Leg cramps during pregnancy?
Calf cramps during pregnancy are not uncommon, but they are a great burden for many pregnant women, as they usually occur at night and thus prevent the mother-to-be from sleeping. Here you can find out what the causes of calf cramps during pregnancy can be and how you can fight and prevent them.
Calf cramps during pregnancy: 14% of all pregnant women suffer from them
Calf cramps during pregnancy mainly occur in the second half of pregnancy, mostly at night. Calf cramps in the SS are usually caused by a temporary malfunction of the nerves. The causes are different, for example a magnesium or another mineral deficiency can be to blame.
Causes of leg cramps during pregnancy
Calf cramps during pregnancy can have very different causes. However, the interaction of mineral metabolism and nerves plays a role in all cases. Because nerves need minerals to transmit signals to the muscle fibers, which then contract or relax. A lack of minerals and a disturbed electrolyte balance are therefore the most common causes of calf cramps.
In pregnant women, there is an increased shift in fluid and mineral balance. Increased sweating and the need to urinate more frequently means that not only is the fluid that transports the minerals through the body excreted, but the minerals themselves are also lost, mainly through the urine. This applies primarily to magnesium. Since this mineral is responsible for relaxing the muscles, calf cramps are in many cases due to a latent magnesium deficiency.
- Overloading of the muscles: The calf muscles can not only be exposed to overload through sport. Long walks or standing, as well as wearing high or too tight shoes can lead to permanent muscle tension. These tensions then usually discharge during the nocturnal rest phases. Undertraining the calf muscles can have similar effects. Frequent sitting or infrequent exercise can shorten the musculature, which can quickly lead to overstraining when under stress.
- Circulatory disorders: If the muscles are not supplied with sufficient blood, not enough minerals can be transported there. Circulatory disorders can be partly attributed to insufficient fluid intake. Lack of exercise is also a cause of circulatory disorders that should not be neglected.
- Pinched nerve: During pregnancy, the uterus grows a lot. Therefore, cramps in the calves can also be caused by the enlarged uterus pinching a nerve and thus disrupting the transmission of signals to the muscles.
- Unfavorable sleeping position: An unfavorable sleeping position can also lead to night cramps. If your feet are wrapped tightly in the duvet at night and are permanently overstretched, this can overstrain the muscles and result in painful discharge..
Preventive measures against leg cramps during pregnancy
To prevent calf cramps during pregnancy in the long term, you can take a number of simple measures:
promote blood circulation
- Regular exercise works wonders. You can permanently stimulate blood circulation by going for walks, cycling or gentle sports suitable for pregnancy, such as swimming or yoga.
- But then also think about rest breaks to allow your body to relax again. It is best to put your legs up to effectively relieve them. Warm socks or a blanket also stimulate blood circulation during these resting phases.
- Alternating showers and massages with essential oils, such as camomile, lavender or rosewood, also ensure good blood circulation. The massages also relax the calf muscles.
- Blood circulation is often also impaired by crossing your legs when sitting. So try to avoid this attitude.
Stretching exercises to prevent leg cramps during pregnancy
Regular stretching exercises can strengthen your lower leg and calf muscles and prevent calf cramps during pregnancy in the future. Here are two possible exercises:
- Lunges: Do slow lunges before bed to stretch calf muscles and release tension. To do this, place one foot well in front of the other, bend your front knee and shift your weight forward. Your back leg stays straight and your heel stays on the ground. Hold the pose for a few seconds and then switch sides. If you have trouble keeping your balance, you can use your hands or arms to support yourself on the wall.
- Bend forward: Stand up straight with your feet together. Then, with your knees locked, bend forward until you can feel the stretch in your calves. Hold the stretch for a few seconds and then slowly straighten up. You can repeat the exercise a few times.
Adequate supply of minerals
Since calf cramps during pregnancy are most often caused by a lack of minerals, you can prevent cramps in the long term with an adequate supply. Magnesium in particular plays a role in this context. A minor deficiency can usually be compensated for by a more conscious, magnesium-rich diet. This also means that you drink enough liquid so that the mineral can be optimally transported through the body.
If the deficiency is more pronounced, you can also take a magnesium supplement in consultation with your doctor. You can find out exactly what you have to consider and what you can do to counteract a magnesium deficiency in the article “Magnesium: an important nutrient in pregnancy” .
Treating acute calf cramps during pregnancy
If, despite preventive measures, a calf cramp does occur, quick help is required. Because a calf cramp does not go away on its own. The muscles need to be stretched to release their tension. Here are a few tips on how to get relief from nighttime leg cramps:
- Counterbend: Pinch the toes of the cramping leg toward the shin with your fingers. This should loosen the cramp. If you can’t touch your toes because of the baby bump, place your leg firmly against the wall while lying down to achieve the same effect. As a third option, you can also use a slow lunge in the event of an acute calf cramp, which is already effective in preventing calf cramps.
- Walking around: If you have a cramp, you can also try to “walk” it. First stand carefully but firmly on the cramping leg and then slowly walk around the room. Make sure you roll over the corresponding foot carefully and put your full weight on it in order to achieve the necessary stretching effect.
- Massage out: You can also try to massage out the cramp. To do this, run the palm of your hand from the heel towards the knee, i.e. from bottom to top, over the calf. In this way, the muscles are loosened manually and the cramp disappears.
Always massage your calf for a short time after a cramp so that there is no unpleasant soreness in the muscles the next morning.
Take leg cramps during pregnancy seriously
Calf cramps during pregnancy are usually easy to treat yourself. However, you should see the muscular disorders as a warning sign from your body that points to possible, deeper problems. The cramps themselves are usually only a symptom, the cause of which should be clarified by a doctor if they occur frequently.
If the cramps are caused by a magnesium deficiency and this is not recognized or treated early enough, the cramps may spread to the uterine muscles, leading to premature labor or even premature birth . If the cramps always only occur in one leg, and the leg also becomes red or swollen, it is possible that there is phlebitis or thrombosis. If you have persistent symptoms and unexplained symptoms, be sure to talk to your doctor so that he can initiate appropriate treatment.