Cramp in Muscles - Hamstring Muscle Cramp

Symptoms Checklist:

Your pain came on suddenly
It happened involuntarily
The pain is in the “belly” of the muscle
The muscle feels knotted and in a lump
It is extremely sore

Hamstring Muscle Cramps

Cramp is your muscles way of telling you to ease up. Either you are using them for longer than they are used to or you are using them harder than they are used to. During cramp your muscles contract involuntarily for a sustained period of time. There are many factors that can make cramp happen so it is difficult to say exactly what causes it. Suddenly undertaking exercise for much longer than you are used to can cause it as can exercising at a higher level. Sometimes when you suffer it will be because of your diet, you may have lost salt from your body through perspiration and the lack of it brings on an attack. Or the perspiration may have caused you to become dehydrated and this also is known to make cramp more likely. Stretching properly before you start will reduce the likelihood of cramp. The hamstring muscle is one of the most commonly affected but you can also cramp easily in the calves and feet.

Physical Therapy/Osteopathy and Cramp

Gentle stretching of the affected muscle is usually enough to ease the cramp. Since the pain is so severe, it is better if you can do this stretch yourself as you know best how much of a stretch you can take. Drinking a sports drink with added salt or electrolytes will help. It is usually not possible to continue with the exercise once cramp starts; you will need to rest for a few hours.