Muscle spasm
It’s a no-brainer that if you hit the gym regularly, you’re far more exposed to the risk of experiencing muscle spasms. They’re sudden, painful, and can turn even the most mundane daily tasks into a tall order. So it’s not an understatement that muscle spasms are the bane of gym rats’ training routines. Which is why, in this blog, you’ll discover their causes, precautions and treatment. Let’s get started!
What is a muscle spasm?
Muscle spasms are like sudden, unexpected squeezes or cramps in our muscles. It’s when a muscle suddenly tightens up and can feel really uncomfortable or even painful. They can happen in any part of your body, like your legs, arms, or even your stomach. Now as much as muscle spasms cause unbearable pain, they’re usually harmless. In essence, it’s not an injury, and if you take the right steps, you’ll be good to go in no time.
Muscle spasm causes
If you hit the gym regularly, there are uncountable causes for getting muscle spasms. However, the #1 reason why gym rats get them is muscle fatigue. When the muscles become tired and overworked, they struggle to maintain proper contraction and relaxation. This disturbance can trigger muscle spasms.
Another very common cause of muscle spasms is electrolyte imbalances. Minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium are essential for muscle function and proper nerve signaling. However, when you sweat profusely, your body loses electrolytes because of intense physical activity. And as you might’ve already guessed, a deficiency of these minerals (especially potassium) can contribute to muscle spasms.
Additionally, not warming up properly before exercising or skipping the cool-down phase can also increase the likelihood of muscle spasms. Warm-up exercises prepare your muscles for activity, while cool-down exercises help relax and stretch the muscles after a workout. So when you skip these, you’re making yourself vulnerable to spasms and cramps.
Apart from that, inadequate rest and recovery time between workouts can also strain the muscles, making them more prone to spasms. This one takes the cake for gym rats who are addicted to iron. And as much as addiction to the gym is romanticized in today’s age of reels and snaps, the reality is that if you’re not giving your body proper time to recover, you’re setting yourself up for an injury. That is because proper rest allows muscles to repair and rebuild.
Precautions to take
First things first, it’s important that you avoid overworking your muscles and give them sufficient rest between workouts. Not only that but you should always gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. So that your muscles get challenged, not cramped! Plus, stay hydrated at all times. Your body craves electrolytes and fluids when you’re working out, so it’d be worth carrying fluids rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Alternatively, you can get these electrolytes from foods such as bananas. Lastly, always perform a proper warm-up routine before exercising to prepare your muscles for activity. Similarly, engage in a cool-down phase after workouts to help relax and stretch your muscles.
Muscle spasms treatment
The best way to treat muscle spasms is to, of course, allow the affected muscle(s) to rest and avoid activities that deteriorate the spasms. Apart from that, you can also gently stretch the affected muscle and then massage it to relieve tension and promote relaxation. An additional benefit of doing this is that it will also help improve blood circulation in the area.
Plus, you can also alternate between placing a warm towel and ice pack on the affected area. Heat and cold therapy is proven to reduce inflammation and relax the muscle. Lastly, also try to apply pressure on the affected muscle by using a foam roller on it. Foam rollers are exceptional tools to help relax tight muscles and improve flexibility. You can use a tennis ball if you don’t have a foam roller. Basically, anything with an even curve will do the job!
Muscle spasm vs cramp
The best way to put this is that you can think of your muscles as a rubber band. Now, just like a rubber band, your muscles also contract and relax. So when a muscle has a spasm, it’s basically the rubber band or the muscle contracting on its own, causing pain.
On the other hand, muscle cramps are very similar in nature to muscle spasms. But the one big difference between them is that, unlike muscle spasms, muscle cramps last much longer. So you can think of it as the rubber band getting stuck in a tight knot and not relaxing. That said, the treatments mentioned above apply to both of these scenarios!
Conclusion
Conclusively, muscle spasms can be a real hassle for gym enthusiasts, but they are usually harmless and can be dealt with quickly with the right steps. To minimize their risk, avoid overworking your muscles, gradually increase workout intensity, and prioritize rest and recovery. Staying hydrated and consuming foods rich in electrolytes can also help. Plus, always warm up before exercising and cool down afterward to prepare and relax your muscles. Still, if a muscle spasm occurs, gentle stretching, massage, heat and cold therapy, and foam rollers can provide relief.
That said, gym rats mostly overexert themselves in the gym because they can want to get better results. The thing is, as much as your body can do wonders, it’s not a machine. It needs rest. So if you want better results, we have some supplements for you that can help you do just that. Supplements like Matrix Black, SD Matrix, RAD-140, Ostarine, and SR9009 are formulated specifically for the reason that you could squeeze much more results out of your workouts.
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