In everyday life, many people, especially the elderly, experience calf cramps. Many people simply have to believe that cramps are mainly related to calcium deficiency. However, many people often get cramps in their sleep at night even though they are actively taking calcium supplements.
So, what are the “culprits behind the scenes” that cause cramps other than calcium deficiency? How can we prevent cramps in our daily life? The actual fact is that you can find a lot of people who are not able to get a good deal on the subject.
The reason behind the leg cramps is that there are so many “culprits”
1.Weakness and fatigue
The muscle contraction in a short period of time due to excessive exercise, especially anaerobic exercise, the body produces a large amount of metabolic waste, the state of muscle tension at night has not been improved, too much acidic metabolites accumulation can not be cleared in time, can stimulate calf cramps, the elderly weak muscle strength poor body metabolic function is also one of the reasons.
2, cold stimulation
Cold is the most common direct cause of cramps, can directly stimulate the leg muscles caused by strong contraction and sudden vascular spasm.
3, hypocalcemia
In the process of muscle contraction, calcium ions play an important role. Due to the weakened calcium absorption capacity of the elderly and the obvious calcium loss, children and pregnant women’s body calcium due to excessive calcium consumption by the body, when the concentration of calcium ions in the blood is too low, the muscle is easily excited and cramps.
4.Vascular factors
When atherosclerosis occurs in the arteries or when there is thrombosis, blood circulation is blocked, local tissues become ischemic and hypoxic, and physiological functions are disturbed, causing coldness, numbness and intermittent claudication in the lower limbs, i.e., numbness, pain and even spasm in the calf muscles when walking, which disappears after rest and reappears when walking; in severe cases, there may be persistent pain, and the arteries of the lower limbs, especially the dorsalis pedis, pulsate The arteries of the lower limbs, especially the dorsalis pedis, are weakened or disappear. And metabolites can not be taken away in time, to a certain concentration, will also stimulate muscle contraction, causing painful cramps.
5. Excessive sweating
Exercise for a long time, anaerobic exercise, sweating, a large loss of body fluids and electrolytes such as low calcium, low potassium, low magnesium, a large amount of metabolic waste accumulation, internal environmental disorders, also prone to cramps.
6, local compression
If you lie on your back for a long time, so that the quilt is pressed on the surface of your feet, or lie prone for a long time, so that the surface of your feet is pressed against the bed, forcing some muscles in your calves to be in a state of prolonged compression, causing muscle “passive contracture” and insufficient blood supply.
The elderly can do this to prevent calf cramps
1.Add some vinegar or put a few plums or hawthorn in the cooking dishes or soups, which can promote the dissolution of calcium in food and also easy to be absorbed by the body.
2, in the daily diet to eat more soy products, milk, shrimp skin, sesame paste, kelp and other calcium-rich food, before going to bed a glass of milk for the elderly body calcium supplement can also play an obvious effect.
3, if necessary, you can take calcium gluconate, calcium lactate and other calcium supplements under the guidance of a doctor.
4.In the cold season, pay special attention to keep the lower limbs warm when sleeping, and do not stretch your legs too fast and too hard when you wake up.
5, usually should strengthen physical exercise, daily adhere to the calf muscle massage, in order to promote local blood circulation.