What should I do if I get calf cramps during exercise?

Calf cramps during exercise are a common problem for many people. When the calf cramps occur, the leg muscles will feel very painful and you will be unable to move in an instant. The pain is very severe and cannot be relieved for a while. Therefore, calf cramps during exercise are still very serious, especially when swimming. It may be life-threatening. What should you do?

If you get calf cramps while swimming, don't panic. Take a deep breath and dive your head into the water. Then float your back on the water like a jellyfish. Grab your toes with both hands and pull them toward you. If it doesn’t work the first time, try repeating it a few times and the muscles will slowly relax and return to their original state. If you try to get ashore by force, you will often end up drowning.

In daily life, calf cramps often occur. At this time, you can quickly pinch the Hegu point on the hand and the Renzhong point on the upper lip (that is, the center near the top of the upper lip). After pinching for 20 to 30 seconds, the pain will be relieved and the muscles will relax. The effectiveness rate can reach 90%. The effect will be better if you use a hot towel and massage with your hands.

If you feel sudden pain or cramps in your gastrocnemius muscle during strenuous exercise, immediately hold your big toe tightly, slowly straighten your leg, and then massage it when the pain disappears.

How to deal with cramps while swimming: Calf or toe cramps: Use the hand on the opposite side of the cramped calf to hold the toes of the cramping leg and pull upwards with force. At the same time, use the palm of the same hand to press on the knee of the cramping calf to help straighten the calf.

If you experience gastrocnemius cramps in the middle of the night, you can use a wall to press against your toes, straighten your legs as hard as possible until the pain and cramps are relieved, and then massage them.

If you want to prevent calf cramps, it is recommended that you warm up before exercising. This will get your body moving and your blood circulating. This way, you will not be prone to calf cramps when you start swimming. This is especially true for people who have never done much exercise, as they are more likely to get calf cramps this way, so you should pay attention.