Foot Cramps at Night

A sudden, painful and involuntary muscular contraction in foot or leg, which occurs mostly at night, is called foot cramp. Sustained and severe muscle spasm is referred to as 'cramp'. People often experience cramps while exercising, swimming, cycling, running, mountaineering, etc. Cramps in the calf muscles behind the lower leg or in the muscles at the bottom of the foot are more common than cramps in other parts of the body. Sometimes, the pain is mild, sometimes it is severe. The cramp can last for a few seconds to several minutes. Many times, the muscle is tender or stiffened for the next day. A person may experience multiple cramps at a time. Disturbed sleep and constant pain can affect the daily activities of the person, for a couple of days. Cramps may involve an entire muscle, a part of the muscle or different muscles that work together. Older people frequently experience leg and foot cramps while resting. The exact cause of foot cramps at night is still unknown. Here is an overview of possible causes of foot cramps.

Foot Cramps: Causes

• Alcohol abuse is one of the main causes of foot cramps.
• Wearing ill-fitting shoes leads to foot and leg cramps.
• Various types of nerve disorders may lead to spasms in foot.
• Flat feet or hyper flexible joints generally cause foot cramps.
• Prior injury to foot muscles can cause foot cramps.
• Vitamin/mineral deficiency is one of the significant causes of foot cramps at night.
• Depletion of body fluids leads to dehydration; which is one of the most common causes of foot cramps while sleeping.
• Hormonal imbalance can cause foot cramps. Women are more likely to suffer from hormone imbalance than men.
• Foot cramps while sleeping can be experienced as a side effect of certain medicines.
• Foot cramps usually occur due to imbalance of sodium or potassium levels in blood.
• Persistent foot problems like tendonitis or plantar fasciitis are the causes of constant foot pain and cramps.
• Sudden increase in the workouts leads to sudden increase in the stress level, and this can cause foot cramps.
• Peripheral vascular disease, which results in poor circulation of blood due to narrowed arteries in legs can lead to foot cramps.
• Increased stress on the calf muscles and on the muscles of the feet during the last stage of pregnancy often leads to leg/foot cramps.
• Environmental toxicity, (e.g. Lead poisoning) is one of the important causes of foot cramps. Increasing industrialization and pollution is responsible for such situations.
• Higher rate of breathing during cardio exercises, leads to lower availability of calcium in blood, which may in turn cause foot cramps. Excessive exercise, intensive exercise can cause cramps in foot.
• Chronic diseases like cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, renal failure, Parkinson's disease, etc., lead to fatigue and weaken the muscles in the feet. Patients with chronic diseases often experience foot cramps in bed.
• Sedentary lifestyle, which leads to obesity and weak muscles can cause foot cramps. Modern lifestyle often involves lack of proper exercise. This is the main cause of frequent foot cramps. Exercise helps tone the muscles.
• Scarcity of adenosine triphosphate (ATP, an energy chemical present in body cells) causes contractures for more extended period than a normal or regular muscle cramp. The muscles are unable to relax and the person experiences sustained severe cramping.

Foot Cramps: Home Remedies and Medicines

• Pain killers can be taken under the guidance of a physician.
• An elastic bandage used for compression at the affected area can provide relief.
• Massage with oil or ointment can reduce muscle fatigue.
• Electrolyte and nutritional deficiencies can be avoided with the help of balanced diet.
• Application of ice to the affected region helps reduce the effect of spasm pain.
• Avoiding any extra/drastic stress on feet helps avoid foot cramps.
• Giving adequate rest to the affected area helps relieve the pain.
• Application of heat helps relieve pain and improves flexibility of the tendon and ligament. It improves the blood flow as well.
• Regular exercise (stretching exercises of muscles) helps maintain physical fitness and reduces the chances of muscle spasms.
• Drinking plenty of water and other healthy liquids like fruit juices, milk, milkshakes, etc., help avoid dehydration. This helps reduce the chances of foot cramps at night.
• Pull the foot away from the cramping position, very slowly, when a cramp occurs. Hold it till the cramp disappears. Massage it till 5 to 10 minutes. Then stretch it gently.

The risk of having nocturnal foot cramps increases with age. Now that you know the causes of cramps and home remedies for nocturnal foot cramps, there is nothing to worry about. It would not be a cause of annoyance any more, if diet and exercise are sincerely followed and other precautionary measures are also taken care of.