View From The Treatment Room at Hednesford Town FC

Cramp can be a nightmare to the sportsman. Cramp is a sudden spasm of a muscle that makes it go hard and tense. It is acutely painful and can last anything from seconds to fifteen minutes and then recur. Although it most commonly affects the calf muscles, it can also occur elsewhere in the body such as the abdominals muscles causing a stitch. Exercise cramp is brought on by the repeated use of a muscle such as the leg muscles. It is more likely to happen if the muscles are tired through being subjected to a lot of exercise and/or if you are dehydrated. So it seems to effect players in the early part of the season when the weather is really hot and they are striving to gain match fitness.

Do a good warm up before exercise. Drink plenty of water before, during and after can prevent cramp. I always encourage players to swim especially when doing rehabilitation from injury. However cramp can occur in cold water too. It can be dangerous especially in deep water. It can affect the arms as well as the legs. So to be safe if you are unsure stay in the shallow end of the pool.

To ease cramp, gently stretch and massage the affected muscle. With calf muscle cramp, I usually sit the player down on the ground and push the players toes back to ease the spasm in the calf muscle.

What causes a stitch I am not quite sure. Some doctors suggest that it is the gut tugging on it supportive ligaments, especially those connecting to the diaphragm (the muscle sheet that separate the abdominal and chest cavities. You are more likely to get a stitch if you eat a heavy meal. It is advised to wait two hours after eating before you exercise. If you are susceptible to this condition it is recommended that you wear a wide light belt around your waist. It may help to move your abdominal muscle upwards and inwards and reducing the tension on the ligaments.

To get relief from a stretch, bend forwards and tighten your abdominal muscles while trying to breath slowly and deeply. Keep still until the pain has completely eased. Do not try and exercise it away.

You can suffer with cramp even if you are not an athlete. It can occur at night lying in bed. It can happen at any age but it is more common as you get older. Experts suggest that it is a build up of toxins in the calf muscle causing the spasm. As a precaution try sleeping with your foot pressed against a pillow at the end of the bed. This will maintain a stretch.  Another option is drinking a glass of quinine for a month before bed (tonic water contains this!)  A Dr. can also prescribe it in tablet form. In conclusion it is normal to get the occasional bout of cramp. If you are concerned because you are getting more than usual do speak to your Doctor. It could be due to a slightly lower level in the blood of sodium (salt) magnesium and calcium. There maybe side effects of some medications that you may be taking.