What Causes Cramp and How To Cure It | Earth Science

Trust Me I'm A Doctor: Series 3
Michael Mosley and his team of doctors return to tackle more questions about our health, offering uncomplicated, trustworthy advice on important and topical medical issues.

Welcome to BBC Earth Science! Here we answer all your curious questions about science in the world around you (and further afield too). If there’s a question you have that we haven’t yet answered let us know in the comments on any of our videos and it could be answered by one of our Earth Science experts.

[infinity]

Why are you filming this inside a shopping mall?

[PlatinumGamer]

Is there any scientific reason you have to film this in a shopping mall?

[Bill_Woo]

One very impressive thing is that the video is honest in saying "current leading theory" rather than expressing that this is fact. Lots of strong evidence/information is offered here, but unlike most junk science (and in my observation an astounding amount of it is junk), this video just puts out what it does without logical *or* illogical persuasion. WELL DONE.

[jensenbaits]

I am honestly too distracted by the surroundings, why on earth was this video shot in a mall ?

[nitramluap]

The problem is with most people’s understanding of how muscles relax. Relaxation is an ACTIVE process, not a passive one. It seems counterintuitive, but it’s true.

Muscles require energy to relax, not just contract. When you’ve depleted the energy stores, and/or the supply of oxygen, you’re likely to find that a contraction isn’t followed by relaxation. If it happens at rest or while sleeping you might want to get an angiogram as you may have atherosclerosis but it could just be a result of poor blood flow due to the cold, or positioning.

The other issue with a cramp is that because the muscle is stuck in the contracted state, it restricts further blood supply from the compression of the microvasculature, which obviously makes the problem worse which is why they last for so long. The pain is from the relative ischaemia. Massaging helps as it gets some blood flowing and therefore improving oxygen delivery, which allows the relaxation to occur.

Cramping during exercise is a sign of a too high demand on the muscles for the blood supply available. In other words, you’re not adequately trained for what you’re doing. Most amateurs assume it is some electrolyte imbalance, which is what all the manufacturers of those things want you to believe! But it’s not - it’s about fitness.

Disclosure: I’m a doctor and an endurance athlete.

[petehiggins]

I regularly get cramp but not when I'm sleeping. Usuallly it's when I'm in bed before going to sleep or after waking. Sometimes it's triggered by my movements such as raising a leg or stretching. So pretty much the opposite of everything in this video. The the way to stop it is to stand up quicly and walk about or stand on your toes. Sometime I get cramp in places where didn't know I had muscles such as around the ankles.

[TheTrainMaster]

It happened to me once while I was sleeping. Didn’t sleep for the rest of the night because of the pain. It’s probably because of playing soccer.

[VfletchS]

For some reason, I didn't hear a thing he said when he got on the treadmill.

[SweetasSugar]

I get it in my foot and it's incredibly painful, I get it during the day too. I do a lot of running and rowing so that's why

[DrMantisToboggan]

For a channel that prides themselves on science, this video had veryyy little of it

[crapsmells]

A video about foot cramps and you didn't use Greg Foot...what a missed opportunity..

[repawnd]

My cramps are not from overworking my muscles cause I get them even when I sit all day at my PC. I get them if I don't eat all day then eat a large meal late in the evening just before going to sleep, it happens every time I do that; I will even know in advance that I will be getting cramps during the night. The cure for me is to get up, drink a cup of coffee (any liquid seems to work, i just like coffee) then go back to bed. The cramps don't return, works every time. My conclusion is that it's dehydration, because my mouth is usually very dry at the time. I'm sure it's different for different people, but for me after over 30 years of suffering from cramps I know them very well ;)

[storySMG]

It doesn't have to do with the Matter but the Red haired Girl with the Green shirt 1:03 is Very Beautiful...😆

[jeangrainger]

I get cramp dozens of times a day up to 5 muscles involved at once. Calf muscles have it permanently. each episode lasts up to an hour rarely less than 4 muscles. Can have to wait half an hour to stop my feet from twisting in impossible direction and not being able to put my shoes on. Once one shoe is on it may take another hour to get my foot in the other shoe. How do you stretch the scalp muscles or your diaphragm. I'm desperate for an answer. I am already taking quinine but it only helps a little. I don't get much exercise I don't have time between bouts of cramp

[daddy-chan]

I don't want a while explanation about what cramps are instead I want a quick cure to it in a short video

[jawada]

I got cramps yesterday while working out, and was wondering how to prevent it. Now I see this. Nice timing BBC

[bschandar]

What a coincidence, I got horrible cramps in morning (very unusual) and now I see the solution for it.

[emmettturner]

I frequently get debilitating cramps in my feet in muscles that I can’t stretch. I’m playing with fire right now since just thinking about them can trigger it. Trying not to move them triggers conscious muscle tension which will trigger pain. After the pain starts the muscles contract involuntarily in response and my feet lock up, much like the knees of “feinting goats.” Really wish I had a way to stretch or prevent this.

[gdonson]

Wasted 3 minutes of my time that I will never get back watching this, BBC owes me for my time

[allanadam]

I’ve had cramps since my 20’s, not frequently but enough. It doesn’t matter if I worked all day in the heat or did nothing on a winters day. Just sliding my big toe along the bedsheet at night will set off a calf cramp, what sometimes makes it worse is when the thigh muscle cramps as well. What do you do relax the calf which cramps again or to stretch the calf relax the thigh? Having both inner thighs cramp at the same time is also fun, how to stretch both at the same time when you are sitting in a window seat on a plane? Biting you tongue trying not to scream. I have also had my jaw cramp from yawning, very painful. There is really no common denominator that sets them off, just some random torture.