Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps: Difference between revisions

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== Introduction ==
== Introduction ==
The specific cramping that happens during exercise is called Exercise-Associated muscle cramps (EAMC). It is defined as a syndrome of involuntary painful skeletal muscle spasms that happens during or immediately after a workout.<ref name=":0">Schwellnus MP, Drew N, Collins M. [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278591907000907 Muscle cramping in athletes—risk factors, clinical assessment, and management]. Clinics in sports medicine. 2008 Jan 1;27(1):183-94.</ref> During cramping, Skeletal or voluntary muscle contracts strongly and unable to relax resulting in EAMS. It occurs as localised muscle cramping that happens spasmodically in various exercising muscle groups, usually the calf, hamstring or quadriceps muscles. The calf muscles are the foremost commonly affected.<ref name=":0" /> The pain and disability that results usually limits affected limbs movement, though the condition normally resolves without intervention. Resolution can take from a couple of seconds to minutes, but the afflicted part is non-functional during this time and perhaps for some time afterwards.<ref name=":1">Qiu J, Kang J. [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jie_Kang4/publication/314859171_Exercise_Associated_Muscle_Cramps_-A_Current_Perspective/links/58c69e42aca272e36dde6998/Exercise-Associated-Muscle-Cramps-A-Current-Perspective.pdf Exercise associated muscle cramps—a current perspective]. Arch Sports Med. 2017;1(1):3-14.</ref>
The specific cramping that happens during exercise is called Exercise-Associated muscle cramps (EAMC). It is defined as a syndrome of involuntary painful skeletal muscle spasms that happens during or immediately after a workout.<ref>Miller KC. [https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-27805-2_6 Exercise-associated muscle cramps]. InExertional Heat Illness 2020 (pp. 117-136). Springer, Cham.</ref> During cramping, Skeletal or voluntary muscle contracts strongly and unable to relax resulting in EAMS. It occurs as localised muscle cramping that happens spasmodically in various exercising muscle groups, usually the calf, hamstring or quadriceps muscles. The calf muscles are the foremost commonly affected.<ref name=":0">Schwellnus MP, Drew N, Collins M. [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278591907000907 Muscle cramping in athletes—risk factors, clinical assessment, and management]. Clinics in sports medicine. 2008 Jan 1;27(1):183-94.</ref> The pain and disability that results usually limits affected limbs movement, though the condition normally resolves without intervention. Resolution can take from a couple of seconds to minutes, but the afflicted part is non-functional during this time and perhaps for some time afterwards.<ref name=":1">Qiu J, Kang J. [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jie_Kang4/publication/314859171_Exercise_Associated_Muscle_Cramps_-A_Current_Perspective/links/58c69e42aca272e36dde6998/Exercise-Associated-Muscle-Cramps-A-Current-Perspective.pdf Exercise associated muscle cramps—a current perspective]. Arch Sports Med. 2017;1(1):3-14.</ref>


Exercise-associated muscle cramping (EAMC) is a very common condition that needs medical attention during sporting events. The incidence of EAMCs increases with higher frequency, intensity and duration of the exercise, and are especially prevalent among athletes who participate in long-distance endurance events, like triathlon and marathon or ultra-marathon distance running, and it is also seen in many other sports, including basketball, the varied football codes, tennis, cricket and cycling, etc.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Troyer W, Render A, Jayanthi N. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12178-020-09662-8 Exercise-associated muscle cramps in the tennis player]. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2020 Jul 27:1-0.</ref> The prevalence of EAMC has been documented for triathletes (67%) runners <ref>Schwellnus MP. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200737040-00023 Muscle cramping in the marathon]. Sports Medicine. 2007 Apr 1;37(4-5):364-7.</ref>(roughly around 30% to 50%), rugby players (52%) and cyclists (60%)<ref>Maughan RJ, Shirreffs SM. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-019-01162-1 Muscle cramping during exercise: causes, solutions, and questions remaining]. Sports Medicine. 2019 Nov 6:1-0.</ref><ref>Maquirriain J, Merello M. [https://journals.lww.com/jaaos/fulltext/2007/07000/the_athlete_with_muscular_cramps__clinical.7.aspx The athlete with muscular cramps: clinical approach]. JAAOS-Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2007 Jul 1;15(7):425-31.</ref> Despite the high prevalence of EAMC, its risk factors, pathophysiology, management and prevention aren't completely understood.<ref name=":0" />
Exercise-associated muscle cramping (EAMC) is a very common condition that needs medical attention during sporting events. The incidence of EAMCs increases with higher frequency, intensity and duration of the exercise, and are especially prevalent among athletes who participate in long-distance endurance events, like triathlon and marathon or ultra-marathon distance running, and it is also seen in many other sports, including basketball, the varied football codes, tennis, cricket and cycling, etc.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Troyer W, Render A, Jayanthi N. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12178-020-09662-8 Exercise-associated muscle cramps in the tennis player]. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2020 Jul 27:1-0.</ref> The prevalence of EAMC has been documented for triathletes (67%) runners <ref>Schwellnus MP. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200737040-00023 Muscle cramping in the marathon]. Sports Medicine. 2007 Apr 1;37(4-5):364-7.</ref>(roughly around 30% to 50%), rugby players (52%) and cyclists (60%)<ref>Maughan RJ, Shirreffs SM. [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-019-01162-1 Muscle cramping during exercise: causes, solutions, and questions remaining]. Sports Medicine. 2019 Nov 6:1-0.</ref><ref>Maquirriain J, Merello M. [https://journals.lww.com/jaaos/fulltext/2007/07000/the_athlete_with_muscular_cramps__clinical.7.aspx The athlete with muscular cramps: clinical approach]. JAAOS-Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2007 Jul 1;15(7):425-31.</ref> Despite the high prevalence of EAMC, its risk factors, pathophysiology, management and prevention aren't completely understood.<ref name=":0" />

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Introduction[edit | edit source]

The specific cramping that happens during exercise is called Exercise-Associated muscle cramps (EAMC). It is defined as a syndrome of involuntary painful skeletal muscle spasms that happens during or immediately after a workout.[1] During cramping, Skeletal or voluntary muscle contracts strongly and unable to relax resulting in EAMS. It occurs as localised muscle cramping that happens spasmodically in various exercising muscle groups, usually the calf, hamstring or quadriceps muscles. The calf muscles are the foremost commonly affected.[2] The pain and disability that results usually limits affected limbs movement, though the condition normally resolves without intervention. Resolution can take from a couple of seconds to minutes, but the afflicted part is non-functional during this time and perhaps for some time afterwards.[3]

Exercise-associated muscle cramping (EAMC) is a very common condition that needs medical attention during sporting events. The incidence of EAMCs increases with higher frequency, intensity and duration of the exercise, and are especially prevalent among athletes who participate in long-distance endurance events, like triathlon and marathon or ultra-marathon distance running, and it is also seen in many other sports, including basketball, the varied football codes, tennis, cricket and cycling, etc.[2][4] The prevalence of EAMC has been documented for triathletes (67%) runners [5](roughly around 30% to 50%), rugby players (52%) and cyclists (60%)[6][7] Despite the high prevalence of EAMC, its risk factors, pathophysiology, management and prevention aren't completely understood.[2]

Risk Factors[edit | edit source]

The risk factors related to EAMC in endurance athletes include high-intensity running, long-distance running (> 30 km), subjective muscle fatigue, all of which are intense and exhaustive physical efforts. Other risk factors found were older age, a longer history of running, higher body mass index (BMI), shorter daily stretching time, irregular stretching habits, and a positive family history of cramping.[3][8]

Causes[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Miller KC. Exercise-associated muscle cramps. InExertional Heat Illness 2020 (pp. 117-136). Springer, Cham.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Schwellnus MP, Drew N, Collins M. Muscle cramping in athletes—risk factors, clinical assessment, and management. Clinics in sports medicine. 2008 Jan 1;27(1):183-94.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Qiu J, Kang J. Exercise associated muscle cramps—a current perspective. Arch Sports Med. 2017;1(1):3-14.
  4. ↑ Troyer W, Render A, Jayanthi N. Exercise-associated muscle cramps in the tennis player. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2020 Jul 27:1-0.
  5. ↑ Schwellnus MP. Muscle cramping in the marathon. Sports Medicine. 2007 Apr 1;37(4-5):364-7.
  6. ↑ Maughan RJ, Shirreffs SM. Muscle cramping during exercise: causes, solutions, and questions remaining. Sports Medicine. 2019 Nov 6:1-0.
  7. ↑ Maquirriain J, Merello M. The athlete with muscular cramps: clinical approach. JAAOS-Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2007 Jul 1;15(7):425-31.
  8. ↑ Schwellnus M, Collins M, Drew N. Risk factors associated with exercise associated muscle cramping (EAMC)–a prospective cohort study in ironman triathletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2011 Apr 1;45(4):316-.
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