Causes of Leg and Toe Cramps
Other People Are Reading
-
Toe Cramps
-
Toe cramps can be caused by wearing shoes that don't fit. If the shoes are particularly tight in the toe area, you may end up with cramping toes at the end of the day.
According to Crampshelp.com, high heels can also be the culprit.
Toe cramping often occurs after a foot has been confined in a pair of shoes for several hours. In addition, if you are suffering from a lack of calcium this can cause your toes and feet to cramp. Get more calcium into your diet or take a daily supplement.
Foot Cramps
-
Myfootshop.com reports foot cramps are divided into three groups: Ischemic, metabolic and bio-mechanical. Ischemic cramping generally occurs at night and is called nocturnal claudication. This occurs because there is insufficient circulation to the foot. Intermittent claudication can occur after you have exercised strenuously.
-
Metabolic
-
Metabolic cramping occurs due to lack of potassium in your body, which can happen if you are taking a diuretic. Sodium initiates muscle contractions and if there is an imbalance in your body between sodium and potassium, which are both salts, this can cause cramping.
Bio-mechanics
-
Your feet can cramp simply from walking on them. Bio-mechanics means the science of how the body moves. If you are walking too much, or wearing the wrong shoes, this can result in foot cramps.
Morton's Toe
-
Dr. Dudley J. Morton wrote in his book, "The Human Foot," that weak ankles, fallen arches, tired and overworked feet, as well as issues at the first metatarsal bone, can cause your feet and toes to cramp, as well as your legs, which have been strained due to all of the above issues.
If your second toe is longer than your big toe then you may have Morton's Toe. The second toe is not supposed to be longer than the big toe but many of us have that condition. The way we were supposed to be designed is for the first metatarsal bone to be longer, or as long as, the second metatarsal bone. Morton explains that the first metatarsal bone is supposed to carry the load or twice the weight of the second metatarsal bone. If your second metatarsal bone is longer than the first metatarsal bone then proper lifting cannot be achieved. Every time a person takes a step, the second metatarsal bone will meet the ground before the first and this is abnormal. The first metatarsal bone is supposed to support the weight of the front part of the foot but can't under these conditions. The second metatarsal must now do this job whereas under ideal circumstances it would only be doing one-third of the work. This causes inordinate stress on the second metatarsal bone, which creates a chain of events that can make a person hurt all over.
Leg Cramps
-
Dr. Burton S. Shuler reports that his patients routinely complain of nocturnal leg cramps as well as Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). Shuler explains that night leg cramps, which are often referred to as Charlie Horses, are abnormal contractions of the leg muscles. The cause of leg cramps isn't entirely understood but they may be caused by overexertion, a reaction to medication, poor circulation, dehydration or an imbalance of electrolytes.
-
Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.crampeze.com/
