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Leg cramps - unknown cause - Management
What self-care advice should I give someone about managing idiopathic leg cramps?
- Reassure the person that idiopathic leg cramps are common; they have no underlying cause and can resolve spontaneously.
- Advise all people about self-care measures:
- To alleviate an attack, advise stretching and massaging the affected muscle(s). For example, upon calf cramps straighten the leg and dorsiflex the ankle, or walk around on the heels for a few minutes.
- To help reduce the frequency of attacks:
- Do stretching exercises of the affected muscle(s) three times a day. If beneficial, continue indefinitely at an acceptable frequency.
- When sleeping, try to stop toes from pointing downwards. For example, if lying supine prop the feet up (using a pillow), or if prone hang the feet over the end of the bed. Keep blankets loose.
- Consider using analgesia if the muscle(s) is tender after a cramp. It is impractical to use analgesia during a cramp, as most attacks are short lived.
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