, hydration and fueling problems act as one of the many players that work together to lead to EAMC. […] Muscles that are most likely to experience EAMC are muscles that are contracting in a shortened position. This is particularly true of muscles that cross two joints including your muscles that make up your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, your biceps brachii, and the long head of your triceps.

Zobacz więcej