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Cramps of the calf muscles is an involuntary and unexpected for a person contraction of the biceps muscle, located on the back of the human leg. It is located above the soleus muscle, together with which it is attached to the heel through the Achilles tendon. Therefore, it is not surprising that, simultaneously with the calf muscle, a cramp can reduce the foot.
The gastrocnemius muscle is represented by a pair of powerful oily heads (lateral and medial heads), which start from below the popliteal fossa. In the middle of the lower leg, they are connected, after which they pass into a common tendon. The gastrocnemius muscle is innervated by branches extending from the tibial nerve, the root of which is located in S1 and S2.
The calf muscle is important for a person, as it is responsible for the movement of the leg and allows you to stabilize the body while walking and running.
If the muscle is overstretched, then a spasm may occur in it. Also, muscle spasm occurs with violations in the system of arterial and venous blood supply, with a lack of trace elements in the body, with a failure of innervation processes.
Seizures have different intensity. They can be weak and barely noticeable, or they can make a person scream in pain. Muscle spasm lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. Seizures can occur in anyone, regardless of gender or age. Most often, she worries at night. People note that it is at this time that spasms are particularly strong, since the body is in a relaxed state.
Seizures never occur on their own. They are always preceded by some provoking factor, ranging from banal hypothermia to serious disorders in the nervous system or in the circulatory system. Thus, the body signals to a person that something is not right with him. It is necessary to recognize this signal in time. Therefore, when convulsions often disturb a person, it is necessary to find out the causes of their occurrence and carry out appropriate treatment.
Moreover, calf cramps can be dangerous in and of themselves. It is easy to imagine the horror of the situation when a person loses the ability to control the movement of his leg while driving a car, while at a depth or in the mountains.
The mechanism of development of calf muscle cramps
To understand the mechanism of development of calf muscle cramps, it is necessary to understand some of the features of its structure. So, this muscle is represented by many myofibrils. Each myofibril is a strip with hundreds of rows of muscle cells. They are called myocytes.
Each muscle cell (myocyte) has a contractile apparatus, consisting of several proteins. The main in them is actin, and auxiliary troponin, myosin and tropomyosin. Myosin and actin are intertwined with each other like filaments. Their mutual approach, and hence muscle contraction, occurs under the influence of ATP, calcium ions, troponin and tropomyosin.
This is a multi-level process that goes through several stages:
An impulse arises in the brain, which is sent along the nerve to the calf muscle.
With the help of acetylcholine, an electrical impulse from the nerve passes to the surface of the muscle.
Then this impulse spreads throughout the muscle fiber and penetrates into its deep structures through the T-shaped channels.
From the channels, the impulse passes to the cisterns (cells containing calcium ions). Calcium channels open and calcium leaves the cells.
Calcium activates tropin and tropomyosin, which in turn cause actin and myosin filaments to approach each other. ATP is involved in this process.
Muscle contraction occurs at the moment when the myosin and actin filaments are as close as possible.
If at any stage of this complex process a failure occurs, then this will lead to convulsions.
Video: neuropathologist about the causes and treatment of seizures during sleep:
What to do if the calf muscle is cramped in the water?
If a cramp caught a person while swimming in a pond, then in no case should you give in to panic. When there is such an opportunity, you need to loudly call for help. At the same time, it is necessary to continue swimming towards the shore, actively working with your hands.
The easiest solution is to flip onto your back. At the same time, you need to breathe deeply and continue to swim aground at the expense of your hands.
If a person is confident in his abilities, then you can relax in the water, taking the form of a starfish. Keeping on the water, it is necessary to massage the calf muscle until the cramp passes. You need to be prepared that in this position a person will have to dive headlong into the water from time to time. Therefore, this method can be put into practice only by the swimmer who feels confident at depth and knows how to hold his breath.
So, immediately after a cramp has occurred, it is necessary to direct all efforts to eliminate it. After all, such a condition is stressful for the body and it needs to be eliminated as soon as possible. Only after that should one search for and treat the cause of calf muscle cramps.
Treatment of calf cramps
If the cramp is caused by pathological causes, then you need to find and eliminate them. As practice shows, most often they lie in a deficiency of vitamin D, B vitamins, as well as calcium, magnesium, iron and other trace elements. Therapy in this case involves the intake of vitamin-mineral complexes and nutrition correction.
If it is impossible to eliminate the cause of seizures, then the patient should receive symptomatic treatment aimed at reducing their frequency and intensity. Again, for prophylactic purposes, such patients are prescribed a complex of vitamins and minerals, and a diet is selected.
[Video] Dr. Evdokimenko – LEG CRAMPS, causes and simple TREATMENTS: