Had a leg day at the gym and got your leg attacked by muscle cramps? Well, we do understand the excruciating pain you may be going true. These cramps are no less than a nightmare and lead you to have sleepless nights and helpless days.

Legs cramps most commonly hit the calves and can obstruct your movement for long. This occurs due to contraction of a muscle that you may have applied too much pressure on or is overused. An underlying reason for this can be that your body does not receive enough hydration, thus, obstructing the smooth functioning of your muscles. This may not be the only reason and there can be underlying factors such as weakness in the body, diabetes, irregular blood pressure, etc. The older generation is likely to fall prey to cramps in the legs.

Muscle cramps in the leg do not indicate a serious or major issue and here are some remedies that you can practice at home for relief –

Gentle stretching exercises – It is advisable to immediately bring to halt the activity that may have triggered the cramp. Hold your leg and perform gentle exercises while moving your leg back and forth. Continue to do this for a while, at least until you feel like your leg muscle has been relieved. You can also stretch your toes upwards so as to bring rest to the muscle of your calf.

Heat massage – A heated massage is a great way of bringing relief to a muscle cramp. The heat causes the blood to circulate well. All you have to do is place a hot water towel or hot-water bag on the affected area and gently press it against the spot. This massage will bring an instant relief to your leg.

Magnesium-filled diet – Magnesium is a mineral that is a requisite for your body to function well. It has a key role to play in easing away muscle cramps. And although this may not lead to quick relief, it does aid in the long run. Foods such as spinach, almonds, cashews, peanuts, etc.

Hydrate – Hydrating your body with water is extremely important. Like your skin needs moisturizers, so does it need hydration. This keeps your leg muscles smooth and keeps that cramps away.

If muscle cramps in your legs do not seem to rest and occur frequently, you should be alarmed and visit your doctor before a more complex condition occurs.