What causes leg cramps during pregnancy?
Are you pregnant and suffering from leg cramps that affect your calf, foot or both? Are you concerned over experiencing leg cramps during pregnancy? Leg cramps, also known as "Charlie’s horses", are quite a common happening for pregnant women. It is not uncommon for women to get frequent and severe leg cramps during pregnancy especially in the second and third trimester. While it is more common to suffer from leg cramps during pregnancy at night, they can occur at any time throughout the day.
What causes leg cramps during pregnancy?
It has been noted that leg cramps during pregnancy usually run in the families. The exact factors that lead to leg cramps during pregnancy are still not clear. One of the most common reasons for leg cramps could be the extra weight on your legs. It is also suspected that the growing uterus may cause changes in your circulation, put pressure on the nerves and blood vessels in the leg. This pressure or pinching may be the cause of your leg cramps and pain. Weight gain causes cramping in the legs to increase..
It is believed that the deficiency of calcium or potassium, or even an excess of phosphorus could lead to cramps in the legs. However, there are clinical studies to support this claim. Nevertheless, it may be wise to check if you are getting an adequate amount of calcium during the course of your pregnancy. It is also best to negate phosphorus which is usually present in stuff like processed meat, sodas and snack foods. Phosphorus could be responsible for the mal-absorption of calcium by the body. However, leg cramps also occur in women who do take calcium supplements.
How to prevent leg cramps during pregnancy?
There are several steps that can help you in preventing leg cramps during pregnancy. Given below are a few lifestyle changes that could help reduce the occurrence of cramps:
• Exercise regularly and include stretches that target your legs
• Rest your legs having elevated them
• Avoid keeping your legs in a crossed position for a long period
• Wear stockings that provide support
• Drink a lot of water to keep your body well-hydrated
During a leg cramp, raise your toes towards you and have someone massage your muscles.
While these steps for preventing leg cramps during pregnancy are quite safe, it is best to consult a professional doctor before following any of them. In case the cramps do not get reduce in severity and occurrence in spite of following these steps, do keep your doctor informed about it.
Submitted by N on August 18, 2011 at 02:14
