It was the middle of the night. All was quiet in the house when suddenly I heard a noise. It sounded like the noise you make when the doctor tells you to say ah with a stick down your throat, only much louder. Once again, my husband was awakened by those painful and irritating leg cramps, and at two in the morning, I was up rubbing them out, so yes, this article is personal.
Leg cramps otherwise known as a charley horse, are the result of a tightening and sharp contraction of the calf muscle. They can affect men and women equally and seem to have no restriction on age. For the sake of today’s article, we will address the common culprit in what continues the strike and inflict pain, often without any warning.
While there are several reasons for leg cramps, to include pregnancy, arthritis, exhaustion, and vascular disease, most cramps arise out of issues with an improper balance of hydration and electrolytes. Most athletes rely on sports drinks. However, if you wish to save a few dollars, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water works very well in restoring potassium which is the main culprit in most attacks of leg cramps. I am happy to report it has also decreased the number of times I am up rubbing a sore leg in the night.