Muscle Cramps

Also called: Charley Horses, Muscle Spasms

What Are Muscle Cramps?

Muscle cramps are pains that happen when muscles suddenly tighten for a few seconds or minutes. People often get them during or after exercise, or while using a certain muscle, like a finger cramp while typing. Muscle cramps are common and usually aren’t serious.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Muscle Cramps?

A mild muscle cramp can feel like the muscle is moving on its own. Sometimes you can see it twitch. With a severe cramp, the muscle may feel tight and stiff. After the muscle relaxes, the spot could feel sore for a few hours or days.

Muscle cramps often happen in the legs, affecting the calf or front or back of the thigh. People also can get them in their hands, arms, chest, belly, back, or feet. Muscle cramps can happen at any time — while resting, moving, or sleeping.

What Causes Muscle Cramps?

Muscle cramps can happen when someone:

• doesn’t drink enough liquids
• doesn’t have enough salt or other minerals in their diet
• loses a lot of salt through sweating
• works muscles that aren't used often

How Are Muscle Cramps Treated?

If your child gets a muscle cramp:

• If the cramp happens during activity, have them stop and rest the muscle for a few hours. They also should drink plenty of water. Ask the doctor if you should give a sports drink or other drink with salt in it, like an oral electrolyte solution.
• If the cramp happens while your child is exercising in extreme heat (heat cramps), move them to a cool place or put an ice pack on the skin. Resting and drinking liquids also should help.
• You can try massaging or stretching the muscle that’s cramping.
• Applying an ice pack or a heating pad to the area can make your child feel more comfortable. A warm bath also might help.
• Encourage your child to relax and take deep breaths.
• Ask the doctor if it’s OK to give your child a medicine, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as needed for pain. Follow the directions on the label for how much to give and how often.

Can Muscle Cramps Be Prevented?

To help prevent muscle cramps, kids and teens should:

• Warm up and stretch before exercising, then stretch again after.
• Dress in light clothing and wear only the minimum gear needed to stay safe when exercising in hot weather. For example, if they'll just be running at football practice, they can take off their helmet and padding.
• Drink plenty of liquids. Water is usually enough to keep kids and teens hydrated. But someone who exercises in hot weather or does endurance sports (like football, running, tennis, or soccer) may need liquids with salt in them, like sports drinks, or added salt in their food. Ask your doctor about the right amount of salt for your child.
• Avoid caffeine, which draws water out of the body through pee. Caffeine can be in chocolate, coffee, tea, and other foods and drinks.
• Take supplements or vitamins as their doctor recommends.

When Should I Call 911 or the Doctor?

Call 911 if your child seems dizzy or confused, has a seizure, or passes out.

Call the doctor if your child:

• has muscle cramps often, regularly, or when not exercising, or the cramps don't go away within an hour after resting and drinking liquids
• starts vomiting
• shows signs of dehydration (not enough liquid in the body), like extreme thirst or not peeing at least every 8 hours