what causes leg cramps below the knee
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- Leg cramps are common. The cause is not known in most cases. However, some medications and diseases sometimes cause leg cramps. Regular calf stretching exercises may prevent leg cramps. Quinine tablets may be advised as a last resort if you have cramps regularly. A leg cramp is a pain that comes from a leg muscle. It is due to a muscle spasm, which is when a muscle contracts too hard. It usually occurs in a calf muscle, below and behind a knee. The small muscles of the feet are sometimes affected.
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Muscle cramps facts Poor circulation to the legs, which results in inadequate oxygen to the muscle tissue, can cause severe pain in the muscle (sometimes known as claudication pain or intermittent claudication) that occurs with walking or exercise.
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Leg Cramp The exact cause of a leg cramp is not well understood, but there are some risk factors that are thought to contribute to this condition: 1  Muscle fatigue. 2  Heavy exercising. 3  Dehydration. High weight (not necessarily obesity)  Electrolyte 1  imbalances. Medications (statins, prednisone, others...)
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- As the atherosclerotic process of the lower extremity arteries increases, the arteries become narrowed or blocked, causing blood flow to decrease. This can lead to discomfort, cramps, or pain in the hips, thighs or calves with walking. This is called claudication.
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Severe Leg Pain mostly in the morning This can occur after injury to nerve and/or muscle; dehydration; with low blood levels of calcium, magnesium, or potassium; from certain medications; and even at rest. The pain that is associated with muscle cramps caused by poor circulation to the legs that worsens with walking is referred to as claudication. Deficiencies of certain vitamins, including thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), and pyridoxine (B6), can also cause muscle cramps.
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Why Is My Leg Cramping? What Can Help? Muscle cramps can also occur as a side effect of some drugs. Medications that can cause muscle cramps include: 1  Lasix (furosemide), Microzide (hydrochlorothiazide), and other diuretics (water pills) used to remove fluid from the body.2  Aricept (donepezil), used to treat Alzheimer's disease.or a charley horse in the calf or a cramp in the back of the thigh (hamstring), try putting your weight on the affected leg and bending your knee slightly, or sit or lie down with your leg out straight and pull the top of your foot toward your head.
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What Causes Leg Cramps and How Can You Stop Them? Leg cramps can be caused by many conditions, ranging simply from dehydration to something much more serious such as kidney disease. Cramps often result from vigorous exercise, trauma to the muscle, or keeping the leg in an awkward position for too long, such as sitting in a crowded theater.
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Leg Pain Below the Knee Leg pain can strike anytime. Specific pain below the knee may be caused by factors such as anatomical weakness, daily activity and stress, and individual levels of fitness. The entire knee joint is susceptible to accidents and overuse, so knowing the exact cause of pain is helpful in controlling it.
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How to Avoid Leg/Foot Cramps in Bed wikiHow to Avoid Leg/Foot Cramps in Bed. Four Parts:Cramps and your health statusStretching and positioningWarmthDiet and supplementsCommunity Q&A. A leg cramp is a pain that comes from a muscle in the leg. It is due to a muscle spasm which is when a muscle contracts too hard. It usually occurs in one of the calf muscles, below and behind a knee, but painful spasms can occur in the ankles, shins, and the quads (the big muscles of the thigh).
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- Leg cramps can occur for no apparent reason, known as idiopathic leg cramps, or as a symptom or complication of a health condition, known as secondary leg cramps. Causes of secondary leg cramps can include: 1  pregnancy. 2  exercise.
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- Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions that occur in various muscles. These contractions are often painful and can affect different muscle groups. Commonly affected muscles include those in the back of your lower leg, the back of your thigh, and the front of your thigh.ow levels of calcium and potassium may also cause muscle cramps, since both minerals contribute to healthy muscle function. Low blood supply to your legs and feet can cause cramping in those areas when you exercise, walk, or participate in physical activities.
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Causes By Mayo Clinic Staff. Most leg pain results from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues. Some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine. Leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, varicose veins or poor circulation. Some common causes of leg pain include: 1  Achilles tendinitis. 2  Achilles tendon rupture.  Ankylosing spondylitis.
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Leg Cramp Leg cramps occur when the muscle suddenly and forcefully contracts. The most common muscles to contract in this manner are muscles that cross two joints. These muscles include the calf (crossing the ankle and knee), the hamstring (crossing the knee and hip), and the quadriceps (also crossing the knee and hip).
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- Causes. Leg and foot cramps can be triggered by conditions affecting your hydration, blood flow, hormone levels, and your body's ability to absorb and process certain minerals. Kidney failure, alcohol abuse, cirrhosis, pregnancy, diarrhea, muscle damage and oral contraceptives can cause leg and foot cramps.
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- These are some of the more common sources of lower leg pain caused by problems in blood vessels: Blood clot. A blood clot that develops in a vein deep in the body is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Most deep vein blood clots develop in the lower leg or thigh.
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Nocturnal Leg Cramps Lumbar canal stenosis also is associated with leg cramps.13 Nerve damage from cancer treatment may be a cause of legs cramps, with a small study demonstrating that leg cramps were present in 82 percent of patients with cancer.14 Hemodialysis is linked to cramps, but chronic kidney disease is not.
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The Triggers There are certain activities that make you more prone to lower leg cramps. These include exercises that rely heavily on the leg muscles, such as recreational running, weight training the legs, or sports that require a lot of running. Some experts say that muscle fatigue is the leading cause of leg cramps.
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Causes Most leg pain results from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues. Some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine. Leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, varicose veins or poor circulation. Some common causes of leg pain include: 1  Achilles tendinitis. 2  Achilles tendon rupture.  Ankylosing spondylitis.
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- Leg cramps are a common and usually harmless condition where the muscles in your leg suddenly become tight and painful. It usually occurs in the calf muscles, although it can affect any part of your leg, including your feet and thighs.
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Leg Pain: Symptoms & Signs Peripheral artery disease can cause claudication, or pain that occurs in the legs usually when walking or exercising. Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis) can be another cause of leg pain. Pain in the knee and ankle joints of the leg is common with the arthritis conditions. The pain of sciatica (from disc disease of the spine) may radiate down the leg and is another common cause of leg pain. Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 1/19/2017.
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How to Avoid Leg/Foot Cramps in Bed A leg cramp is a pain that comes from a leg muscle. It is due to a muscle spasm, which is when a muscle contracts too hard. It usually occurs in a calf muscle, below and behind a knee. The small muscles of the feet are sometimes affected.
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Joint pain, Muscle cramps or spasms (painful), Swelling (Shin) and Swelling (Ankle) Low potassium (hypokalemia) If the level of potassium in your blood drops below normal, it may cause low energy, leg cramps, and more. Sprained ankle An ankle sprain is an injury the ligaments in the foot causing pain, tenderness, swelling, and bruising.
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What Causes Leg Cramps and How Can You Stop Them? Cramps often result from vigorous exercise, trauma to the muscle, or keeping the leg in an awkward position for too long, such as sitting in a crowded theater. Other causes can include medications such as birth control, diuretics (which are often prescribed for people with high blood pressure) and steroids.
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- Dehydration is the excessive loss of fluids in the body. Low levels of calcium and potassium may also cause muscle cramps, since both minerals contribute to healthy muscle function. Low blood supply to your legs and feet can cause cramping in those areas when you exercise, walk, or participate in physical activities. In some cases, a medical condition can cause muscle cramps. These conditions include: 1  spinal nerve compression, which can cause muscle cramps in your legs when walking or standing.
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I have pain in my calf muscles of both legs when I wake up in the morning. What could be the reason and what's the cure? The lining of arteries in your legs may become damaged and hardened (atherosclerosis). Arteries narrow or become blocked, which decreases blood flow. This can cause lower leg pain or cramping (called claudication) when walking, climbing stairs, or other kinds of exercise because muscles aren't getting enough blood.
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- Most leg pain results from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues. Some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine. Leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, varicose veins or poor circulation. Some common causes of leg pain include: 1  Achilles tendinitis. 2  Achilles tendon rupture. 3  ACL injury. 4  Baker's cyst. 5  Bone cancer. 6  Broken leg.