Calf muscles tightened while I was sleeping? Agonizing pain?

Question

I was sleeping nicely. all of a sudden my calf muscle tightened and I was in agonizing pain. It lasted and I yelled for 30 seconds until it relaxed.

Now it's very sore in my calf area. Why did my muscle tighten? My calf muscles were not active while I sleep!!

Answer 1

I've had those three times before and they are agonizing! They're incredibly intense. They're called night cramps. They don't know what causes them but they say potassium helps prevent them.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/night-leg-cramps/AN00499

Answer 2

Twisted Calf Muscle

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

Calf muscles tightened while I was sleeping? Agonizing pain?

I was sleeping nicely. all of a sudden my calf muscle tightened and I was in agonizing pain. It lasted and I yelled for 30 seconds until it relaxed.



Now it's very sore in my calf area. Why did my muscle tighten? My calf muscles were not active while I sleep!!

Answer 4

Charely horses can happen in the calf, thigh, or foot. See paragraph 2...



The quadriceps contusion type of "charley horse" is initially treated by icing. Recent studies have shown that the resulting tightness and contractions that sometimes ensue can be lessened by maintaining the knee in a fully bent position for the first 24 hours to prevent the involved muscles from going into spasm. Prematurely returning to sports activities increases the likelihood of the main complication of a charley horse, the deposition of calcium into the hematoma that forms at the site of injury. This complication, termed myositis ossificans, can result in long-term disability.



A cramp can be quickly defused with active stretching of the affected muscle. Cramps in the calf muscle can be defused by outstretching the leg, pushing the heel downward, and pointing your toes toward your head. Standing up with most of your weight on the ball of the foot on the cramping side will also stretch the gastrocnemius muscle and diffuse the pain. If you feel a cramp starting, this will usually stop it from becoming more painful. Persistent cramps should be treated by a doctor.[



Bananas, coconut juice (NOT milk), tonic water (has quinine in it)... Good things to keep them at bay.

Answer 5

Muscles cramp up every now and then, sometimes at the most random times. Where you active that day? Or maybe you even got a charlie's horse. But anyways its normal and nothing to worry about probably.

Answer 6

Thats a Charlie Horse! LOL

Answer 7

It's a Charley horse. The only thing you can do is to eat a lot of potassium ex. bananas.



Why potassium? It's because one of the functions of potassium is muscle contraction.

Answer 8

calf muscles tighten up due to excessive excercise,giving up excercises midway or maybe due to wrong posture of sleep. try and jog a little everyday,sleep with your knees bent a little bit and try a hot oil massage before you go to bed.

Answer 9

This just happened to my foot this morning. I had a doctor friend recommend taking an antacid tablet because they contain calcium and magnesium, which stop cramping. Also talk with your doctor to be safe.

Answer 10

I have had the same thing happen to me if you bend your foot up to your leg it will help or you need to bananas