How to Stop a Leg Cramp in 15 Seconds
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 มี.ค. 2023
- After 20 years of treating patients and dealing with his own vein condition, Dr. Michael Ryan demonstrates his proven method of stopping a leg cramp in 15 seconds. For more information on a variety of health topics, visit our blog at blog.missouriveincare.com/blog.
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technique begins at @3::50
Thank you. After a couple of minutes I scrolled down to see if anybody had provided this info.
Thanks SO much 🎉
Many thanks Grace , I was starting to feel uncomfortable !
Bless your heart ♥️
More thanks to you Grace, and people like you!❤
Never tried the technique in the video, but the thing that really works is to contract the opposing muscle(s). So if your calf is cramping, you simply pull your toes/foot up towards your head (dorsiflexion)- this is contracting the muscles of the anterior compartment of the leg, which sends a signal to your brain to relax your calf. It's called "reciprocal inhibition", and the reason it works is because your brain does not want to contract two sides of a limb at the same time. It's a reflex that allows you to do things like lift a weight with your elbow bent, for example doing arm curls. You tighten the muscles and your elbow bends, lifting the weight, and your triceps HAS TO relax to allow that to happen. Next time you have a calf cramp, try pulling your foot forcefully upwards, and when the cramp stops, then stretch the calf if you need to. I'm a Registered Massage Therapist and we learned this in college.
I try that but it's like my foot locks and I can't pull it up
As you use your fist or the heel of your hand to push firmly into the cramp. The blood flow is decreased and cramp stops
That's one of the things that everybody tries first naturally, but it never works for me.
What works for me is to cross my legs so the foot of the leg that doesn’t have the cramp lays on top of the leg with pain. I then press the toes of the bottom leg foot up against the top leg foot, which I keep in place. The fact that the bottom foot toes are pushing strongly against the top leg foot causes the the cramped calf muscle to strain and the pain is gone. It is very simple to do and can easily be done lying down. Cross the legs, push bottom toes up against the other foot that is on top. I use this to stop Charley Horse cramps. Works every time.
I don't know any of the terminology, just that trial and error taught me "toesies up".
It worked....Last night at 4:00AM Thank you....went right back to sleep....
I used to suffer from leg cramps at night (sometimes feet cramps). A physical therapist told me to take Magnesium pills. Originally, I took 250mg per day, and still had ocassional cramps. I was told to increase that to 500mg daily. Have not had cramps since. Potassium was never really effective for me.
Thank you for this video. I'm sure I'll use it sometime in the future.
Had the same experience. If I miss taking Mg, they start again.
That's because magnesium helps retain potassium.....still need potassium....RDA for potassium is 3500-4000mg/day. Banana =99mg. Cramps can be related to circulatory problems as well. How little potassium do you get? Deficiency equals HBP, constipation, leg cramps. The calves are considered the "peripheral heart", solely responsible for returning blood to the heart as such they get tight due to repetitive contractions throughout the day, they become depleted of potassium as well, and as your blood pressure drops at night, less blood and electrolytes are available, cramps. It is deficiency related. Get in the right stuff and get more sleep than this guy does. 😂
Doesnt work for everyone 🫣😐
K, Zinc, and B1 individually have each helped quote a few people. Even pubmed about each of those, esp K I believe
That’s what I do. Pop some magnesium and they go away.
I am a recalcitrant patient, and am averse to most advice, but I’m really glad I listened this time@@robinshane4661
If it takes nearly 9 minutes to explain a 15 second solution to a problem, I tend to think someone is selling me far more than a 15 second solution.
You need to understand what causes cramping to be able to understand the solution.
@@ej12349 it worked but next time get to the point first then explain
@@ramonreyes6678 Well, can't please everyone.
OK, let's see the video you produced. I'm sure it's far superior, and to the point.
Starts at 3:52
Thank you so much!
Yep.
Thank you. Video is helpful, but he needs to work off a script.
Vitamin K and B1. Even pubmed articles about those. And zinc 🫣😐🤔
Thanks. Hate having to go through all the babble.
Dr Michael Ryan I thank you so much, I am from Singapore and out of a sudden, the muscle cramps strike for about 5min and just do not go away, the pain is so unbearable until I find your way of doing the massage, and the muscle slowly ease off so is the pain also goes away! I feel so much relief now. Glad that I find you and it really work!
Dear Doctor,
I stumbled across your video, and found it very interesting. Subsequently, I have used your technique to my great relief.
At the same time, I thought if the technique was curative, it could also be *preventative.*
As a result, I have been massaging my tendons several times during the day. When I'm finished, I feel a *definite* relaxation of my calf muscles.
As a result of my preventative actions, I have had not *one* night time muscle cramps -- I sleep, undisturbed, throughout the night.
I thought you should know, I am grateful for you video regarding this matter.
I stand up and put as much weight on the cramped leg as possible. That seems to be the most common method. With a foot cramp in bed sometimes all I have to do is press against the sheet and comforter. I don't need to know where the tendon is.
I once got a big cramp once in the middle of dinner (these were more common when I was younger and running Cross Country) my friend Willy told me to take off my sock and shoe and stand on something cold. I opened the back door and stood on the concrete step.
There is another technique you can use…
Muscles come in pairs, with a flexor muscle and an extensor muscle that operate a joint in different directions.
The interesting thing is that these muscles inhibit each other, in normal use.
So if you have a leg cramp, try to use the leg and walk with it. The cramping muscle will be inhibited as you walk.
It is not easy to walk when you have cramp, but walking does seem to ease it.😅
Similarly, I just put my foot down from my bed and very firmly, but slowly, ease my weight down on it, leaning forward so my foot raises toward my shin. And then if it still seems somewhat stiff, I'll do as you do and carefully walk about until it is pretty relaxed.
That’s how I get rid of mine I walk and it goes real quick, but it be nice to be able to do something without having to jump out of bed and walk around.
I rarely have leg cramps but yesterday I ate a lot of potassium-rich foods, and I watched your video. Early this morning, I woke up due to a leg cramp. I followed your advice and it went away quickly. Thank you so much!!
The simplest, and instantly effective way of getting rid of a leg cramp for me is to jump out of bed immediately and exercise the muscle or if you’re in a chair, just stand up and exercise your leg, stressing the muscle, where the cramp is. If it is my calf or foot, I will simply do push-ups from my toes to a tiptoe position. If it’s in my calf, I will put my foot on the floor and pull back with my leg. I thought most people knew this technique. Just exercise the muscle.
Dear Bill, I think you must have a high pain tolerance! I could do none of these things !!
No. You want to contract the OPPOSING muscle. Exercising the cramping muscle makes it worse. Now if you walk off a calf cramp for example, that will slowly work because part of the time you are exercising the opposing muscle, part of the time the cramping one. Want to make a calf cramp ten times worse? Point your toes down away from your knee. Now you’ll see what exercising the cramping muscle does! Pull your toes up toward your knee, that’s using the opposing muscles, and the cramp will subside
@@mguerramd not sure I understand your procedure. When I have a calf cramp, I stand up and do toe push-ups on the ball of my feet. This works immediately. On the other hand if I have a cramp in my thigh, it seems to work as you say, but I’m not sure and I’ll have to pay attention to it next time. I take magnesium which I am told helps suppress leg cramps.
@@-just.the.facts- Magnesium helps a lot. I take 100mg 4x a day. Any stretching method to remedy a cramp that works, works! I pre treat my legs and feet with magnesium foam before exercising in the heat, that does help a bunch.
Yes, "walking it off" is the only way I have relieved the pain of night leg cramps.
I have also found that low salt & mineral levels have caused me to have arm cramps or leg cramps and taking some Himalayan pink salt or Redmond real salt in a glass of water or spaying on some magnesium salt solution on the skin and rubbing it into the muscles help take it away.
I have to tell you i get cramps so bad. In the calf I can usually stretch out but the worst is the front of my leg down to my foot or up to my thigh. I know this is the worst thing possible to do, but if I feel it coming on or I'm in the midst of a painful cramp I get a spoonful of SALT and put it in my mouth and dissolve it as quickly as possible. Then drink a glass of water. Its the worst taste and all but, for me at least, the cramp is gone. Its actually a quick miracle. Like I said its not for everyone of course but at least for me, it works. Please don't do if you have High BP. Or are not supposed to have salt at such a high intake. Just a known fix for me.
Yes. If I get cramps it’s usually because my magnesium is low.
Adding salt to my diet has totally eliminated my night cramps. Have suffered from them for years before doing this.
@@Cindy-1965 salt is perfectly healthy, just make sure it’s real salt.
@@dietschegroosmame3596 Exactly! I think the high blood pressure problems come from a lack of minerals in cheap salts because I have heard so many stories of people having high blood pressure return to normal after switching to real salts that don't have the minerals stripped out. It is probably the cheapest switch that has so many other benefits aside from the blood pressure.
Excellent advice. It works for me. Once I got a cramp in the hand at the same time besides the leg, but I kept pressing and got rid of both cramps. Train to fix the cramp on impulse, even when half asleep.
Stretch leg out and point foot and toes up - magic! Thank you for the video and hope you are feeling better now.
I will use your method when I have another cramp episode. Thank you, Doctor!
thanks Doc, I'll be giving it a try
I'm sure it works well to stop cramps. Even better is try to prevent the cramps. I started eating Liver (and the cramps stopped) and later taking Magnesium supplements.
In my case I was getting nightly painful calf cramps that forced me to stand up out of bed and straighten out my leg.
Thank you so much for this valuable information! I am going to try this the next time I have a leg cramp. I have tried a lot of remedies, but have never heard of this one before. You never know how many people you are helping by posting this. Thanks again!
Thank you, I will try this the next time I get a leg cramp.
Pickle juice actually works for me. A few years ago I had to move in with my ex-husband for a few months. One late night I saw him take my pickle jar and pour the juice into a shot glass and drink it. He told me he did that when he had leg cramps. I was an unbeliever and did internet search about it. There have not been any deep studies that I could find, but BYU had an article about it. Something about the vinegar immediately shocks the cramp out of the muscle. It's not known yet how it works but It works for me in about 10 seconds.
4:22
What I do is vigorously shake the cramping leg as soon as the cramp comes on. Try it. It works a hell of a lot better than withstanding the pain so bad that it would make me yell and worry about tearing the muscle. No need to look for tendons etc. No hands or acrobatics needed. Just shake vigorously.
Right!!!happen to me aT night, me just shakedown.my feet right left up down n disappear straight away, but pain is there n gone slowly in not much time😊
Thanks for this. It explains why my personal method for ending them works. I get out of bed or stand up from my computer chair, and lean forward into a wall. I support myself on the leg that's NOT cramping and extend the cramping leg behind me and dig my toes into the floor and push back, stretching the muscles out as much as possible. I push til it's more pain than I would normally subject myself to and hold until I'm sure the cramp has subsided.
Excellent tips & explanation. Thank you, Dr
Thank you for this advice. I certainly will have opportunity sometime soon to test your instructions. Those leg cramps are certainly quite vicious and painful.
Thanks Doc, I'll try this and in the meantime I'll keep a packet of mustard handy which typically releases the cramp in 3 to 4 minutes. I have had very painful cramps lasting 15 to 20 minutes only relieved by walking. A hot shower with alternating cold water has also helped me.
I've told patients/individuals this since I worked with you. This is good information for individuals to have for those legs cramps. Thank you Dr. Ryan for your knowledge in this area.
Thank you very much, Dr. Ryan
I’ve learned that if I swallow one teaspoon of yellow mustard as soon as I get a cramp, it’s gone before I put the spoon down. It has to be yellow mustard, not Dijon or any other kind. It’s worked for everyone I told, including my doctor.
Thanks for that! I straighten out my legs and try to point toes and foot up. I do squeeze and rub the mussel but didn't know about the tendons. It's good to have the info for next time which won't be long into the future. My father (past-away) also had leg cramps.
Muscle
Passed
It helps me to be sure to stretch my legs and feet before bed. Quads, hamstrings, calves, and the top of my foot (by making floor contact with the tops of my toes and stretching from there). I have much better luck not having a cramp if I do that. But I am happy to try this the next time I get a cramp. Thank you for sharing this!
Yes! Happened to me a few times this Spring and early Summer.
Thanks for this information. I was taught when learning to dive that a good way to stop leg cramp is to get hold of your foot (or swimming fin for a diver) and try to pull it towards you, keeping your leg straight. In bed when I get an occasional cramp, I get my foot on the floor ASAP and try and press my heel into the floor, with straight leg. That stops the cramp in 10 seconds.
(edit) I forgot to ask you about another issue. I have phlebitis in my left leg; it is swollen with what is evidently too much fluid. The worst area, because it is painful, is my ankle. If I am in any position other than lying in bed, within half an hour the swelling begins. After 3 or 4 hours, If I have taken no remedial action, it becomes the ankle area is very swollen, itchy and painful. My doctor has referred me to the specialist department of our local hospital and after an ultrasound scan, they told me that the 'valves' in a blood vessel are failing to stop the flow of blood as they should, which leads to a pooling of blood in the leg. The treatment I was given for this was to have 'glue' injected at points within the blood vessel. It didn't work, a further ultrasound examination was made some months later and I was told that the 'glueing' will be re-done sometime in the coming months. So after that pre-amble, can you please tell me if you know of an alternative / more effective remedy? I will be most grateful if you can. BTW I live in the UK, so it's not very practical for me to visit you.
I'll try to give this a shot next time. In addition to walking I have found that standing against the wall and stretching toward the ceiling helps significantly as well. Thanks.
My usual technique is to launch myself straight out of the bed, and once I hit the floor I jump up and down like I am surrounded by alligators, and cuss at the top of my lungs until it goes away. While it seems to work eventually, my wife who was sound asleep only moments before, is sitting straight up in the bed bewildered as to what just happened. Thank you for taking the time to post your remedy, I will give it a shot for both me and my wife and I will update this thread with my results. Cheers!
Sometimes I run in place real fast but I start to feel like I'm going to pass out for some reason, but the running helps to not think of the pain too much. I only do it if I have no pickle juice to drink which takes the pain away is 4 to 5 secs. Only on shot is needed and not a large amount but it DOES work and fast.
OR. Get out of bed and go to a stairwell. Put the ball of your foot on the stair and hang your heel off the stair and let your body weight pull your calf muscle as far as you can allow it. That stretch is the opposite of a cramp. Then go back to bed. Try it.
@@tommytomtom5531 Sounds like a good idea but let's just say that because I have kids and grandkids upstairs, I would have to start dressing for the occasion, lol!
Stomping on the affected leg works fastest and best.
Never heard back. Guess it didn't work.
I underwent chemo 17 years ago and have had night cramps ever since. To this day I can't move my ankles or toes more than a few degrees without inducing a cramp. When I had ten cramps in a single night I decided something had to be done. I found two things that can help prevent them and allow a good night's sleep: Stay well hydrated and take low-dose ginkgo biloba before going to bed. Drinking water before retiring can be its own problem if you're the type who has to pee in the middle of the night, but the ginkgo reduces cramps by opening up the capillaries in the extremities thereby increasing blood flow. They're not perfect remedies but they often work well on me.
Chemo is incredibly toxic. You might want to look into 1,000 mg glutathione IVs. If there’s some residual chemical toxicity in your system that is causing the cramping, it may help. Some toxins accumulate in our fat and other body tissues.
I’ve dealt with chemical toxicity and the glutathione IVs have been a lifesaver for me. I’m doing 2,000 mg now and I only have to go once a month.
@@ashleylala4293 Thanks, I'll make a note of it for my hematologist. On the plus side, he told me in 2006 that my remission would last between 5 and 12 years before a relapse would occur. I'm now in year 17 and no relapse has occurred, nor has any treatment other than periodic blood tests been required. I figure my occasional leg cramps are a small price to pay for such a good outcome.
Or a healthy option, magnesium to prevent cramps, silisium to bond to toxins in your body and dispose of them...nothing is hocus-pocus...but TH-cam won't teach you useful things...
Hi I had chemo 29 years ago almost , every night, my toes would cramp and I would have to put my foot on the floor and work my foot to get rid of the pain. Sometimes it would go up. My calf ,what has helped me was at the foot of the bed between the Duvet and the bottom sheet, I have a cushion a wide narrow high one A slab of foam would do , this lifts the sheets off my toes so when I turn over in bed, my toes are not getting any pressure on this stopped the toe cramps immediately. I started taking magnesium tablets at night and my calf cramps are very rare now if I go away from home, I asked for extra towels and roll them up into a tube and put them between the sheets and the duvet just to take the weight off.
Very helpful. Thanks.
Thank you. Interesting technique.
Thank you so much. I have varicose veins and when I have leg cramps the pain is unbearable. I usually get up and limp around rubbing my leg until it stops hurting. I will definitely try your technique the next time it happens.
Do u think these procedures to treat vv are safe? Do u plan on treatment?
Same here. I elevated the bottom of my mattress by putting pillow and a couple of folded blankets between the top and bottom mattress. This helps get blood back to heart and I feel my legs stretched out more doing this. You can also elevate them sleeping on your side. Less-leg cramps so far. Try it-
First let me say that your system absolutely works for a calf "Charley Horse" - (a sudden muscle spasm - named after a baseball player back in the 1800's) and I have used this technique for myself for decades. However, you are adding to the confusion (and done by most of the medical community - not only you) - a charley horse is not the same cramp that most people describe when they are talking "leg cramps" and most people have them in their thighs. These cramps can come on slowly and go on for hours and even days and are excruciating painful - I know as I have had them! Often they are a result of medications (Statins are a major culprit). There can be many things that cause cramps - many are neurological, as well as vitamin deficiencies, but should not be summarily dismissed as you seem to imply.
THANKS! I will try your technique next time.
I'll check this technique out next cramp session.
My primary care Dr. mentioned to try tonic water with quinine. So, if I over do it with exercise or work, before bed, I usually drink a liter of diet tonic water with quinine. It has been 95% successful.
You mentioned stretched vs. flaccid. Have you tried a relaxing stretching routine before bed? I have found this to also be of help reducing the nightly leg cramps. Especially the inner thigh and groin muscles, which occur more in my legs than hamstring. Though hamstring cramps do occur, and are very powerful cramps, now I have a new technique to try. Thank you for sharing this information with us.
Best thing I discovered and works every time is to get out of bed and walk. Gone in 10 seconds.
I was told to grab your Johnson and pull on it for 40 sec. It made not stop the cramp but it will help your other muscle. Thk u
This is fine and thank you. However, or also, standing and walking for as little as 4 or 5 minutes works great for me. I get these lower leg cramps at night when in bed. I do need to get out bed and walk, just a few minutes, cramps gone, so back into bed and comfortable again. (Paul Shepherd 88 yrs. old). PS: The definition of old is when the broad mind and the narrow waist exchange places. Been okay to avoid that one so far.
Thanks Mr 88. I’m Mary 77 and will follow your advice!
When I get leg cramps, there’s no way I can get up and walk!
@@tmcmat01 Might be different. Mine are on the sides of the lower legs. I only get them in bed. Never get them when standing or walking.
I seem to have a similar issue, nightly knee, ankles, feet and lower leg pains( not cramps) when lying in bed, that seems to relieve with walking about. Maybe I need to walk more than just around the apartment, which has helped minimally. I'll try the five minutes of walking. My legs are now killing me, keeping me awake, ouch! Thanks!
Yes, that’s helped me too. As soon as I feel a cramp coming on I need to quickly get out of bed and start walking around. Not long ago it got bad very quickly and I couldn’t stand so I was leaning on my bed and moving my feet, not letting them stay still even for half a second. When it got better I was able to walk around a bit and was able to go back to bed
Works in maybe 12 seconds...!. Twice now it's worked. Once a few nights ago and just a few minutes ago while sitting at my desk. Thank you, thank you.
Lately, my cramps have been incorporated into my dreams. I am being chased and my leg starts to cramp and I think, "Oh great, now they are going to catch me." I gradually wake up and feel my muscle pulling against the cramp. They only last 10 seconds or so, but I limp around for the next hour because of the strain. My doctor suggested I am probably dehydrated so I make sure I have plenty of water available. My mother also had this problem and her doctor told her it was caused by the inability to process certain minerals like magnesium and phosphorous. I don't look forward to trying your method but will certainly give it a try!!
Thanks Doc, I have chronic pancreatitis and have cramps all the time. I have them from my abdomen to my toes. I have been looking for relief for almost 17 years now. I don’t think the pancreatitis is causing the cramps in my legs and feet, but this really helped. Still looking for solution for my abdomen. I have had a lot of surgeries on my abdomen when I was 1st diagnosed, then I had 2 flubbed hernia repairs on my abdomen and finally the 3rd on was about 7 years ago. Thanks again for solution on for my legs and toes.
Get nettle root and yarrow, not nettle leaf, take one pill each a day for a week. Solaray is a cheap and good brand, whatever brand you get, don't get store brands or the Now brand. It super cleans the liver and pancreas fast, and I mean SUPER cleans. Don't take for longer, maybe once a week after.
Try also a 1000mg vitamin C. You will know very quickly (like, 20 seconds) if this is helpful for you and worth repeating. See my reply to comments below for more explanation (don't want to retype, but wanted to make sure you see this)
I was told over 40 years ago when I was pregnant to stand on a cold floor barefoot and it has worked ever since for ankle and leg cramps. It seems to be instant and much easier except the getting up in the middle of the night. At least try it.
@@Suehuskinsright, I stand in cold water in the bath
I’m
I have used the opposite muscle technique quite effectively for a while. Point foot and toes up for calf cramps, and point foot and toes down for anterior muscles of the lower leg or foot. Though I never tried it yet, simply standing up on the affected leg should work for a hamstring cramp. IOW, stretch the muscle that's contracting. It takes will power though as the natural reaction is to curl up in pain.
NOTHING HELPS A PAINFUL CRAMP IN MY INNER THIGH MUSCLE. SCREAMING DOESN'T HELP EITHER, BUT SOMETIMES I DO SCREAM!
Excellent discussion! Very appreciated! :-)
Hi Doctor, thank you for this video. My husband experiences severe cramps in his thigh. Where are the tendons located for the thigh?
I hope this works - as you said for multiple camps at the same time. Its usually after a lot of walking or over exercising I get cramps in my calf and shin at the same time and sometimes my feet as well at the same time. Not often in the thigh. Mostly I take magnesium and and have to walk (extremely painful) up and down the hall until it goes. But as you said it often comes back. Looking forward to trying this method - but not the cramp that I’ll need it for 😏
I saw your comment was only one day old and I just posted my comment. I sent this to you. Vinegar and Water mixture. Just take a sip. Don't know how it works but has worked for me. Got this idea from bob and brad on youtube. They don't know why it works. One of them got a leg crap and hobbled down the stairs to the kitchen to grab the vinegar bottle took a sip and the crap stopped. It is similar to, when dog whisper Cesar Millan does his behind the leg tap on the dogs ass to redirect the dogs attention since dogs live in the moment. It is thought taking a sip of vinegar and water JOLTS to the BRAIN to say WTF! (distraction) and the cramp goes away. Then I rub Theraworks Magnesium cream on the cramp. I have my cream and vinegar water next to my bed.
Thanks, and good luck to you. Like you, I also take magnesium (along with vitamin D3), which helps a lot. I do find mag oxide doesn't get absorbed as well, so I prefer other forms or blends that contain glutate, citrate, or aspeartate. When a cramp begins during the night, I have found that like you, the only thing that pretty much works every time is to jump out of bed and stomp around the room until the pain subsides. The only time this method fails me is when I get entangled in the sheets and blankets, which prevents me from immediately getting out of bed.
I'll definitely be trying your technique sometime soon. Everyone says increase your salt intake, increase your water intake, etc. I've done all those, and, I still get the out-of-nowhere cramps. I will say that I had already been using a version of flexing my foot back toward my calf, that seemed to offer relief, some of the time. Hoping that the squeezing of the tendons is the final step toward dealing with the problem.
Not table salt as it has both aluminum, and chloride.
Well start reading books, instead of TH-cam for your health advice....or ask old people, they still have this knowledge..or at least they should .
I take magnesium supplements, and if I stop, the cramping comes back
Try gingko!
1000 mgs of vitamin D3 also helped me.
Great advice. My mom says hers happens when she reclines back in her chair but if she is setting up it does not do it. We’re trying to encourage her to have better blood flow with reclining, but due to cramping she does not like to recline, and have her legs up . 😢
I will try this. thanks.
Will this technique work for cramps anywhere on the leg, or just the hamstring? Sometimes my cramps are in the calves, shins or feet. Thank you for such a helpful video!
My Grandmother taught me to grab my toes and pull on them to stretch the calf to end a cramp in my calf and it works almost instantly. I may have to hold it for a bit - and with foot cramps I generally have to hold the stretch (of whatever muscle is cramping)longer to keep it from returning.
This just happened to me today. Thanks!
Thank you 😊
I have had foot cramps my entire life but just over the last couple of years, starting around 56, I’ve been experiencing excruciating cramps in the large deep muscles of my thigh. They happen randomly, very often if I’m sitting on a wooden chair at a restaurant. They are so painful and I can’t get to the muscle to rub it out so I reach hope this tendon massage will help. They will stop the hard cramping after about 30 seconds but there are times when it doesn’t go completely away and it’s just sort of lurking, waiting for me to misposition my leg and it will jump right back at it.
I did see where K, Zinc, and B1 individually have each helped quote a few people. Even pubmed about each of those, esp K I believe
Leg cramps
The wooden chair edge is cutting off the blood supply to your legs. It’s probably also uncomfortable. Either don’t sit too long without moving, or make sure your legs aren’t being cut into by the edge of the chair.
It was very similar for me at about the same age. Try gingko supplements if you're able to. Natural blood thinner just got rid of them and I could sleep. Now off gingko and on prescription blood thinners and almost never get a cramp unless I eat right before bed after fasting all day, especially salty things and milk products.
I've discovered a similar problem. Mine is also from sitting in a chair- if I have to sit too long to complete some life demand or project. Scientific research makes it clear that a nerve can be incited to fire not just by normal means, such as the locomotion stimulus of walking, but stimulation of the nerve along its length, its path, such as caused by the pressure on the nerve from sitting. You are directly, mechanically stimulating your nerve to your leg muscles by sitting in that chair. Bring a cushion, or wear one (such as cushion bike shorts). Magnesium also helps- the topical med you can apply to stop cramps is just magnesium.
I sometimes get cramps that encompass my entire leg, that is the front and back of both the upper and lower leg, usually with a severe foot cramp. These don't happen to me so often when I'm in bed. They usually happen when I am up sitting at my computer or watching the television. They last for over an hour sometimes.
Fortunately, this is not a frequent occurrence, but it occurs about once every 3 to 6 months. Once when it happened, I thought I was having a stroke and was taken to the hospital screaming in pain. They said my electrolytes were quite good but I was slightly dehydrated.
Another doctor recommended daily vitamin E. I don't know if there is any evidence to back that up. I am in my eighties, a pretty old guy, but rather active physically.
You probably don't want to give specific advice to me without seeing me. That would not be practical because I live in Washington state. But maybe you could give me some ideas to take to my physician who seems to be stumped by this problem. She wanted me to take quinine, but I turned that down because of possible side effects and complications in an older adult.
I get something similar to this with my right leg, mostly below the knee and at similar intervals (a few times a year). If I feel it coming on I can stop it's progress by massaging the leg. When it happens I can't put any weight on the leg, can't walk, sit or drive. It's frightening - as like you I'm older and active and I could be out on some remote walking track with my dogs. Luckily, so far, I've been able to make it home and there I just take a combined painkiller and anti-inflammatory and go to bed until it passes. One advice I've read for cramp is to drink tonic water during an attack - it has quinine in it (if you like gin you could have a G&T).
I would like a doctor to see this as it happens but it has never happened during the hours the clinic is open. I hope you have had some luck with finding a solution and would like to hear about it 🙂
Thank you.
I have done opposing muscle technique and standing up, but they don't always work for me. I will try this technique, thanks.
Actually, it’s too painful to move the leg when it’s cramping. If the area is “flaccid”, then one would have to bend the knee to do what you’re saying. But because the cramping is so intense, moving the leg adds to the intensity of the cramp. I have tried to grab on to the epicenter of where it’s cramping and that has helped immediately at times but moving the leg is not an option.
I agree far too painful!
@@janicegame2372 it increases instantly on my calf by about 100x if I attempt to move it before it’s passed. One would need to anticipate it rather than press after the fact.
Everything others have commented I have persistently tried over and over- sometimes my ankle will cramp so severely it’s like an alien is twisting it off my leg. I have used everything -mustard, pickle juice, salt, hydration, various magnesium supp, magnesium sprays, lavender oil, hot, cold, epsom salts, walking, stretching- they travel into thighs, torso- Used to be only at night but has progressed to days. I cant not sleep because as soon as I relax in sleep the whole thing worsens. I’m not exaggerating.
I feel your pain. Happened to me last night. First in right calf, then my left ankle. It's as if my foot had a mind of its own. Leg muscles still hurt today.
Sounds like more than a cramp, get some labs done.
Are you on blood pressure medication? Sometimes it causes these types of cramps.
Some electrolyte soluble mixes have been benificial, seems to help stopping cramps in about 1-2 minutes, and then they don't recur soon after. Without them recurring crippling vulgar sounding cramps have sometimes been repetitive. The tendon compression technique sounds like providing quicker relief, it doesn't need digesting.
@@johnmead8437 There's also TENS units that can push meds in a DMSO patch. It sounds like whatever it is, you need a diagnosis, not guesses (myself included).
Thank you!
Thank you doc.
Very helpful Dr Ryan - I for one didn't know it was in flaccid muscles only, I was convinced it was in a tensed muscle that somehow got 'stuck' in a stretched position of its own accord. Also, I found the only solution is to slide my legs out of the bed and stand up erect - cramps disappear in seconds. BUt now I can't readily go back to sleep!
My friend just told me about the mustard trick. She said her husband would take a spoonful of mustard & it worked. Not sure I want to try that, but I had a leg & foot cramp so bad a night my muscles still hurt today. I'll try this method in video & the mustard. BTW, Why does the mustard work?
From reading most comments it’s made me aware that I have acute cramps that can last up to 15/20 minutes. I also get a dry mouth and sweat. It can often run into a panic attack because nothing I do will relieve it. Can’t bare anyone touching me during a cramp and I’m liable to become aggressive😮 I can only compare it with childbirth. Will try this technique if I can remain calm enough to conduct it.
I get a little fearful too, mine last and repeat. I have found since taking magnesium I haven't had another bout.
Maybe worth a try.
@@MumT05 I do take magnesium and it does work to a certain extent. I also have a banana for potassium. I tried the technique last night and it worked! Didn’t even have to get out of bed. For me this is a miracle😃
@@cherrybullimore9134 yay God. Good to hear
I used to drink pickle juice for leg cramps. By accident, I found that drinking water with baking soda relives the cramps. I drink a glass of water, about 10 ounces, with one teaspoon of baking soda every morning for alkalinity. At night I put a tsp of baking soda in an 8 ounce bottle of Pure Life water and drink it if I get a cramp. I have never had to drink the whole bottle when I get a cramp.
I appreciated the video and will try the technique. The only thing that seemed to help (after 5-10 minutes) so far is a hot pad out of the microwave. I suppose that just increases circulation and helps with the lactic acid buildup. I feel like I’ve tried everything, even doubling down on muscle relaxers.. sometimes I only get 2-3 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night. My muscle spasms (not cramps) as I call them, occur sometimes almost exactly on the hour at night and last for ten to fifteen minutes. As far as I can tell They seem to come on when I lay on by back or stretch in the night/ early morning . The focus will often change each time I wake up. They vary in intensity and occur anywhere from my toes all the way up to my upper inner thigh and radiate to my hip, sometimes bilaterally. It makes me feel like I should just stay up, but I’ve also had them, even bilateral hamstrings sitting in the living room. I asked my cardiologist and he said there was no need for testing because it was structural and not vascular. I do have 3+ lumbar Spondlylolisthesis and have had a c3-c4 cervical stenosis fixed which seemed to help for a minute but I think that was because I wasn’t working.. finishing concrete or crawling under a house or in an attic can set both hamstrings off almost immediately.
Anyway, all that to say that I appreciate you sharing your experience and suggested technique.. and most of all that you didn’t say “ you just need to eat a banana”.
I was waiting for him to say, "Bang your head against the wall until you pass out. No more cramp."
The cause of leg cramps is a sodium/potasium imbalance and possibly a lack of some minerals and eating too late at night. Make sure that you are consuming some sea salt, not iodized salt during the day. Sea Salt or better salts from natural sources will prevent leg cramps if consumed during your regular meals from my own experience. Try this without eating any sea salt, but keep some sea salt near your bed if you don't believe me. When you get the leg cramp. lick you finger and dip it into the sea salt 2 or three times. You don't need a lot. The cramp will go away by the time you finish licking the salt off your finger the 3rd time. Another common cause of leg cramps is eating too late at night. Thus intermittant fasting will prevent leg cramps if you stop eating before 5 p.m.
@@pmac1951 Remember to stop eating early. The later you eat in the evening, the greater the chance of getting a cramp.
I had cramps for many years. The older I got the worse they got. My hands would cramp if I worked hard. My legs would cramp at night. The muscles running from the inside of the knee to the groin were especially painful. I tried all of the electrolytes like Gatorade. Nothing worked until I started taking MAGNESIUM. It did the trick for me. I have not had any cramps since I started taking magnesium. I would give it a try. I learned about magnesium on youtube. It may not work for everybody but it gave me total relief.I started taking a pill every day but have cut it down to every 2 to 3 days. One side effect if you take to much is loose stools. Hope this helps somebody.
Thank You!
Usually I just do a stretch or lunge to pull the cramp out but takes longer. Definitely will try this next time!!
When I get them (always asleep), it will wake you up in milliseconds. I can't get out of bed fast enough. One hand on the bed, the other on the dresser, go in whatever direction moving the foot/ankle and trying to put all my weight on it. Within a few seconds (most of the time), it's done and gone. Sometimes the calf muscle will even be tender to touch for several hours after getting up in the middle of the night. I didn't know you could be so deep in dreamland and 100% awake in less than a second and out of bed within the next second. They are *extremely* painful...
Same here!!
Unfortunately, Im a renter and I have wall to wall carpeting in my bedroom. I hold on to furniture and hobble/hop into the hall bathroom. As soon as my foot hits the cold tile floor, the cramp eases.
How to stop a leg cramp in 15 seconds, in an 8 minute video.
Seems you didn’t watch the video..
What a dumb comment.
That's TH-cam :)
For awhile, pickle juice worked for me. At some point, though, that became ineffective. The method this doctor describes here works for me. It’s almost miraculous! You don’t have to get out of bed- you don’t even have to be fully awake!-and it’s fast. Thank you so much for sharing this with the world.❤
I know that my cramps are brought on by severe dehydration (I am never thirsty so this happens quite a lot) and my ritual is to stump and hobble to the bathroom, drink exactly 12 huge mouthfuls of tepid water, and wait. Never takes longer than 3 minutes to go away. I do occasionally get really bad muscle cramps in my stomach and back (at the same time) & those take way more water and time to subside.
I don't get thirsty either. This is the first time I've heard someone else say this. Whatever you have, I have it too :). I'm sure you have had both hamstrings cramp at the same time. That is brutal. . My emergency fix is pickle juice. I spent the night in the hospital once about 10 years ago. Ever muscle I have was cramping, even my face and eyelids.
Lately I have discovered a worse cramp than the hamstrings. It can't be stretched out and it's a sharper pain. It is the inside of the hamstring and attaches at the groin. The only way to alleviate it is to lie on my side, knees folded and parallel. There is only a small window of position that I can find and hold until it passes.
@@effthegop was in hospital for same thing a few years ago, they gave me potassium, calcium and electrolytes thru IV. Takes a while to fully recover. Underlying condition causes me to dehydrate quicker than the avg person, so I eat LOTS of salt... will try the pickle juice!
It's the shins and my foot arch: "ouch, ouch, ouch" is all I can do.
Try also 1000mg vitamin C. Cramp is caused by not being able to relax muscles due to not getting enough energy to them (the same as rigor mortis, which occurs to the whole body after death). Vitamin C can help clear our the used energy molecules (called "reactive oxides") so they can be recharged (or "reduced") to be able to carry more energy again (think of them like dead batteries that need recharging, but the dead batteries clutter the cells so you can't get charged batteries in). Don't get the "slow release" ones. Can help in like, 15 seconds of getting one into the stomach, so you'll know very quickly if this helps. If it does, that's a good sign you need to increase your daily vit-C intake, doing so can help prevent the cramps in the first place.
@@yopestevens1505 I got some kind of serious muscle relaxer shot and I was good in 5 seconds. After finally getting the shot, I asked the nurse to marry me :). After 7 bags of IV fluids I felt 20 years younger the next day. I couldn't believe how good I felt.
Drinking a full glass of water before bed has significantly reduced the frequency and severity of my cramps. Only when dehydrated do I occasionally get one, and it normally releases upon flexing my foot up towards my knee. No more excruciating pain, plus limping for a day...Hope this helps!!
It would help if we knew how much a "full glass" of water actually is. Is it a pint, half-pint a liter a shot glass or what?
@@Derry_Aire hi there. I occasionally wake up to leg cramps. I keep a bottle of water on my nightstand so I can quickly drink some down. Sometimes only half the bottle is needed. Convenient for me because there’s no faucets upstairs.Hope this helps😊
Normal 8-ounce glass, so roughly 5-7 mouthfuls for me. It's a compromise between bathroom trips vs cramps, though the former isn't as painful... 😁😂
Me too...I find a couple of British Standard Mouthfuls (US big gulps) of water relax the cramp within seconds. They rarely return, if they do, repeat. Just as effective.
@@guyetlaurence7142 You'd probably be surprised how much an 8 ounce glass is so "un-normal" in the rest of the world. Anyway, after a quick google conversion I get your drift now.
Makes sense, thank you.
Thanks. I'll try that. I notice that I have cramps when I have exercised much more that day than the norm. I now stretch my legs before going to bed on such days. Stretching doesn't mean 15 seconds on each leg. It must be TIME. If I stretch for 1 or 2 minutes, till the muscles relax, then I rarely will have cramps. Yeah, Acetic acid, (pickle juice or vinegar can help), Magnesium, yes, and drugs like Bacolofen definitely help. But Stretching the offending muscles for a few minutes before bed does the most help for me.
I get severe cramps rarely now, and just take a quarter teaspoon of salt and relief comes in seconds.
I will be trying this. I have leg cramps so many nights, and boy they are so painful. Also get something that I describe as restless leg syndrome where I can’t hold them still. Have to either keep wiggling my legs or get up and walk a bit. I am disabled/ retired going on 71. I’ve dealt with restless legs for a long time, but more recently these leg cramps-just exactly as you said. Thank you.
RLS is sometimes a sign of low magnesium 🙏
Thank you
Thanks doctor. I've only just started getting these cramps and they are painful. 10 mins of it before heavenly release.
I was having frequent long lasting cramps myself. Extremely painful, and debilitating.
I don't remember where I heard about it, but what I do now, and it always works, is drink a full glass of water with a couple of magnesium tablets. They go away quickly, and if I start to get even a small cramp, take a magnesium tablet. You don't want to take magnesium too often without a doctors advice, because too much can be dangerous. But if I remember to take one a week even, the cramps don't come back. Maybe it's just me. But I was having cramps so often it was really starting to worry both me and my wife. The last one I had went on for so long she was ready to call an ambulance. Since I discovered the magnesium connection, I have had no problems. And it's been a few years now too. apparently a shortage of magnesium has something to do with it. Possibly along with a certain amount of dehydration.
I don't know if the cramps he talks about here are the same. He says they only last a couple of minutes. Mine lasted probably twenty minutes last time. Although when you're in that much pain time seems longer. But my wife was there, and it was so long she was worried.
I get cramps when my muscles are being stretched. Almost always in my calves as I'm sleeping. I know my muscles are being stretched because I am aware that I am doing it, I'm flexing my toes and pointing them upwards, putting pressure on my calves. And damn but it hurts like hell when the cramps begin, often taking up to 10 minutes before they release even when I'm knuckling the knots and/or slapping at them. I'm literally in tears at those times and it can occur 1-5 times a night, 3-5 days a week. All I can do is try to relax and scream into my pillow most of the time. And it still hurts after I wake up hours later.
I walk routinely, bend, stretch, and sometimes jog a short ways. I'm not diabetic. My legs are not swollen. I drink lots of water, a quart or more depending on the need and heat. I use potassium, magnesium, calcium and other supplements that are supposedly good for keeping cramps to a minimum. And I don't even take those supplements unless I've been out in the heat and have sweated a good hour or more. Pickle juice seems to help a bit, but it doesn't stop the cramping.
10 minutes of hell. yup. you need a cat to connect to ...or a spirit guide.
Magnesium oil spray gets to the muscle. I use Swanson brand. Been there!
@@dianavp9054 didn't know they made such a thing. can ya put it in a pan and scramble eggs with it?
Why do all these videos that say 'accomplish this thing in X seconds' last so long? Just show the thing!
Thank you. 👍🏻
thank you
I still occasionally get leg cramps, usually in bed at night or when sitting down on a hard chair. My fix is to immediately stand up and walk around. This may take a minute or two but after it eases the cramp doesn't normally return on that same occasion. I've identified that mine are caused by statins so on my doctor's advice have reduced the dosage as it is quite a well known side effect. I think statins may possibly build up in the body to the point that it becomes an overdose.
What was your statin and original dose, and what adjustment(s) did the trick?
@@saxgirlhornboy6458 Previously Ezetimibe 10mg plus Simvastatin 10mg daily. Now same dosage every second day is sufficient.
Stop the statin....they are truly useless and dangerous. Change way you eat...meat, healthy fats a few veggies. Zero sugar , zero processed foods. Age 64 .... reversed t2d, zero leg cramps, zero acid reflux, lost 78 lbs effortlessly.
I have started having frequent, painful leg cramps. Am taking 40mg Rosuvastatin (Crestor) and Ezetimibe 10mg daily as well as magnesium and a multivitamin. Have been on statins for over 40 years. I’ll talk with my doctor about the possible connection to cramps. For what it’s worth, I also work out every other day which includes using several different leg exercise machines with pretty heavy weight settings.
@@napoleonnz Thanks for the tip. Are your lipids in pretty good shape?
I get full body cramps in the middle of the night. I wake up gasping in pain. No mater how I stretch, other opposing muscles contract and cramp and hurt. I try to stand up straight, not bend or flex in any direction, and sometimes the muscles eventually quiver to a stop and release. Sometimes it lasts for an hour, maybe (seems like), where I can only stand still and cry. Sometimes the cramps are so bad that just to stand up, it's as if I have to tear muscles. It feels like they're tearing, I can almost hear it. It's very difficult and painful, and painful for a long while afterward. My legs are probably the worst, but my stomach and lower back seize pretty good as well. And it isn't as strong, I guess, but it's super painful in my neck and shoulders. Taking massive doses of magnesium, three times the daily dose, in magnesium citrate powder (tablets never worked well) has been my only relief. It's a lot to drink every day, all that powder, but it mostly keeps the cramps away. I had to give up dancing, because it wore out my muscles too much and I would wake up screaming most nights. Pickle juice is a good instant relief, but lots of magnesium and avoiding excessive exercise is the only way to abate the cramping entirely. My doctors said my magnesium levels were normal, and told me supplements were unnecessary. And not only were they unconcerned by the horrible pain, but seemed skeptical of my experience and just dismissed it, one of the most painful problems of my recent life. Either I wasn't covered or they didn't care. I still dont have an explanation of why my body flushes out magnesium, or why normal exercise hurts so much later. I was a dance instructor, in great shape, and suddenly I couldn't do that anymore and I have no explanation why. And apparently nobody cares.
That's awful! I have the exact same issues, but only after 12 hour night shifts. I've been drinking Keto Vitals and good bottled water with electrolytes, and it's helped tremendously. I, too, take Magnesium (Malate) when I get home, to help me relax. I wish you the best.
It might be worth trying a different magnesium formulation, like diglycinate, in case poor absorption is a factor.
@@jimbrandt1123 wow. I'm looking into that. I'm sad to say, as we age, sleep ( for us day sleepers) and electrolyte balance is difficult. Magnesium Malate has worked, but, I'm considering alternatives, since there are times when it's very, very, very difficult to defeat cramps and insomnia!
I agree completely that doctors do not care about this. I cry and cry and limp the next day and have fatigue. I take Triple Calm Magnesium, it is 3 magnesium salts and I would be worse without it.
Try plain tonic water. It should say on the front label "contains quinine".
thanks doc will try that; the hylands leg cramp tabs help too
occasional i get lower leg cramps in the morning - very intense - i found that if i slip one foot beneath the other and push up the toes as hard as i can as if to lift the other foot - it will stop the cramp - then do the other foot - its like using one foot as a crow bar underneath the opposite foot - see :)
This has worked 100% of the time for me if I catch it in time (so like the first few seconds). I'd recommend anyone that has calf cramps regularly to try this technique out, its amazing.
I’ve also found just jumping out of bed and putting full weight on the heel while standing will usually get rid of it.
The one I haven’t figured out is in a bike race. Then I can’t even bend my legs to get off the bike and it just takes a lot of time and massage, but that’s likely more due to dehydration or not enough electrolytes.
Jumping out of bed is the only thing that works for me too. Another thing I did a few years ago is to stop tucking in my covers. Sheets, blanket and bedspread are all loose on four corners. It makes it much easier to spring out of bed and stand up should one occur during the night while sleeping.
Similarly for the jumping out of bed fix, though doing it too fast can sometimes triggerj some temporary shock symptoms. I used to have a bed with a sturdy footboard and just pressing a foot against it would also work. Possibly cramps during exertion are a different thing (?) since it doesnt seem like the muscles could be slack for very long.
Thank you Doctor, very good. But tell me, where do you get those long socks? I have trouble finding them. Thanks.
I had leg cramps several times a night over many years. I tried stretching exercises, tonic water with quinine and other methods - all without success. The problem was only resolved when a new doctor at the practice prescribed Quinine Sulphate tablets (300mg). I have never had a repeat of these painful cramps since taking these tablets. Maybe these would be worth considering by some people where appropriate.
For some reason a heaping spoonful of yellow mustard helps too, as does a bit of walking around.
It has seemed to me that magnesium is also helpful, either in supplement form or direct application of an oil. Currently experimenting with additional electrolytes like in Gatorade.
Yes, magnesium, zinc and manganese are needed for you to get energy from sugars to use. Increase all of these in your diet, I make an extra effort with magnesium. Just don't take too much in a single go, as it will give you the runs! Also, the body needs help removing the spent energy, with vitamin C playing a large roll in cells and in blood, and will help cramps very quickly if shortage here is the cause. Vitamin E does the equivalent in cell membranes etc, but vit-C can be used to re-make vit-E from its spent molecule
It might have more to do with the turmeric, which is kind of a wonder spice, with lots of applications in natural healing. Just a thought.
@@annolokisome cramps are caused by a shortage of calcium in the bloodstream. In "All Creatures Great And Small", James encounters a flock of sheep, doubled up with cramps, and cures them instantaneously by injecting them with Calcium. One night after recently reading this, I had a sudden huge leg cramp, and remembered the calcium. I didn't have either calcium solution or a hypodermic, but my late wife suggested Tums, which is mostly calcium carbonate. I chewed 2 or 3 Tums, and in seconds, I could feel the pain subside. I have used this remedy for over 30 years and it has always worked. At some point I realized that cramping episodes usually happened after drinking a large amount of cola, or other drink containing phosphate (like Dr Pepper), which combines with the calcium in the bloodstream and makes it unavailable. Also, it doesn't cause the "runs" like magnesium. BTW, I found out that the only caffeinated soda without phosphate is Mountain Dew or its generic equivalent. I subsist on Mountain Dew, ginger ale and orange or lemon-lime sodas. Hope this helps.
@@annolokiome cramps are caused by a shortage of calcium in the bloodstream. In "All Creatures Great And Small", James, the vet, encounters a flock of sheep, doubled up with cramps, and cures them instantaneously by injecting them with Calcium. One night after recently reading this, I had a sudden huge leg cramp, and remembered the calcium. I didn't have either calcium solution or a hypodermic, but my late wife suggested Tums, which is mostly calcium carbonate. I chewed 2 or 3 Tums, and in seconds, I could feel the pain subside. I have used this remedy for over 30 years and it has always worked. At some point I realized that cramping episodes usually happened after drinking a large amount of cola, or other drink containing phosphate (like Dr Pepper), which combines with the calcium in the bloodstream and makes it unavailable. Also, it doesn't cause the "runs" like magnesium. BTW, I found out that the only caffeinated soda without phosphate is Mountain Dew or its generic equivalent. I subsist on Mountain Dew, ginger ale and orange or lemon-lime sodas. Hope this helps.
I had it 4 to times last year in my inner thigh and it was extremely painful
Lasts about 30 minutes always in the evening.
For the inner thigh, try laying on your side with both legs pulled up and both knees bent and parallel to each other (almost a fetal position) with the cramping leg on top. I can find a certain position where the pain will ease up and if I hold it perfectly in that position it will stop the sharp pain and fully release in a few minutes. I can't simply stretch those cramps out so they can be worse than a fully locked up hamstring.
@@effthegop Thank you for advice
Thank you so much I will give it a try! This inner thigh cramp is agonising.
Vitamin C, 1000mg tablet, helps in seconds. See my other replies on this page for more explanation.
@@effthegop I had the most agonising thigh cramp very recently that lasted for several hours. It was so bad I actually vomited.
It seems it could be a very useful technique
Thanks, doc... I'll give this a try... my cramps are excruciating so I'll try anything.
Magnesium supplements- no cramps!!!!!
My leg cramps are usually in the inner thigh. How to do the maneuver in that case?
I’ve had those. They are so painful. I started taking electrolyte pills every day, and they don’t happen anymore.
My night cramps occur at night. I keep an unopened bottle of water, a fresh banana, some pumpkin seeds and an 85 rated dark chocolate bar near my bed. I have also stood up and pressed down on my toes. All of those will make the cramps go away.
I get those cramps after working hard earlier in the day or have walked up and down a lot of steps in the day. As hard as it is I get out of bed ASAP and start walking. Urinating also helps relieve the cramp. Theses cramps will settle down but I have learned not to be complacent and to keep walking. If I have been active, I make it a point to have a tall glass of tonic water (not some cheap variety either) with lemon juice added to it to make it more palatable early before bed time. What is unusual is the first time I experienced these cramps after a day of working up and down a ladder unloading boxes from a high shelf in the garage. While sleeping I felt a snap with the onset of the cramp. Not having experienced such pain I was at the mercy of the cramp for at least 30 minutes. In the morning I awoke with the thigh aching and the inner thigh covered in a purple bruise. Contacted my doctor who had me come in for an exam, after which he called the hospital and arranged for an ultrasound thinking I had a ruptured vein. Ultrasound gave me a "clean" bill of health. Still do not know to this day why I had such a large bruise on my inner thigh.