The Facts About Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless Legs Syndrome or RLS is a very poorly understood disorder and it is often misdiagnosed. It is believed to be neurological in origin. It is a common cause of pain in the legs or abnormal sensations and the sensations can range in severity from a feeling of uncomfortable to irritating or painful.

It is generally characterized by the unpleasant sensations in the legs, with an uncontrollable urge to move the legs for relief. Most patients with RLS may also suffer from sleep disturbances with periodic movements of the legs, either during sleep or while they are awake. It can make you feel like you must get up and move around and when you do get up and move around, the unpleasant feeling seems to go away.

The most distinctive aspect of the condition seems to be that when lying down and trying to relax, the symptoms are activated. Patients with RLS often use words such as tingling sensations, burning sensations or a creeping and crawling to describe how they are feeling.

When they move their legs, it seems to ease the feelings, but only for a short time. The same unpleasant feelings can occur in the arms too. Restless leg syndrome normally begins very slowly, but over time, the legs will become more affected and although less frequently, it can affect the arms.

Restless legs syndrome does occur in both sexes, although the women may be more at risk. It can affect members of the same family and it may even be an inherited condition. Symptoms usually get gradually worse over time and can become severe enough to be disabling. The symptoms seem to be more severe during the evening and night and much less severe during the morning.

What are the most common symptoms in restless leg syndrome?

There is a desire to move the legs, along with both unusual and uncomfortable sensations within the legs. The restless movements are actually a response to try and relieve the discomfort. The symptoms are progressively worse at rest or during inactivity and can be temporarily improved by moving the limbs.

Restless Leg Syndrome is a condition that is present for life and it can get even worse over time. There are other medical conditions that are similar to restless leg syndrome, such as: diseases of the muscles, conditions involving the joints, nerve disorders and circulation problems. Some of the available treatments can help to reduce the symptoms and improve function.

The common causes and risk factors of Restless Leg Syndrome include the following: family history of RLS, smoking, an iron deficiency, any type of chronic disease, stress, fatigue and anti-nausea or anti-seizure drugs.

The common symptoms include: problems sleeping, unpleasant feelings in the legs and twitching of the legs during the night.

The common treatment consists of: pain relievers to help with the mild to severe symptoms. Patients with severe varicose veins in their legs may receive some benefit from wearing support hose, getting some daily exercise to help your mobility.

You may also find some benefit from physical therapy. This might involve some stretching exercises. You might also consider the use of Jacuzzi baths, alternating hot or cold packs, massage of your limbs or the use of vibratory or electrical stimulation to your feet and toes before going to bed.

If you smoke, consume caffeine or alcohol, you might try to decrease the amounts of each to provide some relief.

Mickey Lieberman uses his diverse medical background and experience to research helpful health information on numerous diseases and illnesses and provides useful resources for over 100 different medical conditions. For further information, Go to http://www.helpful-health.com/diseases/restless-leg.html.

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Vitamin B12 and Nocturnal Leg Cramps

Can vitamin B12 help nighttime leg cramps in the elderly? Some research in Taiwan suggests that a combination of vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and riboflavin does.

Scientists at the Tapei Medical College recruited 28 elderly patients who had nocturnal leg cramps that sometimes interfered with their sleep. Giving them a vitamin B supplement providing 250 micrograms of B12, 30 mg of B6, 5 mg of riboflavin, and 50 mg of thiamine) for three months, the doctors found that 86 per cent of their patients who took vitamin B enjoyed complete remission for noctural leg cramping. In their view, safe and effective vitamin B should be the treatment of choice for nighttime leg pain in older people.

One thing you need to know about this combination is that the doses of these particular vitamins are higher than you'd find in a "complete B," "B-50," or "B-100" supplement, so you'd need four separate vitamin B supplements, B6, B12, riboflavin, and thiamine, to get the right amount. Your natural health products store should be able to help you find the right dosage, but be sure to check against the label to get enough vitamin B (and don't buy less just because the clerk wants to sell it to you).

It's also important to remember that leg cramps can have many causes. It's always a good idea to get regular checkups at your doctor's office. If you have daytime leg cramps, if your leg cramps started when you started a new blood pressure medicine, or if you have pain when you walk, be sure to see your physician to make sure you do not have a more serious condition.

Robert Rister is the author or co-author of nine books and over 2,000 articles on natural health including Making Mattress Magnets More Effective.

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Chronic Leg Pain Problem Solution

Cause of chronic leg pain.

Your freedom of movement, in this case the use of your legs to move around is a critical part of the joy of life. However, as you read this, there are thousands of people missing out on the joy of life, unable to use their legs for movement due to the often excrutiating leg pain of intermittent claudication. That condition is caused by a decrease in blood supply to the legs, and therefore a reduction in oxygen to your lower extremities, and that is what triggers or causes the leg muscle pain.

Of course the more you walk, the more oxygen is required by your legs, therefore the greater the discomfort you experience. This disorder if left unattended can easily lead to gangrene.

Conventional medicine has zilch or almost nothing to offer, and the best medicational attempt is use of a drug Pentoxifylline, which not surprisingly carries undesirable side effects that are worse than the burning leg pain, such as extreme diziness and vomiting. Because the drug is useless, hardly providing any leg pain relief, and for lack of nothing better, most people reluctantly go for the ordeal of surgery, unaware that there is an effective natural solution.

Leg pain problem solution.

From the realm of nature by way of ayurvedic medicine, there is indeed a natural and clinically proven effective solution to chronic leg pain and without any bad side-effects. It is a powerful herbal mixture of at least nineteen different herbs, from the mountains of Tibet, that directly stops intermittent claudication.

In 1985, in a remarkable double-blind clinical study, all intermittent claudication patients administered the herbal mixture, were found to have a full 100% increase in the distance they could walk pain-free, and all patients reported no side effects whatsoever. Since then a series of clinical tests in Japan, Switzerland, Sweden and Britain have confirmed those exact excellent results as repeatable.

You have not heard of this natural solution before, because it cannot be patented, meaning no profits in it, therefore every effort is made to keep you out of the loop of knowledge of the relevant facts

You should be aware that it takes at least three months at the minimum to achieve the full health benefits of this herbal mixture, and it is in TABLET form for your convenience. The clinically recommended dosage comes with the product, of course, and decreases after the first four weeks.

Padma promotes health circulation.

Padma is a highly researched alternative health supplement, consisting of 18 herbs, no joke. In the Tibetan tradition, health and wellness maintain your body's equilibrium. Circumstances such as deficient diet, lifestyle, stress and seasonal conditions can disturb that balance. The carefully chosen herbs in Padma support the body's natural function to maintain good health and balance.

This is an all natural and safe and effective Tibetan herbal formular that has been in active use for centuries, and counting. Clinical studies now confirm the health supportive benefits of this particular formula, along with proper diet and exercise to gently restore your health balance. It supports the immune system and the ingredients are notably rich in antioxidants and go the extra mile, as it were, to promote health circulation in your legs naturally.

Alice Springs with backgrounds in nutrition and health, blogs about the amazing natural health therapies and the safe natural clinical answers that big pharma does not want you to know. Relevant links deleted by author available at: http://www.healthbodyhuman.com/chronic-leg-pain-problem-solution

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Building Leg Muscle - Workouts To Tone Up Your Legs

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* BARBEL LUNGES

Your first exercise to be done with a generous amount of weight so that 10 reps gets you a tad winded. This is one exercise which will be done with lower reps, 3-4 sets of 15. Don't forget to do this PER LEG. Watch to ensure the back foot stays properly inline and your hips are not flaring outwards. Also make sure your lead leg knee does not wobble in. Take your time until you can do them fluidly.

* ONE LEG HACK SQUATS

A very intense exercise so you need to watch your form for safety and effectiveness. The mid of your knee should line up with the outside of your foot. Try not to let your hips get into too much momentum, just lighten the weight. 3x25 per leg with very light weight is your goal here. Pull your belly button into your lower back during this exercise.

* CABLE INNER THIGH PULLS

To help tighten that flabby inner thigh area which most women complain about. 4 sets of 25 per leg at a moderate weight is your target. Keep the movements slow and controlled without too much momentum from your hips. Pull your belly button into your lower back as I always preach…….and you are set.

Your last exercise is also an anaerobic activity which helps with fat burning. I save this for last because it will make your legs feel like noodles yet firm them up. You want to focus on form, then speed, then height. The bonus here is you also get to firm up your tush with this exercise. Start off with 10, rest for 30 seconds and then do 20. Rest for a minute and do 20 more. Now stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes. For week 3 and 4 on this program I would add one more set of 10.

Try this out 1-2 times per week for a month as your leg workout to supplement your training or use this 3 times per week to focus on leg tightening results to be slightly more drastic.

Article courtesy of Jason Thomas. Discover How You Can Build Muscle With Immediate Effective Results Using Proven Simple Steps, Go to: http://omni-innotech.com/BuildMuscle.html

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The Top 10 Leg Exercises

Working on your legs can improve your stamina, shape and overall fitness. If you don’t work on your lower body as well - you won’t see the kind of ‘whole body’ benefits that you CAN achieve and the body shape and won’t be in proportion. Great leg and butt exercises are a must. Here are my current top 10 leg exercises:

1. Step Calf Raises

This exercise is great for toning the calf muscles - you’ll need a step and some dumbbells. Stand on the step and position your feet so that the heels are slightly off the edge. Hold the dumbbells to the side and push up on to your toes.

2. Lunges

Stand holding dumbbells at your sides with your feet about a hip width apart. Step forward with one foot - when the foot hits the floor bend it and lean forward so that your other leg bends towards the floor.

3. One Legged Squats

Stand sideways next to a wall and place the palm of your hand on the wall just under the level of your shoulder. Extend your arm and position your body so you feel comfortable - you’ll use the wall for balance and support. Make sure that the foot that isn’t next to the wall is at a 45 degree angle and bend the leg nearest the wall back. Keep upright and lower your body until the knee that isn’t bearing your weight is close to the floor then push back up again.

4. Hamstring Bridges

Lie down flat on your back. Keep one foot on the ground and lift the other one up and hold it there. By using your hamstrings in your leg you can lift your body and then lower it back down again.

5. Squats

Using either dumbbells or a barbell, stand with your feet a shoulder width apart and lower yourself down until your knees are fully bent at a 45 degree angle and you are squatting. Push up until you are upright again.

6. Dumbbell Step Ups

Take your dumbbells and use one leg to step up on the step. Then step up with the other leg and step down again.

7. Dumbbell Plie

Squat down with your legs around a shoulder width apart. Hold your dumbbells in front of you with the palms of your hands facing inwards. Move into a standing position whilst opening your arms in a T position.

8. Leg Presses

Sit on a leg press machine - your feet should be around a shoulder width apart. Without altering the position of your hips bend the knees to a 45 degree angle while lowering the weight, then push it back up, extending and straightening the legs.

9. One Legged Press with Exercise Ball

Sit on your exercise ball and walk/roll forward until your knees are bent. Straighten out one leg, keeping the other one bent. Use the heel of the bent leg to push up on the exercise ball and push down on the heel of the extended leg as it drags in the movement.

10. Leg Circles with Exercise Band

Lie flat on the ground with one knee bent and the foot placed flat on the floor. Then extend the other leg straight up toward the ceiling. The band should be wrapped round the foot that is pointing upwards. You need to hold both ends of the band in the hand on the side of the leg that points up - keeping your leg straight, start to make circles with your leg at the hip in a counter-clockwise direction. Reverse and switch legs.

If you are unsure about the best leg exercises for your exact fitness level then an online personal trainer or a personal trainer at your local gym will be able to give you the best advice.

About The Author: Celebrity Personal Trainer in NYC Terri Walsh has been training clients for 25 years. She is the author of DIVA, The Fitness System To Unleash Your Female Power (Berkley) and owns and operates a successful online personal training practice as well her private gym TW Personal Training NYC .

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Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine for Muscle Cramp

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Aromatherapy

Ease your aching, cramping muscles with a delightfully soothing rosemary lavender massage. To prepare the blend, combine 3 drops each of German chamomile, rosemary, and ginger; 8 drops of lavender; and a If ounce of almond or avocado oil. Massage the oil into the affected muscles after a relaxing, warm bath. For a different blend, try Roman chamomile, bay, peppermint, and safflower oils. Other beneficial oils include marjoram and clary sage.

Ayurvedic Medicine

In Ayurveda, muscle cramping and spasms are caused by excess vata, which is increased by cold, too much exercise, or poor blood circulation. An Ayurvedic practitioner may suggest massaging the affected muscle with oil of shatavari to relax the muscle fibers. He also may encourage you to soak your feet in hot mustard tea.

Bodywork and Somatic Pradices

Acupressure and shiatsu are excellent modalities to address cramps.

Chiropradic

Specific chiropractic adjustment (SCA) can be especially helpful in decreasing muscle cramps through active stimulation of the nerves supplying the muscles. Electro muscle stimulation and either moist heat or cold applications can decrease muscle cramps. (Moist heat application is typically used for chronic cramping; cold application, such as ice, is typically used for acute episodes.) The chiropractor may also perform or prescribe cross friction. A nutritional consult should be obtained in cases of chronic cramping. For example, patients Who perience chronic charley horses (cramping of the calf muscles) may be deficient in electrolytes.

Hydrotherapy

Try one or more of the following treatments:

Apply hot or cold packs to the affected muscle for 20 minutes several times daily, until symptoms subside. Some people prefer the hot moist heat; others do best with cool compresses.

Take a hot bath-either immersion or sitz-for 20 to 60 minutes as needed.

Use alternating hot and cold compresses twice daily. Apply a hot compress for 3 minutes; replace it with a cold compress for 30 seconds. Repeat the sequence twice. You can add vinegar to the hot pack if desired.

Take a relaxing hot shower

Try a neutral (body temperature) bath

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture Acupuncture can be used to relax the muscle and improve the circulation of blood to the affected area. Different acupuncture points and meridians are accessed, depending on the specific musde(s) that need(s) to be treated.

Acupressure Acupressure can be extremely helpful in relieving muscle cramps and spasms. The practitioner usually applies pressure directly to the affected area, and also massages relate acupressure points to increase the flow of blood to the area and balance the person's chi.

Chinese Herbal Therapy Muscle cramps may be treated with a decoction of corydalis (4 to 10 grams daily). Muscle soreness can be alleviated with Zheng Gu Shui, an externallinimeot designed to relieve pain and relax muscles.

Yoga and Meditation

Gentle, regular stretching using yoga poses can help ward off cramps, especially in the hamstring and calf muscles. Try the following poses: Head to Knee, Hero, Posterior Stretch, Spinal Twist, and Standing Angle.

Read out for First aid. Check out breastfeeding tops and constipation treatment

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Finally, Treatment For Restless Leg Syndrome

What is Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)? RLS is a creepy crawly sensation in your legs that creates and irresistible urge to move them and can almost drive you crazy. As bad as this feels, the less talked about sister disorder, Periodic Limb Movements (PLM's) can be even worse.

Periodic Limb Movement's are an extension of Restless Leg Syndrome that occur after you fall asleep. The are sudden jerky limb movements that prevent you from falling into your deep restorative sleep. This can cause all kinds of adverse side effects such as stress, weight gain, and daytime sleepiness.

I hope you can see why you really need treatment for restless leg syndrome.

What are some of the various treatments for Restless Leg Syndrome?

The number and style of treatments for Restless Leg Syndrome are as varied as the number and style of people inflicted with this terrible disorder.

There are many medications that prescribed to treat RLS. Two of the more popular ones are Requip and Mirapex. I have also heard of people having success with clenazopam and cinemet.

Before considering medications though, many people are successful using sleep hygiene methods. They consume little to no caffeine, eat a balanced diet and exercise in the morning (not before bed which can compound the problem). Many even do stress relieving activities such as yoga.

Once again, everybody is different but improving your sleep hygiene is a good idea before trying medication.

Another preliminary strategy is to have your iron levels checked as some people have had success in treating their Restless Leg Syndrome by regulating their iron levels.

There are also many herb and vitamin 'cocktails' on the market that some people swear by and some people swear do not work.

Once again, the treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome is very individual and takes alot of trial and error to find the right solution.

It is important however to not give up. Restless Leg Syndrome can steal your life both in the daytime and at night.

You can find out much more about how to treat your Restless Leg Syndrome by visiting: http://www.squidoo.com/treatment-for-restless-leg-syndrome

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Leg Sweeps - Adding Hands Back Into the Martial Equation

Do you do a lot of kicking? Martial-arts leg sweeps, too?

When you focus on footwork, like the sweep, make sure you add the hands back into the equation.

A lot of martial artists separate their leg practice from their hand techniques.

Sometimes, the sweeps are accompanied by arm grabs. The arm grabbing is for judo practice. They are helping the leg sweep by unbalancing the opponent.

In a real situation, make sure your hands perform 'both' independently and in conjunction with your feet....

Possible Use of Hands with Leg Sweeps

* Push your opponent as you sweep the ankles

* Instead of a push, you could strike across the chest.

* Nose control as a take down -- sweep just assists (See "Wrist Locks: From Protecting Yourself to Becoming an Expert")Even the weakest of sweeps -- I mean an almost ineffective one -- will still drop your opponent on his or her head.

(Note: If you do know this control, please be careful. Your partner will drop faster than you can believe. I don't want any accidentally split open heads.)

Striking across the chest as you leg sweep and the nose control used with a sweep are examples of the hands and the sweep helping each other.

Don't forget to consider your hands as independent weapons, as well.

Let your hands do what they do.

Defend yourself as you normally would "up top." When the opportunity occurs, leg sweep. Don't stop what you are doing with your hands ... let the leg sweep happen by itself, when "it" wants to.

It's amazing when your hands can work independently, and you also allow your hands and your feet work together. They switch back and forth without thought.

Use the sweep as a tool. It doesn't need to be the backbone of your technique. Use it as an enhancement.

If you are in a close range for a tight sweep, you'll probably be close enough for elbow strikes and counters. This is a very close range....

Download my new, Free ebooklet, "Elbow Strike Counters": Free-- Learn a better Elbow Strike and a Practical Counter

Read an article about kicking speed:

Develop Speed Kicking.

Here's a site about punching harder and faster ...) Punch Harder and Faster

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Running & Muscle Cramps - The Nutrition Factor

Everyone you talk to seems to have a theory about muscle cramps and running cramps in particular - eat bananas, eat oranges, take more salt, eat less salt. For some this may work, for most it doesn't.

Healthy Diet

All of our experts agree that it is beyond dispute that if you have an unhealthy diet it will contribute towards muscle cramps and they will explain in more detail how important proper nutrition is in the long term prevention and treatment of cramps.

Prevention in terms of nutrition comes down to consuming a mostly Fresh Food Diet that is high in minerals and avoiding ‘Empty’ foods that are high in sugar, low in minerals and introduce toxins and antibiotics into our systems.

Fast food of any type, fried food, processed or refined carbohydrates (such as cakes, biscuits and most types of bread), alcohol and excessive amounts of caffeine are all examples.

In terms of cramping, eating the wrong food does the following:

1) Reduces our muscles’ energy reserves and makes cramping more likely

2) Deprives the muscles of minerals required to relax and contract the muscles – particularly Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous and Potassium

3) Introduces toxins (preservatives, food colouring and flavour enhancers) that have a stimulatory effect on the muscles and tend to inhibit the relaxation response.

Kinesiologist and Osteopath, David Wells explains it this way:
“When you eat ‘fast’ or ‘junk’ food you are depriving your body of the right fuel but also increasing overall toxicity with flavour enhancers and preservatives which are stimulatory to the brain and therefore tend to produce increased muscle tone (i.e. switching on the muscle contraction), making it more likely that you will cramp.”

“All of these toxins have to pass out through the liver for detoxification and therefore reduce your energy output because the liver burns up your energy reserves trying to detoxify you. This results in you feeling tired and with less energy for your muscles to work."

Sports nutritionist Richard Renton agrees, "Being an athletic trainer and having worked with teams for a long time, after starting with a new team I could tell you after 2 weeks who’s going to get cramps & who’s not - poor diet or a good diet, their habits, whether they sweat profusely, whether they take care of themselves or not, you can tell. If they're drinking a litre of fizzy pop before they work out, and if that’s their only method of drinking water, that’s going to create a lot of problems.”

So a good diet with plenty of fresh food is something everyone who suffers regular cramps should take notice of. Gone are the days, particularly as we get older when you can eat anything you like because you're able to burn off the calories.

Athletes who used to try this suffered worse problems than cramps. Many elite endurance athletes of the 90's frequently suffered 'mystery viruses'. In actual fact these were regular illnesses which we all suffer, but because these athletes had such depleted immune systems they were more susceptible to regular attack.

If you're not eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and suffering cramps, you're getting the early warning signs of worse things to come, so "clean up your act".

Copyright: www.Running-Cramp-Relief.com

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author. His Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide is one of the internet's leading health information books and is the definitive guide to preventing, treating and curing cramps associated with exercise. In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide Newland speaks with 6 health, sports, nutrition, medical and complimentary health care professionals and explains why you get cramps, the best ways to treat them and how to prevent them from happening again.

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How To Treat & Prevent Cramps

You are feeling motivated and energetic so you decide to put on your gym gear (you know the ones) and jump in your car, then drive to your local gym. When you get there you scan in with and talk to reception maybe even walk up the stairs or do a warm up what ever it is you usually do. Next thing you know you’re on the x-trainer or running on the treadmill with the sweat beginning to drip and you begin to feel an excruciating tight pain in your calf which forces you to stop. Now I am sure most have you have experienced something similar before as I know I have and I would love to know everything possible to avoid this again in the future, right.

What causes cramps? They say some of the causes are abnormal or salt (sodium levels) potassium, magnesium or calcium levels in the blood due to sweating, dehydration from inadequate fluid intake and heat stress or cold stress. Whether it is some of the above, all of the above or none of the above we can agree that the end result of a cramp is still the same with the same outcome or process as explained below. Remember cramps happen in muscles that have a reduced blood supply.

So what exactly is a cramp? We’ve heard all types of things and rumors but what is it really? Well within the muscle there are muscle spindles which are stretch receptors that increase muscle contraction and there are also things known as Golgi tendons which are tension receptors that decrease muscle contraction when tension is high. When the muscle is fatigued muscle spindles make muscle contraction more forceful and Golgi tendon activity drops and stops protecting the muscle from over contraction. The muscle then becomes over-stimulated causing erratic involuntary contraction causing a cramp.

Some of you may now be wondering; well that’s great Jas but how do I fix it?

Well I’m guessing you have heard the saying that prevention is better than the cure so let’s start there. Some prevention methods in which you may choose to use are some obvious and not so obvious.

Be fit - Cramps can be less common in athletes.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Eat well with low fat - promotes blood flow within the arteries.
Stretch before and after exercise.
If you suffer from night cramps stretch before bed.
Avoid wearing tight clothing that restricts blood circulation.

If after all the possible necessary prevention strategies have been implemented you still experience a cramp you may simply chose to use one of the following methods to treat your cramp. Being a person that experiences cramps quite regularly I have found the following two techniques to be the most effective immediate treatments.

Stretch the cramped muscle as this increases the tension in the muscle, which in turn stimulates the Golgi tendons to increase their activity, and that signals the muscle spindles to decrease muscle contraction. Remember to stretch a muscle effectively you want to increase the distance between the insertion and origin (the two ends) of the muscle.

Massage the muscle as this may increase blood flow to the area therefore relieving the pain.
Note:

Consuming salt for cramps may lead to increased dehydration and cramps.

Water contains no calories so although it may reduce the risk of dehydration and cramps your body requires sodium chloride and other nutrients to fully re-hydrate so water may not be sufficient to fully re-hydrate, use healthy, clean food or another healthy drink with nutrients, calories and maybe even electrolytes and live a life without cramps now.

I hope you have gained some new insights to the maintenance of your muscle health and after you read this you have clicked on about the prevention and treatment of cramps.

Jason Grossman is a Co-founder of the fresh and ever expanding Company 'Absolute Passion' teaching people principles and skills in Business, Finances and Personal Management.http://www.absolutepassiononline.com Jason Grossman is also a Co-founder of the rapidly growing Health & Wellness Company ‘MaxSynergy™’ providing and offering various Health & Fitness products and services to exponentially improve the quality of your life now. http://www.maxsynergy.com.au Jason is a highly qualified, recognized professional in the Health & Wellness industry. For 8 years Jason has helped thousands of people improve the quality of their lives by using effective strategies and techniques specifically designed to easily meet your needs. Jason is also a professional motivational public speaker giving presentations on everything from personal Development, Health, NLP, business, marketing, sales and much more. If you have any questions just click reply and feel free to ask anytime. I will be sharing more in depth info in the upcoming seminars for more information for those who would like to simply learn more just see the attachment or click on the link below to visit our website.

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Hydrating Properly to Prevent Cramps

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There are 2 factors that determine how well you are able to get fluid to where it’s needed during a race – Gastric Emptying (how quickly the fluid leaves the stomach) and Intestinal Absorption (how well the small intestine is able to absorb fluid).

Studies have shown that a larger volume of fluid in the stomach as well as the presence of carbohydrate and electrolytes improves the uptake of fluid.

In regard to carbohydrate concentration, the optimal amount is around 2.5g per litre of water (about 4-5% glucose). Higher concentrations tend to slow the process down, however for endurance athletes the benefits of higher energy replacement may be more preferable.

Interestingly, fructose (sugar from fruits) tends to absorb more slowly and may slow down the uptake of water.

If you can calculate your rate of loss of fluid per hour then you can easily assess your fluid requirements. To do this you should try to simulate your race conditions when you exercise and weigh yourself before and immediately after you complete your training – and with no clothes as they tend to absorb sweat.

Knowing exactly how much fluid you’re going to need will help you understand your body more and improve your overall performance

The problem then comes down to organising your equipment and the race plan so you can get the fluid you need. A lot of runners are using running belts with small 100ml bottles – however while this may be OK for training or cross-country or ultra distance events, it can hamper you during a race over a shorter distance.

For this you will have to weight up a risk versus gain strategy and take the time to get the fluid you need. A ‘slow down’ in a couple of sections to take on more fluid and electrolytes may pay big dividends in terms of completing the race at your best as opposed to slowing down with running cramps.

Note: Thirst is not a good indicator of your level of hydration – by the time you a thirsty your body is signalling a state of dehydration and if you are in a prolonged event, chances are you will not be able to get back ‘in front’ of your hydration levels. Your chances of suffering a muscle cramp and fatigue will increase.

As an example, I would call myself a recreational runner who occasionally competes in half and full marathons a couple of times per year. When I do this I get much better results when I plan a hydration/carbohydrate strategy.

I know I need about 900 ml per hour and a 4% glucose solution (with natural saccharides as well as protein) sports drink with plenty of electrolytes gives me enough sustained energy to maintain an 80% pace for the whole race.

Overall, I would always recommend a well formulated carbohydrate/electrolyte drink that will increase hydration and reduce the likelihood of leg cramps and muscle cramps caused by exercising over a continuous period in a hot, humid environment.

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author. His Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide is one of the internet's leading health information books and is the definitive guide to preventing, treating and curing cramps associated with exercise. In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide Newland speaks with 6 health, sports, nutrition, medical and complimentary health care professionals and explains why you get cramps, the best ways to treat them and how to prevent them from happening again.

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Leg Cramp Training - Coaching Yourself to be Cramp Free

Conditioning and strength does play a very important role in the onset of cramps. It’s thought that a muscle that’s not properly conditioned will have an earlier onset of fatigue and this may lead to increased nervous stimulation and cramping.

Typically physical trainers for ball teams know that in the pre-season games and particularly the games played in hotter conditions and over extended periods (especially in the case of extra-time) will result in a ‘deluge’ of cramps.

In fact, as athletes and coaches well know, delaying the onset of cramps or preventing them can make the difference between winning and losing or getting a top three finish.

And that’s where physical conditioning along with the techniques of nutrition, adequate energy reserves, hydration, stretching and massage all come into play.

Understand your body, look after it and then work on your weak spots – those calves or quadriceps or hamstrings that are cramping. Get a Plan!

Here’s how you begin:
• Train to a Plan – Initially you can do this by starting a regular and committed training program. Plan your training sessions, plan your meals, take time to stretch and massage. Develop a better and regular means of delivering water and electrolytes to your body. Begin a supplement program if you can’t get enough of the right fresh foods to support your activities.

• 10% Per Week - don’t increase your exercise by more than 10% from week to week as this can induce cramping.

• Hit The Gym - The main benefits of working out lie in the prevention of injury, strengthening and conditioning of the muscles and in rehabilitation following an injury.

• Train Specifically – The best training routine will more closely resemble the body posture and muscle mechanics you have as you are running. You can find exercises in the gym that resemble what you do when you run or perform your chosen sport.

This last point leads us to the next stage of your training plan. You need to understand that training a particular muscle to be more powerful won’t make that muscle more powerful in competition, unless the precise movement patterns used in training are very close to those used in competition – and for that reason you must start to focus on exercises and training plans that resemble your focus sport.

In the case of running, for example, most of the leg exercises you find in the gym get the muscle moving in the vertical direction. But to build up your running performance, you need to simulate moving horizontally. The same is true of other sporting disciplines.

I’ll talk about this in more detail in another article, however the place to start is to take an outside look at your training program regularly and start creating routines that get the muscles into action.

Copyright www.Running-Cramp-Relief.com

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author. His Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide is one of the internet's leading health information books and is the definitive guide to preventing, treating and curing cramps associated with exercise. In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide Newland speaks with 6 health, sports, nutrition, medical and complimentary health care professionals and explains why you get cramps, the best ways to treat them and how to prevent them from happening again.

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What Causes Restless Leg Syndrome?

Restless legs syndrome or shortly RLS, is a health condition in which legs feel very uncomfortable while sitting or lying down, especially at night. Usually it makes one feel like getting up and moving around. When doing so, the unpleasant feeling of restless legs syndrome might go away, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Restless leg syndrome affects both, men and women and can begin when you're young or as you get older. Restless legs syndrome can disrupt sleep thus leading to daytime drowsiness.

So, what causes restless leg syndrome?

Nobody actually knows the real cause for restless leg syndrome. Some research has been done and the researchers suspect it might be due to an imbalance of the brain chemical called dopamine. Dopamine sends messages to control muscle movement.

It has also been noticed that restless leg syndrome runs in families and that stress tends to make things even worse. If there is any changes in hormonal balance, that may worsen restless leg syndrome symptoms. Also, some women experience restless leg syndrome during their pregnancy and it disappears soon after the delivery.

However, restless leg syndrome is not related to some serious medical problems, but sometimes it accompanies other conditions and some of them are peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy damages the nerves in hands and feet and sometimes it is due to chronic diseases such as diabetes and alcoholism. Also, iron deficiency might cause restless leg syndrome, it might cause or worsen restless legs syndrome.

Researchers assume that kidney failure might be the cause too, at least to some degree. This is when the kidney does not function properly, iron stores in blood can decrease and cause some of the rls symptoms. All these and some other changes in body chemistry may cause or worsen restless leg syndrome.

Some other, known causes of restless leg syndrome include muscle overexertion, prolonged sitting, dehydration, decreased potassium levels, neuromuscular disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, certain medications, such as albuterol, niacin, diuretics, and some calcium channel blockers and antipsychotic medications, also alcohol use.

If you find this article helpful, but need more information, you are welcome to visit this very informative website, where you can find a lot of information about restless leg syndrome and help yourself with this annoying health condition. There are many different ways to combat restless leg syndrome and you can find some excellent information about restless leg syndrome, simply by visiting the website below.

Sam Jackson owns very informative weblog, where you can find lots of useful information about restless leg syndrome.

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Natural Remedies for Restless Leg Syndrome

I have a close relative that suffers from Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). I actually didn’t know that he had the disorder until a few months ago, but he has had it for about 5 years. This means five years of sleepless nights, tossing and turning, and that uncontrollable urge to keep his legs moving when he is in bed at night and sometimes when he is simply sitting in a chair. I only found out about it when we were sharing juicing recipes and he began talking about juicing and natural remedies for Restless Leg Syndrome.

With over 12 million Americans suffering from RLS, it is no wonder that there is such a push to find a cure for RLS. Until recent years, there wasn’t any medication available for it. Even though there are medications on the market now, many people would prefer to search for natural remedies for Restless Leg Syndrome instead of taking prescription medication. There are many different natural remedies for Restless Leg Syndrome on the market as well as lifestyle changes that you can make to help get rid of RLS or at least alleviate the symptoms. Essential oils, herbs, vitamins and supplements are all natural remedies for Restless Leg Syndrome that have worked for thousands of people. Lifestyle changes and diet changes such as yoga, massage, juicing and increasing calcium and folate intake are also linked to natural remedies for Restless Leg Syndrome.

How many more restless nights are you going to have before you start taking control of your life and your RLS. You don’t have to suffer and you may not have to take medications with all the natural remedies for Restless Leg Syndrome available. With so many options available, you should be able to find a natural remedy for RLS that works for you.

Take control of your life and your RLS today. Learn about natural remedies for Restless Leg Syndrome and be on your way to a good night’s sleep in no time. For information on a fast, all-natural treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms, visit http://www.stoprls.info

Get your 100% satisfaction guaranteed, fast, http://www.stoprls.info all-natural treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome online now.

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Controlling the Jitters - What Causes Restless Leg Syndrome?

You are going about your day and suddenly you get the urge to move your leg. You can’t control it, it will move regardless of what you do. Afterward, the movement gives you a weird feeling of relief. What in the world is this?

Or, you are in bed sleeping at night and you wake up when your legs jerk quickly. Startled, it takes you a few minutes to fall back asleep. What in the world was that?

Restless Leg Syndrome Explained

If these situations sound like something that has happened to you, you might be one of the millions of Americans who suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome. Restless leg syndrome, also referred to as RLS, or Wittmaack-Ekbom's syndrome, is an uncomfortable and widely misunderstood and misdiagnosed condition, thought to be caused by a neurological disorder.

Understanding what causes restless leg syndrome is a feat that doctors haven’t quite mastered yet. Reasons for what causes restless leg syndrome runs the gamut from dehydration, a brain disorder, some forms of medications, stimulants like caffeine or the consumption of some fats and carbohydrates.

Doctors consider there to be two types of Restless Leg Syndrome. Primary Restless Leg Syndrome comes from genetics and will generally last throughout your life. Secondary Restless Leg Syndrome comes from non-hereditary sources like medications and stimulants.

How to Treat Restless Leg Syndrome

Because the exact reasons for what causes Restless Leg Syndrome isn’t known for sure, the methods to treating the condition will vary from person-to-person.

If you think you have Secondary Restless Leg Syndrome resulting from some medication you are taking, ask your doctor if you can discontinue using the medication to see if it helps. If it decreases in frequency or disappears, you know your answer. Also, if it is caused by caffeine, you can stop using the stimulant to see if the conditions improve.

However, if you suffer from Primary Restless Syndrome because your family has a history of it, the best way to treat it is to stay away from the stimulants that aggravate it. The symptoms most likely won’t disappear, but you can continue to treat it with hot baths, massages and a regular exercise program.

Dealing with the Annoyances

Though you can deduct what causes Restless Leg Syndrome in your body, it does not mean that it will stop completely or that it will become less annoying as time goes on.

Fortunately, you are not alone. Because so many people deal with Restless Leg Syndrome, you do not have to be fearful of people’s reactions to it when it occurs in public. The discussion of the condition may help open doors to further exploration of what causes it.

Who knows, doctors may someday pinpoint the exact reasons to what causes Restless Leg Syndrome. Wouldn’t that be a joyous occasion?

To learn more about what causes Restless Leg Syndrome visit our website! We are the experts on sleep and give advice on a wide variety of sleep-related issues and provide information on sleep enhancing products like cpap heated humidifiers and important drug information like potential melatonin drug interaction

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Restless Leg Syndrome Natural Cures

I had heard about Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) through various news stories and through a co-worker that had it, but it didn’t get home until a close relative told me that he suffers from the disorder. Since there may be a genetic component, this made RLS more real to me. He had suffered with RLS for about 5 years before researching Restless Leg Syndrome natural cures which worked for him. Instead of taking medication, he used juicing and other natural remedies to help cure RLS.

Since more than 12 million Americans are reported to suffer from RLS, it is easy to see why the medical world is concentrating on finding a cure for RLS. Up until recently, there wasn’t even any medication on the market for RLS. However, even with the introduction of medications, many people still opt to research and use Restless Leg Syndrome natural cures. Some people just prefer natural remedies where as others are worried about the long term affects of the medication since they are relatively new. Restless Leg Syndrome natural cures include herbs, essential oils, supplements and vitamins. In addition, diet and lifestyle changes have also been linked to Restless Leg Syndrome natural cures. Yoga, massage, increasing calcium intake, juicing and increasing folate intake have all proven affective as Restless Leg Syndrome natural cures for thousands who suffer from it.

If you or someone you knows suffers from RLS, help them take back control of their life. Instead of starting with medications, learn about the Restless Leg Syndrome natural cures that are available. With all of the options available, you are likely to find one that works for you.

Learn how you can cure your Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms with a fast, all-natural treatment with a satisfaction guaranteed promise. To be on your way to a fast, all-natural treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome, visit http://www.stoprls.info.

Get your 100% satisfaction guaranteed, fast, all-natural treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome online now.

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Instant Relief From A Muscle Cramp

Waking up in the middle of the night with a muscle cramp in your calf is not fun. What can be worse is having a partner or spouse wake you up with a muscle cramp and not knowing what to do to help them. If you do the wrong thing, such as stretching the cramped muscle, you can hurt your partner.

There is a simple technique known to many massage therapists that will cause an immediate release of muscle cramps in a very safe way. It does this by tricking the body to release the cramp.

The way to release a cramp in the back of the calf is hold the top of your partners foot down, then have your partner try to raise their toes and the top of their foot against your resistance. The cramp should release within seconds. Then you can gently massage and stretch out the cramp. To see a video clip demonstrating this technique, please visit my website listed at the bottom of this article.

Having your partner try to raise the front of their foot will cause the muscles on the front of their calf to contract. When one muscle contracts, the opposing muscle is sent signals to relax. This happens so that we don't fight our own movements. The contraction of the muscles on the front of the calf will cause the muscles on the back of the calf to relax.

This technique can be used on any muscle in the body. You just have to have your partner try to stretch out the cramping muscle while you hold them to prevent the stretch from happening. For instance with a cramp in the bottom of the foot hold their toes down and have them try to raise their toes against resistance. If your partner has a low back spasm have them try to sit up while you hold their shoulders down.

This technique is only first aid for a muscle cramp, and does not address the cause. The cause for most muscle cramps is a deficiency of minerals, particularly calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

The muscle cramps that happen in the middle of the night are typically caused by a deficiency of calcium and magnesium. Sources of calcium include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, seeds and nuts, and seaweeds. Sources of magnesium include seeds, nuts, leafy green vegetables, and my favorite, dark chocolate.

Potassium deficiencies can also cause muscle cramps. Potassium is lost with the body fluids such as with sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, and through the urine with diuretic drugs. Potassium deficiency cramps are more common after athletic events or after illness. Potassium can be restored with electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade, or with fruits (bananas, oranges), vegetables, soup broth, and juices.

When a small child or infant is having muscle cramps it can be a medical emergency. They have much smaller stores of potassium to begin with, and a deficiency will affect the skeletal muscles first before affecting the heart. Electrolyte drinks such as Pedialite can replenish the potassium.

With proper nutrition and the application of this technique muscle cramps should no longer be a problem.

The Healing Arts Institute, directed by Dr. James Mally, N.D., is one of the leading Sacramento massage schools. Initial training, continuing education massage classes and instructional training videos-DVDs such as the full body massage DVD are offered for sale.

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Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)

Restless Legs Syndrome is an affliction that manifests itself as an uncomfortable feeling your legs.

Lying down and sitting has the tendency to aggravate these feelings. The only form of relief for the individual to relieve these uncomfortable feelings in their legs is by getting up and moving around. Most commonly these feelings occur during sleep and when they do; the person must wake up and move around. This is why this syndrome is categorized as a sleeping disorder – it is the constant disruption of sleep that the affected person must deal with.

A hard to describe uncomfortable feeling in the person’s legs (and even arms) is the most common symptom of restless leg syndrome. The feelings themselves are difficult to describe or to put into words… but suffers of RLS know these aren’t feelings of typical cramps or muscle soreness. Restless leg syndrome results in anything from a tingling to a burning type of sensation. These feelings are most prominent during the nighttime or periods of inactivity i.e. trying to sleep. The onset of restless leg syndrome can vary both in frequency and in intensity.

An off chute of RLS is involuntary leg flexing and extension; otherwise known as Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep (PLMS). The difference is that PLMS occurs during periods of sleep and most people who exhibit this aren’t aware that it is happening… except for anyone who may be in the same bed.

A bodily chemical called dopamine (which controls muscle movement) appears to be the common denominator with restless leg syndrome. The conventional thinking is that RLS may be somewhat hereditary since it occurs in families of 50% of those who suffer.

There are other contributing factors as well such as pregnancy and stress; as either of these can seem to aggravate the symptoms.

Restless leg syndrome can be difficult to diagnose for a number of reasons. First of all, the actual cause can be attributed to a number of reasons or circumstance. Secondly, the vast majority of sufferers don’t seek medical attention for their condition.

In order to accurately evaluate and diagnose, doctors need to ask a variety of questions including the type of pain, when the pain occurs, the frequency of the occurrences, and what seems to make the symptoms go away. Certainly a visit to a sleep clinic can go a long way toward the diagnosis because you can be monitored as you sleep.

Moving about is the preferred method by most people when it comes to seeking relief. Walking stretching and flexing exercises help when no other diagnosis has been arrived at. However, if it is determined that the cause is related to something such as an iron deficiency, treating that specific element can many time alleviate the symptoms and pain.

Many times simple lifestyle changes are prescribed to eliminate the symptoms of restless leg syndrome.

Occasionally RLS will be treated by stronger prescription type of medications but to date this type of treatment has had only mixed results.

Non-prescription treatments include over-the-counter pain relievers, hot or cool packs, massage, yoga, exercise and development of a sleep routine that encourages better sleep.

For more important information on sleeping be sure to visit http://www.sleep-good.com where you will helpful find advice and tips on sleep, sleep apnea, sleep insomnia and how you can start getting a good night's sleep.

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Muscle Cramps & Running Cramps – Is Stretching A Good Treatment?

Stretching is an ideal way to treat a cramp . . . BUT NOT ON ITS OWN.

If you try and stretch a cramp a soon as you get one you seriously risk damaging the muscle – and that means longer recovery times and weaker muscles that are more likely to fatigue and cramp in the future.

Basically, when a muscle goes into a cramp, it’s an all or nothing thing, which means that once the cramp has started, the muscle will continue with the contraction until it is finished. If you try and stretch it out while it is trying to contract you could very easily tear muscle fibres and set yourself up for more injury.

This is exactly what happened to me – I’d get a calf cramp while I was running, I’d stretch it out and limp home, rest up a few days and go out and do it all over again.

Once I figured out how to stop the cramping – and you’d be amazed how easy it really is – I discovered I had eliminated one problem and created a new one.

In my case it was calf strain and every time I tried to increase the pace beyond 60% I’d get a pain in the calf that force me to a walk.

And fixing the calf strain and getting the calf muscle back to 100% took longer to fix than the calf cramps.

If you suffer a calf cramp running, what you need to do first is help the muscle finish its contraction and re-establish the blood flow . . . and that means squeezing and pumping the muscle with your hands – in much the same way as you would squeeze a ball of dough.

This is actually quite painful!

Next, you start with the Gastrocnemius and Soleus stretches being very careful to avoid overstretching.

Of course, squeezing followed by stretching are good techniques to use once you suffer a leg or muscle cramp, however if you do suffer cramps regularly, if they affect your performance or if they wake you up at night, there are more permanent solutions you need to consider.

Copyright - www.Running-Cramp-Relief.com

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author. His Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide is the definitive guide to preventing, treating and curing cramps associated with exercise. In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide Newland speaks with 6 health, sports, nutrition, medical and complimentary health care professionals and explains why you get cramps, the best ways to treat them and how to prevent them from happening again.

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Stretching Techniques for Running Calf Cramps

If you’re a regular sufferer of running calf cramps then the first thing you need to know is that there are 2 muscle groups associated with the calves and they both need attention.

There are two muscle groups of the calves - the Gastrocnemius and the Soleus. And while most people, especially runners, are familiar with a ‘generalised’ calf stretch, you should be aware of the main difference in stretching technique to gain maximum benefit for each of the muscle groups.

The main difference we speak of is whether your knees are bent or straight.

Having the knees straight in any of the calf stretches allows you to stretch the Gastrocnemius muscles while applying the same stretch with your knees bent allows you to stretch the muscles of the Soleus.

Most people are pretty good at stretching their Gastrocnemius muscles but totally forget about the muscles of the Soleus.

The Gastrocnemius muscle stretch

To stretch the Gastrocnemius try and avoid a common method of standing on the curb and dropping your heels – this is too severe for a muscle to tolerate if it hasn’t lengthened sufficiently after any form of exercise.

Instead try this – keep your body upright, put one leg out in font of the other with the knee bent and the other leg back with the knee straight – it’s the same leg position as if you were leaning against a tree or post, except keep your body upright rather than leaning forward. For maximum stretch, keep the back foot flat on the ground.

Soleus muscle stretch

The same principles apply but it is important to bend the stretching leg at the knee.

This takes the Gastrocnemius muscle - which attaches above the knee - out of the stretch and concentrates the stretch on the Soleus.

Here’s another variation calf stretch. For this stretch you can use a door jam, a pole or fence, lamp post or railing: put your foot against the door frame/pole/fence, hold onto it with your hands and lean forward with your back straight.

If you’re wearing trainers, you’ll be able to put your foot against the door jam and get your heel as close as you can to the door and then bring yourself forward using your hands.

If you’re in bare feet or socks, you might not be able to get your heel against the door to start with but you can work towards it.

Copyright - www.Running-Cramp-Relief.com

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author. His Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide is the definitive guide to preventing, treating and curing cramps associated with exercise. In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide Newland speaks with 6 health, sports, nutrition, medical and complimentary health care professionals and explains why you get cramps, the best ways to treat them and how to prevent them from happening again.

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Lower Back Pain The Role Of Calf Muscles

Lower back pain causes calf muscle pain and tightness and the calf muscles play a huge role in the development and maintenance of lower back pain.These calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) are usually tight in most people especially in women wearing shoes with high heels. Calf muscle cramps are extremely painful and often awaken people during sleep. These cramps are a warning that there is nerve related muscle problems stemming from spinal nerve root involvement in the lower back. This is usually the case if you have calf muscle tightness and frequent night cramps even if you have no complaints of lower back pain or lower limb pain.

There are three calf muscles, two of them are called the gastrocnemius muscles (inner and outer muscles known respectively as medial and lateral) and the third is called the soleus muscle.

The gastrocnemius arise from the lower part of the thigh bone just above the knee. The soleus muscle arises from the leg bones known as the tibia and fibula bones and does not cross the knee joint. All three muscles insert into the heel bone through the heel cord. The tibial nerve supplies primarily S1 nerve root fibers to the inner gastrocnemius muscle (medial) and the L5 nerve root fibers to the outer gastrocnemius muscles (lateral) and primarily S1 nerve fibers to the soleus. The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles are responsible chiefly for bending the ankel and foot down so that the toes can point toward the ground. However when the foot is flat on the ground as in the sitting, crouching or squatting positions, the gastrocnemius muscles can bend the knee but not the soleus. Those who have tightness of the calf muscles will note that they are unable to place the heels flat on the floor.

During ambulation, people with tight calf muscles are unstable and prone to falls since there is difficulty with the heel striking the ground. They also have difficulty with the push-off phase of ambulation. The only muscle that is active during relaxed standing is the soleus muscle. It is responsible for stabilizing the leg so that the weight line can fall in front of the knee. Otherwise, the knee can buckle. Tight calf muscles play a significant role in causing and aggravating lower back pain due to increasing the stress on the low back muscles. Since these calf muscles are chronically tight, trying to reduce or release spasms within these muscles is very difficult. In addition, there is also nerve related muscle tightness and weakness in these muscles due to presence of aging of the L5 and S1 spinal nerve roots. To make the situation worse, the muscles that lift the foot and ankle up of the ground in the front of the leg are chronically weak. The weakness is primarily of nerve related origin since these muscles are supplied by the L5 nerve root which is the most commonly injured nerve root. The injury or irritation stems from presence of degenerative arthritis of the spine, slipped disc, bulging disc, etc. The L5 nerve root fibers are mainly carried through the peroneal nerve which also is vulnerable to trauma from habitual crossing of knees and/or ankles making the foot and ankle dorsiflexors even more weak.

Therefore to treat calf muscle tightness, muscles in the front of the leg called the dorsiflexor muscles of the foot and ankle have to be treated before treating the calf muscles. The dorsiflexor muscles of the foot and ankle are chronically subjected to lengthening contractions during ambulation. Therefore selective activation of these muscles by inducing shortening contractions is needed. Walking on the heels is one of the ways to induce shortening contractions of the foot and ankle dorsiflexors.

Optimal treatment for the tight calf muscles cannot be isolated to just treating the calf muscles symptomatically. The treatment must include treating the root cause of the tightness which is spinal nerve root problems primarily at the L5 and S1 levels.

All the related muscles that are continuously subjected to lengthening contractions need to be treated. Return of strength for these muscles is achieved through shortening contractions. Treatments must include treating the spinal extensor muscles, gluteus maximus, adductor magnus, tensor fascia lata, rectus femoris and the foot and ankle dorsiflexors. Selective activation for these muscles is most effective through motor point stimulation using the eToims Twitch Relief Method.

http://technorati.com/tag/lower+back+pain © 2007 copyright www.stopmusclepain.com lower back pain| the role of calf muscles

Jennifer Chu, M.D. emeritus professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, pioneered eToims Twitch Relief Method that utilizes surface electrical stimulation to locate motor points (trigger points). The motor points are then stimulated to induce strong local muscle contractions, termed twitches. This results in reduced muscle pain and discomfort in the areas that were stimulated. The involved pain/discomfort-relieving mechanism is thought to include local muscle exercise and stretch effects. eToims Soft Tissue Comfort Center® specializes in diagnosis and treatment which ends muscle discomfort and pain.

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Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Cramp

Description

A muscle cramp occurs when muscle tissue suddenly contracts, creating a sudden spasm of pain. The muscle may stay cramped for several minutes before returning to its normal position. After cramping, the affected muscle may also be sore and tender to the touch.

Muscle cramps are generally caused by over use. Someone who spends long periods of time writing with a pen may experience a cramping sensation in the thumb and first two fingers of the hand. An athlete may get a cramp in a calf muscle after running harder than usual. While physical activity is the primary cause of cramps, dehydration can make the condition worse. Water helps keep muscle tissue supple; when muscle tissue becomes dehydrated, it loses its flexibility and thus is more prone to cramping.

Signs and Symptoms

Sudden, sharp pain in muscles

Soreness or tenderness that worsens during movement

Visible muscle spasm

Tightness or stiffening in the muscle

Conventional Medical Treatment

Muscle cramps can usually be treated at home. Gently and continuously massage the affected muscle to relieve the tightness. Once it has loosened up, gently stretch it. If your muscle cramp does not respond to home treatment and lasts for more than an hour, contact your physician. You also should Contact your physician if you suffer from frequent muscle cramping. Severe cramps in your shoulders, chest, or arms can be signs of a heart attack.

Complementary and Alternative Treatments

Nutrition and Supplementation

Eat lots of dark-green and leafy vegetables, such as kelp, brewer's yeast, and alfalfa.

Muscle cramps can be caused by electrolyte (mineral) depletion from overexertion during exercise. To avoid muscle cramps, make a mineral cocktail: combine 16 ounces pure water, the juice of 2 lemons, 1 tablespoon raw honey, and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon natural sea salt (available at health food stores); drink during exercise, or whenever you perspire. (Caution: If you are on a salt-restricted diet, consult with your healthcare provider before taking this cocktail.) Quality water flushes out toxins stored in the muscles. Drink 1 glass every 3 hours throughout the day.

The following daily supplements are good for preventing or treating muscle cramps:

magnesium (as magnesium glycinate) (750 mg)

calcium (as calcium citrate or lactate, not carbonate form) (1500 mg)

vitamin E (start with 400 IU and slowly increase to 1000 IU daily)-improves circulation; especially beneficial if cramping is due to varicose veins

vitamin C with bioflavonoids (3000 to 6000 mg)

vitamin D (400 IU)-necessary for calcium uptake

potassium (99 mg)-aids in relieving muscle cramps

omega-3 oils (fish or flaxseed) (as directed on label)-anti-inflammatory

Read out for First aid. Check out breastfeeding tops and constipation treatment

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Sooth Those Muscle Cramps

Regular and hard exercise does not necessarily equal great health. People who exercise or run are known to receive what the experts call exercise associated muscle cramps, these are caused by exercising and straining the muscles, later on when the muscle relaxes the muscle starts to tighten up. When exercising people will feel the fatigue in their muscles and this is a very common occurrence.

Many runners suffer from calf cramps while running, the best remedy to stop the cramps is to let the muscle contract and finish its movement, rub the muscle and let the blood flow continue and the muscle will start feeling better. In many eastern cultures the best way to help with muscle cramping is to get the blood flowing again they do this by using acupressure or acupuncture to stimulate the blood flow to the effected area. If you do receive a muscle cramp stretch and squeeze the muscle this will get the blood flowing again, use some heat on the muscle and this will relax it.

Doctors have researched muscle cramps in tri-athletes and found some interesting findings; the cramps that athletes suffer from are not caused by blocked blood flow, dehydration, or vitamin deficiencies.

From the ancient orient there is a word Chi, the definition of this word is energy, energy of the muscle and energy of the body need to be in harmony. Muscles, the storehouse of energy in a living body, contract to help in the movement of different parts of the body. Another theory on the cause of running cramps says that carbohydrate depletion and a resultant loss of energy and build-up of waste products in the muscle leads to cramps.

It wasn’t so long ago that visualization techniques, stretching and yoga were introduced into sport and running and made an impact. When it comes to training and exercise, sometimes people are very impatient to do a stretching routine before they go for a run; most people don’t want to waste there workout time by stretching their muscles.

What causes an EAMC. There are many reasons why people get muscle cramps of the most common is because people do not warm up before exercising or training. Many people who exercise or don’t exercise receive excruciating pains in their muscles, the muscles tighten up and there is nothing you can do at that point because you can’t move, so before this happens or if you feel it happening rub some type of heat cream on the muscle, take aspirin, use a heating pad, or try to stretch the muscle to loosen it up.

But does stretching before a run help prevent injury? But where do you get the energy from and enough of it to prevent cramping. Bodyworkers can play a role in helping their clients manage and prevent these types of afflictions by sharing some basic tips and information with them.

David Marc Fishman is the owner of Tipssquad. Ask an expert about crafts. Get discounts on appliances at Priceriot

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Medication for Restless Leg Syndrome

If you suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome then you know that it can affect every aspect of your life. Not only do you have the cramping feelings in your legs and sometimes other parts of your body, but you also experience some sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation leaves you tired, irritable and can make you more susceptible to illness. You also know how it affects other members of your family as well. My sister-in-law used to refer to it as “our Restless Leg Syndrome” because my brother suffered from it for years before finding a successful natural remedy for RLS. She says she suffered right along with him! For these reasons, finding a medication for Restless Leg Syndrome is not just something that you want; it is something that you need.

While there is medication on the market for Restless Leg Syndrome, such as tramadol, there are also natural ways to cure or alleviate Restless Leg Syndrome. Natural remedies have shown very promising results, prompting many to opt for natural treatment over medication for Restless Leg Syndrome. Since medication for Restless Leg Syndrome is relatively new, the long term affects are not known whereas natural remedies and treatments are typically comprised of items that are better known.

Instead of medication for Restless Leg Syndrome, natural remedies include herbs, vitamins, supplements and essential oils. Changes in habits, diets and lifestyle including increasing calcium and folate intake, juicing, yoga and massage have all been associated with natural ways to combat Restless Leg Syndrome. If you suffer from RLS but do not want to take medication for Restless Leg Syndrome, there are natural options that you can try that have helped cure hundreds of people of RLS.

For information on a fast, all-natural treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms, visit http://www.stoprls.info

Get your 100% satisfaction guaranteed, fast, all-natural treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome online now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Gupton

Got a Leg Cramp, Reach for the Sports Drink - There's a Favourite Colour Out there for Everyone

If you compete in endurance events and suffer running cramps, leg cramps or any type of muscle cramps, then it’s no secret that sports drinks have an important role in replacing electrolytes, carbohydrates and fluid.

However, with the sports drink market so competitive and with many new ‘players’ it’s sometimes hard to tell one from the other . . . except by the colours I suppose . . . blue for a hot day, red when you’re a little chilled, yellow if you’re feeling, well, mellow.

Or you cold read on and find out the real differences between them.

The first place to start is to identify which category the particular drink falls into and then evaluate it against what you need to prevent cramps . . . and this will depend on the type of event you are competing in or training for.

Most of them contain plenty of potassium and sodium however they tend to come up short on calcium and magnesium, natural sugars and many of the vitamins involved in energy production – particularly the B group vitamins, vitamin D and the antioxidant vitamins A, C & E.

The reason for this is that the more nutrients you put into a drink, the more it costs and the less sweet it begins to taste.

Here’s some simple information so you can tell the difference between sports drinks and determine their benefits in terms of providing enough energy or hydration to prevent cramps.

Isotonic Drinks

Provide the body with water, energy and electrolytes in a rapidly absorbable form. During exercise, energy and electrolytes are lost along with water and isotonic drinks are designed to replace this as rapidly as possible. Some isotonic drinks with higher levels of glucose may be absorbed just as rapidly and help replace lost energy.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are more about supplying energy to keep the muscles working over a long period of time. Their advantage over isotonic drinks is that they can supply energy at a higher rate. The disadvantage is that the higher carbohydrate concentration may slow down the absorption of water. They are more suited for circumstances where the need for higher fluid intakes isn’t as critical. For example, an endurance event in a more temperate climate would be a good time to use an energy drink.

Recovery Drinks

Recovery drinks supply the muscles with water, carbohydrate and protein. Good examples of these drinks will contain electrolyte minerals, vitamins, amino acids and additional nutrients for better recovery. In addition to the drink, you should maintain a high water intake.

Our final thoughts are to look around to find a sports drink that contains as many nutrients and natural sugars (saccharides) as possible.

If you suffer cramps regularly, then the addition of a multi-nutrient sports drink will b a definite advantage. Just remember, the higher the glucose content, the more fluid you should drink.

What I do for 3 hour plus events is alternate a bottle of sports drink (say 500ml) with a bottle of water every hour. However we all have different needs when it comes to hydration and that is a whole new topic I’ll take on in another article.

Copyright www.Running-Cramp-Relief.com

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author. His Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide is one of the internet's leading health information books and is the definitive guide to preventing, treating and curing cramps. In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide Newland speaks with 6 health, sports, nutrition, medical and complimentary health care professionals and explains why you get cramps, the best ways to treat them and how to prevent them from happening again.

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How to Deal with Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps are temporary contractions of the muscles and they usually appear during physical effort. The sensation is similar to the one you have when you feel a strong, involuntary tightening of the muscle group that you can't control any more. There are many causes which bring about cramps, but they happen most often because of insufficient warming up before training.

Good and correct warming up has two stages: the general one (cardio), for increasing the body temperature (running, cycling, etc.) and the specific one, during which the main joints and groups of muscles which will be involved in training are warmed up. It is enough not to give, from different reasons (rush, superficiality, ignorance), the necessary time or importance to one of these stages, and cramps can become a current phenomenon.

As important as warming up is the relaxation stage after the training. This has, like warming up, two stages: a dynamic one (aerobic) and a static one (stretching). It is meant to 'calm down' the body and to eliminate the muscular tension and the catabolic products resulted from the training. Lack of relaxation can slow down the process of recovery of the body, having often as result cramps during the next training and sometimes even during repose.

Cramps may also appear because of electrolytic misbalance, which can result from massively losing electrolytes through abundant perspiration. Recovering hydro-electrolytic balance is a priority and it can be realized through balanced and varied nourishment, rich in vegetables and fruit and completed periodically with nutritional supplements, poly-minerals and poly-vitamins.

When muscular cramps appear during training, the first thing you must do is stop the effort which produced the cramps. Massaging the affected zone is a good idea. This will intensify blood circulation in that group of muscles and will remove faster the catabolic products resulted from the training.

It is also the moment for light stretching, from which will benefit not only the affected zone, but also the antagonist muscles. This exercise is meant to put again in place the muscular fibers, in their usual alignment, contributing to the relaxation of the muscles, but also to elongating and making the muscular group affected by cramps more elastic.

Another benefic element could be a warm shower, which will contribute to bringing the tensed muscles back to normal through peripheral vascular dilatation.

Ignoring the cramps can have as a result more or less grave situations, from muscle tightening to muscular rupture. Besides the physical effects of the cramps, the sportsman can also be affected psychologically. He will not dare intensify the training any more, being frightened of these casual contractions. He can even become hypochondriac, suspecting any common muscle pain during effort or post-effort to be a symptom of cramps.

Experience in sport will provide the best prophylaxis for these situations, the practitioner being able to make the difference between the real situations and the false alarms, contributing, this way, to increasing the effectiveness of the training.

Isabel Curini is a fitness trainer and editor at http://www.healthfitnessworld.com HealthFitnessWorld.com - Health, Fitness, Body Building, Weight Loss, Nutrition - Articles and Resources.

HealthFitnessWorld.com is dedicated to providing high-quality, free advices, tips and resources on health, fitness, body building, supplements, nutrition, weight loss, beauty, massage, acne, medicine, depression, massage.

This article may be reprinted or published without the author's consent as long as the "About" and "weblinks" are kept intact and active.

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Does The Way You Run and Train Give You Leg Cramps?

If you’re just starting out in your running career or taken up running to lose weight or for cardiovascular health and are getting running cramps, then it might be worth taking the time to check out this article for some equipment and running style tips.

1. Worn out shoes – it’s a good idea to check your shoes for excessive wear and change your shoes every 500 miles. excessively worn shoes could result in an abnormal running style that may contribute to cramps.

2. Check where the shoes are wearing - if you’re over-pronating then your shoes are worn out on the inside. If you’re a supernator then your shoes are worn out on the outside and you won’t tend to absorb shock very well. This will put extra stress on the calf muscles.

3. Find a knowledgeable sales person - this is worthwhile, especially if you want value for money and value your running future. Bring your old shoes along so the sales person can see where you’re wearing them down and can make appropriate suggestions on the type of shoe you need to support your gait and your foot plant. Take your running socks along so you can get the best fit.

4. Body balance - any imbalances between the left and right side of your body can interfere with running efficiency and may lead to tighter muscles, injury and cause cramps on one side. You may need to perform some strengthening exercises on the injured side.

5. Foot strike - so, how do you run, with your toe or heel first? The most natural and efficient style for long distance running is landing on the ball of your foot first, with the heel contacting the ground a split second later. If you’re transitioning into longer distance events, this can be a very important factor in preventing leg cramps.

6. Lateral motion - if you have any type of lateral motion you may be more prone to injuries and running cramps. If you think you have a problem with lateral motion, your running shoes will give it away if they are more worn one side than the other.

7. Running style - there’s a ton of advice we can give, but that’s a whole new topic. You can get some great tips from your local running club. Having someone video your running action is also a great way to ‘self-treat’ – any glaring problems will be noticeable. You could also look at hiring a running coach. Overall you’ll want to aim to be smooth, avoid bouncing, avoid over-striding, have a gentle landing and push off powerfully with an upright posture.

Right now I can still admit to being guilty of at least four of the ‘style factors’ mentioned above - and I’m working on it.

Copyright www.Running-Cramp-Relief.com

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author. His Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide is one of the internet's leading health information books and is the definitive guide to preventing, treating and curing cramps associated with exercise. In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide Newland speaks with 6 health, sports, nutrition, medical and complimentary health care professionals and explains why you get cramps, the best ways to treat them and how to prevent them from happening again.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Newland

What Are Restless Leg Syndrome Symptoms?

I first heard about Restless Leg Syndrome from a co-work about 5 years ago who was suffering from the disorder. At this time, there was not a lot of information out on the subject. Many people afflicted with the disorder who had restless leg syndrome symptoms went undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Their doctors would say that what they were experiencing was attributed to stress, insomnia and even aging rather than recognizing it as Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms.

It is estimated that over 12 million Americans suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome, so it is very much a part of our society. It is also thought that the number of people with Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms is even higher than this because it is still misdiagnosed. In addition to those afflicted with Restless Leg Syndrome, you also have to consider all of the people who are affected by the Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms due to sleepless nights or the constant movement occurs when someone that they live with has the problem.

Since I recently found out that a member of my family has Restless Leg Syndrome, I began to do more research on the disorder since there seems to be a genetic component. Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms include an uncomfortable feeling in your legs, particularly when you are sitting or lying down that makes you feel like you want to move or at least move your legs. It happens more during the night and in older people, but can start in childhood and be felt throughout the day.

Tossing and turning in bed is often a part of the disorder because there is a need to keep the legs in motion. Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms are typically felt in the leg between the ankle and knee, but it can also be felt in arms, hands, feet and thighs. If you are suffering from Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms, there is help available.

Instead of feeling as though your only option is medication, you can actually cure your Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms with a fast, all-natural treatment with a satisfaction guaranteed promise. Learn how to stop Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms naturally. To be on your way to a fast, all-natural treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms, visit http://www.stoprls.info

Get your 100% satisfaction guaranteed, fast, http://www.stoprls.info all-natural treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome online now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Gupton