The main cause of muscle cramps in athletes is unknown, although most scientific studies attribute this type of muscle spasms to an imbalance in the supply of potassium, magnesium and calcium to the muscle during exercise. Muscle cramps are involuntary, painful and spasmodic contractions of skeletal muscles , which may be accompanied by hardening and/or bulging of the affected muscle or muscle group. Exercise-related cramps occur during or immediately after activity in exercised muscles.
They are associated with muscle fatigue and the triggering mechanism is usually contraction in the shortened position of the muscle. When faced with an athlete with muscle cramps, it must be determined if they are true cramps related to exercise or if, on the contrary, there is an underlying disease. Among the diseases that can be accompanied by muscle cramps we find hypothyroidism, diabetes deficiencies, metabolic and drug use, among others.
The majority of athletes who suffer from muscle cramps, however, do not usually present illnesses and therapeutic measures will be aimed at avoiding premature muscle fatigue through adequate nutrition and hydration and appropriate training. In the case of recurrent episodes of muscle cramps, the athlete should see a specialist in sports medicine or internal medicine for evaluation. The main cause of muscle cramps in athletes is unknown, although most scientific studies attribute this type of muscle spasms to an imbalance in the supply of potassium, magnesium and calcium to the muscle during exercise.
This imbalance can be due to multiple factors, among the most common are, dehydration is a key factor in suffering from muscle cramps because the lack of water causes the optimal concentration of minerals in the muscle during exercise to be altered. Tensing or contracting a muscle or muscle group too much, particularly if it is untrained. Strenuous physical activity. Poor secularization in the affected areas, due to repeated muscle contractions resulting in muscle shortening or due to an underlying muscle contract. The consumption of certain medications or drugs.
Physical means such as diathermy, intramuscular bandages and manual therapy among many other techniques will be used to accelerate the regeneration of damaged tissue. In addition, therapeutic exercise guidelines will be applied where mobility, muscle activation and proscription will be worked on. Everything together, to prepare the affected limb for the last phase of rehabilitation, sports re-adaptation, which will be based on the progressive start of the activity until the athlete is fully rehabilitated and can resume on his own the same exercise that he performed. Before suffering the injury.
