What is a muscle cramp and why do they happen?
A muscle cramp is an involuntary contraction of a skeletal muscle. It tightens and shortens the muscle causing severe pain. Contractions can be a slight twitch or a long, painful contraction of the muscle lasting over 15 minutes. Sometimes, the cramp is visible beneath the skin as the muscle moves in its contractions. Muscle cramps can happen in muscles that have been recently exercised or over-exerted, or they can occur in muscles that have been inactive for a long period of time. Muscle cramps happen when there is an imbalance in the chemicals responsible for muscle contraction. Fluid imbalances, such as dehydration, can get the potassium, sodium and calcium ratios to a place where muscle contraction occurs involuntarily. What causes muscle cramps? According to a WedMD article by Peggy Peck, Muscle fatigue and inadequate stretching may be the two most important factors contributing to muscle cramps in endurance athletes. Some sports medicine specialists see more muscle cramping in pr
