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Causes of Charlie Horse Muscle Cramps

Charlie horse muscle cramps can occur when you are sleeping (also known as nocturnal leg cramps) or during exercise, and the cause of each can be different or the same. A Charlie horse muscle cramp can be very painful and incapacitate you momentarily. Causes of Charlie horse muscle cramps include a lack of certain minerals, dehydration and muscle coldness. But medical conditions also can cause this problem as well.

  1. Warming Up and Muscle Use

    • As you sleep your leg muscles can become cold due to lack of use. As you attempt to stretch your legs during the night or when you awaken the next morning, these cold muscles can resist that stretch movement or rebel by producing a muscle cramp known as a Charlie horse. Rubbing your leg to warm it before you attempt to stretch it in the morning can help.

      Cold muscles also can produce a Charlie horse prior to or during exercise. This is due to the leg muscles not being properly warmed up first. Warm up by doing some cardiovascular exercise like walking, bicycling or jogging in place before you attempt to stretch leg muscles prior to a workout. In addition, a Charlie horse muscle spasm can be caused due to using your muscles too much or too little, according to Carolyn Nickol, the director of the University Fitness Center at the University of Cincinnati.

      Prolonged sitting, especially if in a contorted position, can cause you to have a Charlie horse muscle cramp or standing on a hard surface like concrete for a too long period of time.

    Lack of Minerals

    • A deficiency in certain minerals can cause Charlie horse muscle cramps, too. If your potassium, magnesium and salt mineral levels are too low you can experience Charlie horse or a nocturnal leg cramp in one or both of your legs. Also make sure you get enough calcium in your daily food diet. Imbalances between calcium and phosphorus can cause this muscle cramp condition.

    Dehydration and Medical Conditions

    • Drink plenty of water to avoid becoming dehydrated, which can cause this type of muscle cramp. Medical conditions that can cause nocturnal leg cramps (Charlie horse) include Addison's disease, anemia, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism and uremia. Nocturnal leg cramps tend to occur most frequently in certain age groups, according to the University of Maryland's Medical Center: adolescence, during a woman's pregnancy and in individuals over the age of 50.

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