Why do my hands and feet cramp so much?

Do you ever find yourself frozen in pain, unable to move your fingers or toes? Have you tried everything under the sun to get rid of those pesky cramps only for them to persist like a never ending nightmare? Well, fear not my friend. You are not alone and there is an explanation for this madness.

What Exactly Are Cramps?

Before we delve into the root cause of your troubles, let’s first establish what a cramp actually is. A muscle cramp refers to an involuntary contraction that causes pain and stiffness in a particular muscle group. They can occur anywhere at any time but most commonly appear in the hands and feet – lucky us!

How Do I Know It’s A Cramp And Not Something Else?

If you’re unsure whether or not what you experienced was indeed a cramp (perhaps it was just your hand falling asleep?), here are some tell-tale signs:

  • Sharp pain
  • Tightness
  • Visible contractions underneath skin
  • Stiffness

Now that we know exactly what we’re dealing with let’s dive into why our hands and feet hate us so much.

Possible Causes Of Those Pesky Hand & Foot Cramps

As with most things medical-related, there isn’t one solitary answer as to why our extremities feel like they’ve been placed on death row. However, here are some common reasons:

Dehydration

It should come as no surprise that dehydration tops our list of offenders. Our bodies comprise mostly water so when we don’t replenish it accordingly bad things start happening – enter ‘dehydration-induced muscle spasms’. Try drinking 8 glasses of water each day

Vitamin Deficiency

Your mother always warned you about getting enough vitamins yet somehow she forgot to mention the link between magnesium deficiency & poor diet habits…thanks mom! If you aren’t consuming enough magnesium-rich foods (hello chocolate) then you may experience cramps as a result.

Overuse Of Muscles

While we should all be proud of our dedication to physical activity, perhaps there is such thing as too much of a good thing. Experts suggest that overusing your muscles can ultimately lead to muscular fatigue which in turn causes cramping.

Nerve Damage

Sorry folks, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. If the nerves responsible for transmitting signals between brain & hands/feet become damaged (re: carpal tunnel syndrome) then muscle spasms can appear.

How Can I Rid Myself Of These Cramps??

Now the million dollar question – how do we rid ourselves permanently of these pesky pests? Well, while there is no real cure-all option here are some actions you can take:

Stretching Helps!

The key with stretching is consistency across long-term periods (at least 5-10 minutes every single day). Some recommended hand stretches include:

  • Ball Squeeze : Take a small ball and softly squeeze it for 20 seconds before releasing.
  • Fist Rock : Make fists and rock back & forth from fingers-downward wrist-upward to stretch muscles.
  • Finger-To-Wrist Flexion: Face your palms toward each other in front of your chest, fingertips touching palm-to-palm gently push finger-tips into wrist for five-second holds.

Some recommended foot stretches include:

  • Toe press : Place feet flat on ground and lift toes upwards where they should stay up without assistance Repeat this 10 times per set twice during waking hours

Stretching helps reduce frequency/severity but does NOT totally prevent them from appearing again

Massage It Out

Ah yes the power of touch…and by “touch” we mean massage therapy. From professional treatments or at-home self-massages, rubbing out any potential knots/cramps early allows adequate blood flow and reduce discomfort.

Hydrate

In case you missed it earlier, hydration is key to ensure your muscles are properly lubricated with fluids. Make sure you get those 8 glasses of water each day and avoid overly caffeinated or alcoholic drinks which can lead to dehydration!

Prevention Is Key Folks!

While we can’t guarantee that these actions will forever rid us of the dreaded hand & foot cramps there is a way for prevention from happening in the first place. Follow these steps:

  • Get enough sleep/rest (7+ hours per night)
  • Reduce stress
  • Practice active recovery through stretching routines like yoga or relaxation techniques
    There’s no such thing as “over strecthing”.

Conclusion

Congratulations dear reader, by making it this far you’re an official expert on all things hand/foot muscle spasms! So go ahead and show off your newfound knowledge to everyone who will listen. However, remember that even our finger-to-wrist flexions’ suffer their tight moments so next time distract yourself with some moral support from friends instead of airing out extreme expletives in public places – save that for private crying sessions, we won’t judge!

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