Leg cramps are defined as radiating, painful spasms through the calves, felt especially at night. Nobody's quite sure what causes them. Various theories blame fatigue from carrying pregnancy weight, compression of the blood vessels in the legs, and possibly diet — an excess of phosphorus and a shortage of calcium or magnesium. You might as well blame hormones, too, since they seem to cause so many pregnancy aches and pains!
Leg cramps are especially common in the second half of pregnancy, when pregnancy weight, increasing swelling, and overall fatigue are at their high points and interruptions in your sleeping are most frustrating.
So what to do about it? Here are some advices:
- Try standing on a cold surface, which can sometimes stop a spasm. Or straighten your leg and gently flex your ankle and toes back toward your shins several times. If either of these techniques works, you can add massage or local heat for added relief, but don't massage or add heat if neither flexing nor cold helps the situation (in the rare case that the pain is caused by a blood clot, massaging it could make it worse — or allow it to travel).
- Stretching exercises can help stop cramps before they strike. Before you head to bed, stand about two feet away from a wall and put your palms flat against it. Lean forward, keeping your heels on the floor. Hold the stretch for ten seconds, then relax for five. Try this three times.
- To ease the daily burden on your legs, put your feet up as often as you can, alternate periods of activity with periods of rest, and wear support hose during the day.
- Make sure you're drinking enough fluids — at least eight glasses a day.
- Eat a well-balanced diet that includes adequate calcium and magnesium.
More on pregnancy leg cramps: Leg cramps: symptoms and solutions; Leg cramps in week 19; Leg cramps during pregnancy; Leg cramps during pregnancy; Leg cramps during pregnancy.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment