How to get rid of cramp immediatly

[bajo]

HI, I have been waking up with cramp (along with the rest of the nation) for years now, jumping out of bed and rubbing my legs etc when i suddenly remembered the treatment applied to footballers when they collapse in a football match. If you watch them while they are sitting down the physio pushes their foot towards their head, with the physio`s hand pushing just under the toe end of the foot and this brings relief.

Now then....when you wake up with cramp you have to immediately `pull` your toes towards your head while keeping your legs flat and your cramp will go.

I have used this method for some years now and it works, not just for me but everyone else i have told (including my skeptical wife) good luck and please pass this tip on to others.

When you `pull` up your toes towards your head you do not need to use your hands, just use your leg muscles to pull your toes back good luck!

[Hidden]

Do you just have cramp or RLS awell.. ?

[bajo in reply to Hidden]

HI Elisse, I have had RLS most of my life and even more so over the last 15 years but the cramp I am talking about is when you wake up in the middle of the night with a `knot`in your leg and all you can do is try and rub your leg until (painfully) the muscle relaxes. In my case, and everyone I have passed on this info to this is avoided if when sitting or being `woken up` by that impending ache which leads to cramp you quickly lift up your toes to your head and stretch your calf muscle at the back of your leg which should then stop it it its tracks. Good luck!

[Hidden in reply to bajo]

Right ok, just had to ask you, as some people would be thinking you were confusing cramps as RLS. You would be surprised how many do. So, very good tip for those who so suffer with cramps, thanks for posting.

[michou]

I sleep with a bottle of tonic by my bed and take a drink of it as soon as I get a cramp - works within 5 minutes; and I think better than having to take quinine every night.

I know that cramps are axcerbated by alcohol so if I have had a drink (I only have max 2 units now) I drink a small glass of tonic before going to bed and that usually works.

As for RSL that is a different story - nothing seems to work - I have had it for over 50 years - when I was younger it was almost intermittent, but now almost every night - yes alcohol does trigger it but I have given up on finding a cure and just put up with my insomnia of which RSL is only one factor.

Funnily enough when I am so knackered that I fall asleep on the sofa in the afternoon I never get RSL.