How to Cope With Foot and Leg Cramps

If you have severe foot or leg cramps and they occur often you should consult a doctor--you may have restless leg syndrome. If you have occasional leg or foot cramps, there are ways to cope with them and the following will tell you how.

Instructions

• 1

  Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is a major cause of leg and foot cramps. Therefore, it is important to drink plenty of water throughout the day since leg and foot cramps usually occur at night.

• 2

  Avoid foot and leg cramps by exercising. Regular exercise can help you cope with foot and leg cramps. Many people find the act of riding a bicycle right before bedtime helps them avoid foot and leg cramps during the night.

• 3

  Keep bed covers loose. Tight bed covers can restrict leg movement thereby causing leg and foot cramps.

• 4

  Consult a doctor if your leg or foot cramps are too severe for you to cope. There are prescriptions that can help with your foot or leg cramps especially if you have restless leg syndrome. Only a doctor can tell you for sure if your leg cramps are restless leg syndrome or not, so check with yours and see if you are a candidate for Requip or one of the other medications for restless leg syndrome.

• 5

  Take vitamins such as calcium and potassium. The lack of certain chemicals in the body can cause leg or foot cramps. Your doctor can do blood work to determine if your system is lacking these items and if you should begin a vitamin regime on a regular basis to replace the chemicals your system has lost--this may be the answer to coping with those foot and leg cramps.