There’s nothing quite like the pain of foot cramps, and they can occur whether you’re mid-jog or fast asleep. But what causes them? And, much more importantly, what can you do to stop them?
Foot cramps are often caused by dehydration, or a lack of electrolytes or magnesium in the diet, especially when exercising, but they can also be caused by shallow breathing, such as during a panic attack, when the oxygen supply to the muscle is reduced.
How To Relieve Foot Cramps
- Stretch out the foot. If your muscles are cramping, it can help to stretch out your leg and flex your foot to stimulate blood flow, which can relieve the cramp. Rubbing the area vigorously can also help to stimulate blood flow, and regular massage of the legs and feet can help to improve circulation to reduce the occurrence of cramp.
- Try acupressure. There are several acupressure points that are related to various areas of the body, and exerting firm pressure on the points connected to the feet can help to alleviate a foot cramp. These points are: between the top lip and the nose, at the base of the calf muscle, on the leg that is affected, and between the big toe and the second toe on the foot that is cramping.
- Look at your diet. Ensuring that your diet contains all of the essential vitamins and minerals will help to prevent foot cramps in the future. Potassium and magnesium are both essential to prevent muscle cramps, so ensure you eat plenty of bananas, dark leafy greens, nuts and dark chocolate! The homeopathic remedy Mag Phos can be very helpful to relieve a foot or leg cramp quickly.
- Drink plenty. To balance your electrolytes, you should drink 1-2 litres of water each day, more if you are exercising. Drinking water can help to rehydrate muscles that are cramping, and heat applications can also be helpful as they encourage the muscles to relax.
- Think about your footwear. If you regularly experience foot cramps, ask yourself whether your shoes fit you properly. Shoes that are too tight, for instance, can restrict muscles and lead them to cramp. Ensure that your shoes are supporting your feet correctly by visiting a specialist shoe store such as Foot Solutions for professional measuring and advice.
Find Comfortable Shoes to Prevent Foot Pain
Here at Foot Solutions, our friendly staff are on hand to help you find the perfect shoes for your feet. Every foot is unique, and we can carry out a gait analysis and measure your feet to find the best solutions for work, for training and for casual wear.
Wearing good shoes can help prevent many foot problems, such as bunions, hammertoes and plantar fasciitis, so it is certainly worth taking care of your feet in this way. Pop into your local branch and see how much difference comfortable shoes could make to you!
