How To End Muscle Cramps For Better Workouts

Dont get sidelined by muscle spasms. Heres how to put the kibosh on cramps for better workouts.

- Kristin Mahoney

Nothing kills a workout quite like the pain and tightness a cramp can bring on. And whether you’re lifting weights, running sprints, or doing laps in the pool, you can cramp up. “A cramp is when the muscle unit contracts and doesn’t have enough resources to release that contraction,” explains Jennifer J. Beck, M.D., an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at UCLA’s Orthopedic Institute for Children. Muscle cramps typically strike whatever area you’re working the hardest. “Runners are likely to get lower extremity cramps, while rowers and swimmers might be more prone to upper extremity cramps,” Beck says.

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