Muscle cramp

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Introduction Signs and symptoms Causes When to seek medical advice

Treatment Prevention Self-care

Introduction

A muscle cramp is a sudden contraction of one or more of your muscles. The result can be intense pain and an inability to use the affected muscles.

Common causes of leg cramps in athletes are overuse and dehydration during sports played in warm weather. Injury, muscle strain or staying in the same position also may cause muscle cramps.

Writer's cramp affects the thumb and first two fingers of your writing hand and results from using the same muscles for long periods. At home, you can develop muscle cramps in your hand or arm after spending long hours gripping a paintbrush or using a garden tool.

Other causes of muscle cramps may include circulatory or nerve problems. Some muscle cramps occur during rest. A common variety of muscle cramp occurs in your calf muscles or toes during sleep.

You can usually treat muscle cramps with self-care measures.

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Signs and symptoms