Why do people get leg cramps? Zhang Xingping explains that leg cramps are in fact a contraction of the muscles that occur as a result of strong stimulation, and that muscle spasms in the calves and toes are generally the most common. So, why do people get leg cramps? First, cold stimulation. Second, fatigue, lack of sleep or too much rest leads to the accumulation of local acidic metabolites that cause muscle cramps. Third, poor sleep posture, such as prolonged supine, so that the quilt pressed against the foot, or prolonged prone, the face of the foot against the bed, forcing certain muscles of the calf in a state of absolute relaxation for a long time, causing muscle “passive contracture”. Fourth, the nerves are stimulated, which may be caused by problems in the cervical or lumbar spine. “These causes of cramps are basically the same and there is no significant difference in performance. Recently, Taiwan’s “Health” magazine quoted Dr. Lin Songkai of the Department of Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine Center, Taipei Lih Hsin Hospital, who pointed out that leg cramps while sleeping may also be caused by electrolyte imbalance, calcium deficiency, and too much water loss in the body, and may also be related to some medical diseases (such as hypothyroidism) or drug side effects (taking certain antihypertensive drugs and lipid-lowering drugs) and neurological lesions. Therefore, he suggests drinking a diluted sports drink or light salt water before bedtime, and keeping warm while sleeping. However, if the cramps are caused by electrolyte imbalance, calcium deficiency, nerve irritation, etc., they often do not occur only in the legs and feet, but may also occur in other parts of the body and can recur. Therefore, we are reminded to seek medical attention in such cases. Timely massage can relieve cramps. Once the sudden onset of cramps, Zhang Xingping believes that the most straightforward way to relieve them is to massage the area where the cramps occur, using the thumb of the other hand and the remaining four fingers together with force, repeatedly holding the affected calf muscle from top to bottom for a few minutes. Dr. Tian Weiming, chief physician of the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of the Provincial Hospital of Hebei Medical University, recommends that you can “do the opposite”, that is, pull the toe in the direction of the opposite force, and insist on more than one or two minutes to get results. Specifically, if the muscles behind the calf cramp, you can wrench the toes to make the foot plate stilted, while straightening the knee joint; if the muscles in front of the calf cramp, you can press the foot plate to wrench the toes. After that, you can walk on the ground and stir the ground with the forefoot of the affected leg to make the pain disappear. To prevent leg cramps, drink more soy milk and milk. The “leg cramps” should also be “prevented before they happen”. Tian Weiming recommends drinking more soy milk and milk, eating more vegetables and meat and other foods with high calcium content; wear more clothes when it’s cool, and pay attention to keeping your calves warm when you sleep. Soak your feet in hot water before going to bed and pay attention to the sleeping position. At the same time, you can also massage the point of the Committee (behind the knee area of the diamond-shaped depression in the middle of the horizontal stripe), the other side of the hand fingertips on the affected limb of the Committee point, thumb on the patella above, appropriate pressure to rub 0.5-1 minutes; Yanglingquan point (oblique below the knee, the outer calf of the fibula slightly in front of the depression), the thumb belly on the affected limb of the same side of the Yanglingquan point, the remaining four fingers attached to the belly of the leg, appropriate pressure for 0.5-1 minutes, can improve blood circulation, especially for the elderly.