How to Prevent Charley Horses in 6 StepsDo you suffer from sudden, excruciating leg cramps that interrupt your morning exercise routine or wake you up in the middle of the night? Known as Charley horses, these painful, involuntary muscle contractions are most often caused by dehydration, poor circulation, or poor nutrition. If you’re prone to muscle cramps, try these tips to help them pass quickly and prevent Charley horses in the future.

Warm Up Before and After Working Out

Overworking your muscles in a high-intensity workout, and then immediately coming to a complete stop, is one common reason for muscle cramps. The shock of overuse followed by inactivity can easily lead to a Charley horse.

To prevent this, warm up before exercising. Gently stretch, especially your calf muscles, and ease into your workout by jogging in place or doing jumping jacks. Then, be reasonable about the amount of activity you complete all at once. When you finish your workout, cool down and stretch to increase your flexibility, help your muscles relax, and prevent cramping.

Drink More Water

Since dehydration is a common cause of muscle twitches and cramps, strive to drink more water. Always take a water bottle with you when you go hiking, biking, running, or to the gym.

Then, bring a reusable water bottle with you to school or work. Make a habit of taking frequent sips throughout the day. Since coconut water has high potassium content, this is a good type of water to keep around if you have a mineral deficiency.

Eat Foods High in Potassium

If your body doesn’t have enough potassium, muscle cramps are a common side effect. You could have a potassium deficiency if you have chronic kidney disease, live with diabetes, take diuretics for high blood pressure, or drink alcohol excessively. To increase your potassium levels, eat more bananas, spinach, sweet potatoes, avocados, yogurt, mushrooms, and acorn squash.

Increase Your Calcium and Magnesium Intake

Potassium isn’t the only mineral that helps prevent Charley horses. You could also suffer from muscle cramps if you have a calcium or magnesium deficiency. Dairy products, kale, and broccoli are all good sources of calcium, while you can get magnesium from dark leafy greens, beans, whole grains, bananas, nuts, and seeds.

Feel free to modify your diet to include healthy, mineral-rich foods. You can also take a multivitamin each day to boost your overall nutrient intake.

Stretch and Massage Your Calves

When your calf muscles cramp up, the best way to relieve the pain is to stretch the muscle out and massage the affected area. First, stand up and put all your weight on the affected limb. Bend your knee slightly to help increase the stretch in your calf muscle.

When the pain has subsided a bit, massage you hurting calf to help it relax. Avoid rubbing the contracted muscle in a circular motion, which could cause it to spasm even more. Instead, apply firm pressure behind the knee with your thumbs and rub downward along the length of your calf muscle toward your heel.

Soak in an Epsom Salt Bath

Another way to relieve a Charley horse is to take an Epsom salt bath. For the best results, relax your whole body with a 20- to 30-minute soak. Ambient lighting and peaceful music also add to the experience.

Receive Muscle Spasm Treatment at Spine Correction Center

If these techniques to prevent Charley horses aren’t working, you could have an underlying condition causing your muscle spasms and cramps. You know it’s time for a medical consultation if:

  • Charley horses occur frequently and cause severe discomfort.
  • Swelling, redness, weakness, or numbness accompanies your muscle cramps.
  • Your Charley horses occur with no apparent cause, such as dehydration or intense exercise.

At Spine Correction Center of the Rockies, we treat leg pain stemming from many causes. It can’t hurt to schedule a free consultation with one of our medical professionals! To get started, please contact our Fort Collins office at (970) 658-5115.