Cramping leg muscles during pregnancy, what to do. Legs during pregnancy, cramps and swelling

An involuntary sharp, strong, painful contraction of a muscle is called a cramp. It is impossible to remove it by force of will; subsequently the muscle hurts for several days. Cramps during pregnancy can appear in any part of the body - arms, facial muscles, especially around the mouth - but the calves of the legs are most often affected, usually at night.

Failure Reasons: Help of glycerin
Reduces pain during pregnancy at the doctor
During pregnancy there is discomfort

Causes of cramps in pregnant women

There is a group of diseases for which seizures are one of the symptoms, appearing during pregnancy. They are associated with metabolic disorders. Fortunately, they are found relatively rarely. More often the reasons are more prosaic.

1. Lack of microelements.
2. Decreased hemoglobin.
3. Changes in blood glucose levels.
4. Dehydration.
5. Phlebeurysm.
6. Compression of the inferior vena cava.

Muscle tissue is forced to contract sharply when the ionic balance of the cell and pericellular fluid is disrupted. The leading role belongs to specific substances. Not only during pregnancy, their deficiency leads to cramps.

The main reason is a lack of certain microelements in the blood

Lack of these microelements in the blood is the main cause of nighttime muscle contractions. Here is a list of them according to the prevalence of manifestations:

• magnesium - its deficiency is manifested by muscle pain, changes in blood pressure, irritability, insomnia, numbness, decreased body temperature; a particular danger lies in the possible increase in uterine tone;
• potassium - a decrease in its amount affects depression, increased fatigue, cramps during pregnancy at night, dehydration, constipation;
• calcium - if there is not enough of it, teeth and gums are destroyed, blood pressure rises, nervous disorders appear, nails become brittle, and eczema may develop.

Various conditions can cause changes in the content of microelements:

• severe toxicosis - not only does the body lose useful substances when vomiting, the lack of appetite leads to the inability to replenish them, which is why during pregnancy the leg often cramps;
• unauthorized use of diuretics - along with the liquid, they remove essential microelements;
• poor nutrition – everything is important, from the wrong combination of foods to the food intake.

The lack of nutrients has a particularly strong effect during pregnancy due to the increased need for them, which causes leg cramps.

The same reasons lead to a decrease in hemoglobin and glucose in the blood. Sugar levels directly depend on diet, provided there are no other diseases. If you eat a lot once or twice a day, this indicator will constantly change, causing many unpleasant consequences.

It's not just lack of drinking that leads to dehydration. Water is actively removed from the body under the influence of caffeine and nicotine.

The causes of exercise-related leg cramps during pregnancy are usually easy to determine by the nature of the woman’s work. The need to stand or walk all the time, as well as prolonged work in a sitting position, can have an effect.

Appearances due to excessive work

The last reason - compression of the vena cava - is associated with an enlarged uterus. This vein is located underneath it; a certain position of the body leads to a disruption in the outflow of blood.

There is a certain dependence of the frequency of causes of seizures during pregnancy on its duration. The lack of substances manifests itself in the middle, since this is when the fetus is actively growing. In the first months it is often associated with toxicosis and poor nutrition.

Increased load, varicose veins, and compression of the vena cava are more common in recent months. This is due to the woman’s increased body weight.

Methods of helping a woman

Be sure to tell your doctor if you experience cramps in the calf or other muscles during pregnancy. Even if this is not a manifestation of a serious illness, any cause is fraught with consequences. Based on the nature of the accompanying symptoms, blood tests, and additional studies, the doctor will determine the exact cause. This is the main condition for successful treatment.

But you need to know what to do if you experience cramps during pregnancy. They appear more often at night, when the doctor is not around, and cause severe pain. There are proven and absolutely safe remedies that relieve pain in just a few seconds or even prevent it altogether.

Many people find brine, for example, from a jar of cucumbers, helpful. Just one or two sips quickly cause muscle relaxation.

If leg cramps occur at night during pregnancy, you can keep a bar of soap in bed. Doctors cannot yet explain the effect of a remedy tested by many people. But glycerin, which is one of the ingredients in soap, has been found to help. Therefore, you can buy a bottle and lubricate your feet with a few drops at night.

Glycerin to the rescue

The lingering pain can be relieved by simple and completely safe actions:

• stand on the cold floor with your entire foot;
• place your straight leg against the wall so that your leg is perpendicular to your body;
• pull the big toe towards you, you need to do this even through pain, you can do it with your hand, belt, towel, sheet;
• a risky but helpful remedy for many is to prick the muscle with a needle;
• massage, rub, scratch the muscle;
• apply a hot heating pad, a bottle of water, and pour it from the shower.

Cramps in the calves themselves do not pose any particular danger during pregnancy. But there are additional signs that indicate the possibility of a dangerous condition, requiring immediate medical attention.

1. The condition does not improve and constantly recurs.
2. A feeling of numbness appears (in any part of the body).
3. Edema and swelling occur.

In addition to the main cause, cramps during pregnancy can be eliminated with massage, exercises, and with the permission of a doctor, various ointments and gels can be used.

For quick help, use Venitan

Massage and exercise help improve blood circulation in the muscles. This brings tangible benefits for this condition. If leg cramps appear at night during pregnancy, it is better to do massage or exercises before bed.

Massage movements are very simple - you need to rub and knead the muscle. They move towards its center. You shouldn’t put in too much effort so as not to cause harm. The sufficient effect is a feeling of warmth, which indicates increased blood flow.

Gymnastics for calf cramps during pregnancy can be as follows:

• stand on your toes a dozen times, it’s best to do several approaches throughout the day;
• lunges forward, alternately with each leg, is a muscle stretching exercise;
• stand facing the wall, lean on your palms, slowly step back with your feet, making sure that your body does not move.

Pathology prevention measures

Knowing why leg cramps cramp, it is quite possible to avoid their occurrence during pregnancy. The doctor may prescribe special medications with magnesium, potassium and calcium. You also need to follow simple rules.

1. Wear comfortable shoes, heels no higher than 5 cm.
2. Sleep under a spacious blanket.
3. If there is increased load on the legs, perform gymnastics.
4. If you have varicose veins, wear compression stockings or tights and rest with your legs elevated.
5. When calf muscle cramps are associated with compression of the inferior vena cava, it is better to sleep on your left side during pregnancy.
6. Avoid smoking, caffeinated drinks, and black tea. You can replace it with herbal infusions, compotes, juices.
7. A warm evening foot bath with sea salt helps a lot.

Monitoring nutrition, physical activity, and enough walks is the responsibility of every expectant mother. There are cases when, after introducing all the necessary products into the diet and switching during pregnancy to frequent meals in small quantities, the cramps in the calves at night stopped altogether. This particularly illustrates the fact that the human body is almost completely dependent on what it eats.

: Borovikova Olga

gynecologist, ultrasound doctor, geneticist

Cramps are involuntary muscle contractions accompanied by sharp pain; they can last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. They manifest themselves in varying degrees - from mild muscle spasms to severe attacks, when loss of consciousness is possible.

Why does a pregnant woman have cramps in her legs?

Muscle spasms may appear at different stages of pregnancy, most often occur at night, but are also possible during the day, when a woman is resting or after being in one position for a long time.

The main causes of cramps during pregnancy:

• In the early stages this is toxicosis, vomiting, low appetite. The few nutrients that enter a woman’s body are retained for a short time, and a general weakening occurs.
• In the second trimester The cause of seizures may be a deficiency of vitamins and microelements (magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin B6). This is the main period of fetal growth and development.
• In the third trimester the uterus increases in size and the likelihood of “inferior genital vein syndrome” appears, as a result of which blood flow is disrupted and heaviness in the legs appears.
• Low blood sugar levels. Glucose is the main source of energy for the mother and the unborn child, so the need for it increases sharply during pregnancy.
• Decreased hemoglobin level(severe anemia).

There are several factors that influence the development of seizures in pregnant women.

If the expectant mother suffers from painful muscle spasms, then It is worth eliminating these dangerous factors:

• Consumption of caffeinated drinks (strong tea, coffee). After all, it contributes to muscle dehydration and leaching of calcium from the body.
• Smoking leads to lack of oxygen and causes severe muscle spasms.
• Poor nutrition– the cause of almost all health problems in pregnant women.
• Uncomfortable clothes, including skinny trousers.
• Taking diuretics– along with excess fluid, beneficial vitamins and minerals are washed out of the body.

Convulsions are not obvious dangers for the health of the woman and her unborn child, but their occurrence at different stages of pregnancy may indicate the presence of problems such as varicose veins or metabolic disorders in the body.

If spasms last more than 2 minutes, are repeated regularly and are severe, it is worth seeking medical help. If convulsions occur, it is necessary consult on this issue with your gynecologist to find out the exact causes and their subsequent elimination.

First aid for painful spasms of the calf muscles

To independently cope with pain during cramps and get rid of spasms, the following measures must be taken:

1. Relieve muscle tension. To do this, strain and stretch the sore muscle, and repeat this exercise until completely relaxed. Lightly tingling the muscle with a pin or needle will also help.
2. Warm up the muscle with massage , hot water or put ordinary mustard plaster.
3. Restore blood circulation in the legs - carefully walk around the room, stand on your toes, roll from toe to heel.
4. Avoid recurrent attacks - lie down with your legs raised up.

Features of treatment of leg cramps during pregnancy

As mentioned above, seizures in themselves do not pose a danger, but serve as a signal to take measures - preventive or therapeutic.

Regardless of the reasons, there are general recommendations that will help avoid cramps during pregnancy or minimize the possibility of their occurrence:

• Wear the most comfortable shoes possible with a heel height of no more than 5 cm.
• Try to sleep and lie on your left side to reduce pressure on the pudendal vein.
• Avoid putting excessive stress on your legs.
• When resting, keep your feet elevated(you can use a cushion or pillow).
• Do leg exercises.
• Avoid products with high caffeine content.
• Do not smoke and don't drink alcohol.
• Stick to it healthy eating.

Seeing a doctor will mainly help identify the nature of muscle spasms.

• When the cause of cramps is a deficiency vitamins and microelements, treatment involves analyzing and changing the nutritional diet of the young mother. If necessary, it is supplemented with vitamin and mineral complexes at the discretion of the doctor.
• If you have varicose veins, With a specialist can recommend certain creams and ointments, or underwear with an anti-varicose effect
• It creates the necessary pressure on the walls of blood vessels, and they do not deform under the increased weight of the expectant mother.
• To maintain normal glucose levels in the blood, fractional nutrition is selected, various types of sweets and foods high in sugar are excluded.
• To improve blood circulation in the legs , doctors recommend soothing sea salt baths and foot massages.

Having carried out the necessary tests and assessing the nature of the spasms, specialists will be able to understand the degree of their danger to the woman and child.

The site website provides background information. Adequate diagnosis and treatment of the disease is possible only under the supervision of a conscientious doctor. If alarming symptoms occur, consult a specialist!

There is hardly a person who has not experienced a cramp in the calf muscle at least once in his life. This phenomenon is unpleasant and very painful, but fortunately, it is rare in healthy people, which cannot be said about pregnant women: most of them regularly suffer from spontaneous contractions of the calf muscles, especially in the later stages. It is quite natural that the expectant mother begins to worry about the question of what to do during pregnancy and to eliminate these sensations.

Leg cramps during pregnancy: how to explain them

Cramps of the calf muscles are not an independent disease and do not affect the development of the baby. Most often, they indicate a metabolic disorder in the body of the expectant mother, which is quite often observed during pregnancy. The main causes of muscle spasms can be the following:

• lack of useful microelements. Deficiency of calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6 occurs during pregnancy due to the increasing needs of the growing fetus. This situation is more typical in the 2nd trimester, when the child has grown significantly and needs more nutrients. In the early stages, deficiency may occur due to toxicosis;
• hormonal changes in the female body. Most often this is observed at the beginning of pregnancy, when a woman’s body is just beginning to adapt to its new state;
• anemia – low hemoglobin level;
• low blood sugar;
• phlebeurysm;
• pressure of the growing fetus on the pelvic vessels, deterioration of blood outflow from the vessels of the lower extremities;
• pronounced flat feet, which increases the load on the legs;
• abuse of caffeine and nicotine during pregnancy. Caffeine overstimulates the nervous system, dehydrates the body and promotes calcium leaching, while nicotine causes poor blood circulation. All this increases the incidence of calf cramps.

As for frequent cramps at night, there is also an explanation for this: in the evening, severe fatigue accumulates in the legs, and swelling appears. Excessive tension and poor blood circulation lead to the fact that a woman, going to bed, wakes up after a while from severe pain and muscle spasms in the calves. In addition, at night the body can remain in one position for a long time: this also impairs blood circulation and causes leg cramps.

How do leg cramps occur?

The symptoms of leg cramps in pregnant women are not much different from the usual signs of muscle spasms in the calves. When the expectant mother's legs cramp and pull, she feels severe pain in the calf muscles, the calves tense and become hard to the touch, and their shape changes. Sometimes the spasm does not occur in the calves, but in the foot or toes.

It is impossible to stand on a cramped leg until the tension subsides. An attack can last from a few seconds to 2-3 minutes, and most often the spasms occur at night, causing the pregnant woman to wake up abruptly from pain. As a rule, the most painful cramps are observed at night: the load accumulated throughout the day takes its toll.

Sometimes the muscle also seizes during the daytime, when the pregnant woman is resting in a lying position or after being in one position for a long time. Most often, cramps in the calves occur during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester. But for some reasons, seizures can occur at an earlier stage.

Cramps can vary in intensity, but they always cause discomfort for the expectant mother. If they are constantly repeated at night for a long time, a woman cannot get a full night’s sleep, which necessarily affects her mood and well-being. Therefore, it is important to know how to help yourself when your calf muscle or foot cramps, and what to do to avoid further attacks.

How to relieve leg cramps?

There are simple and clear instructions on how to behave when your leg cramps:

1. You must try to pull your toes towards you. Most often it is not possible to do this right away - severe pain interferes. Therefore, you need to pull your fingertips gradually, then releasing them, then straining them again. You can carefully help yourself with your hands if your stomach size allows.
2. When you feel some relief, start doing a light massage. Use a circular rubbing motion, starting at the bottom of your legs and gradually working your way up the calf muscle. This will help restore blood circulation. Some people find light pinching helps.
3. If the muscle is pulled after an uncomfortable sitting position, you first need to change the position of your leg several times, and then repeat movements 1 and 2 of points.

After some time, muscle tension will pass and the pain will subside. But this does not mean at all that you can forget about cramps. If preventive measures are not followed, spasms will occur again and again. It is possible that you will be able to completely get rid of calf muscle cramps only after childbirth, but you can significantly reduce the frequency of their occurrence at any stage of pregnancy.

To do this, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle and not give up regular moderate physical activity: it has a positive effect on blood circulation. It is very useful to do leg exercises during pregnancy. During sleep, your legs should be higher than your head (you can, for example, place a small pillow under your feet). Do not forget that prolonged standing or sitting increases the risk of seizures. Take care to choose the right shoes: they should be soft and comfortable, with a stable heel no higher than 5 cm. Those who suffer from flat feet need to wear orthopedic shoes or use special orthopedic insoles.

It is also important to eat right: a pregnant woman’s diet should be nutritious and varied. It is recommended to strictly limit the consumption of caffeine-containing drinks, as well as salt, so as not to provoke the appearance of edema.

If your leg muscles are constantly cramping and painful attacks last more than 2 minutes, you should definitely tell your doctor about this. He will identify the cause of the phenomenon and tell you in detail how to cope with seizures.

When a pregnant woman complains that her legs are cramping, the doctor’s first priority is to determine why this is happening. In most cases this is not difficult. Further treatment tactics will be developed depending on the causes of muscle spasms during pregnancy.

• If there is a deficiency of useful microelements, in addition to the vitamin complex, a specialist may prescribe additional medications containing the missing substances (for example, medications with magnesium and vitamin B6). It is recommended to eliminate calcium deficiency with a diet that includes foods high in this substance. You should not decide on your own whether to take this or that drug: an overdose of some microelements can adversely affect the development of the fetus;
• for the treatment and prevention of varicose veins, the use of special compression underwear (stockings, tights, knee socks) and safe gels, creams, ointments may be prescribed;
• if the cause of seizures is a lack of hemoglobin or blood sugar, the doctor will prescribe a special diet. In addition, in some cases the use of iron supplements may be necessary;
• if edema occurs that provokes spasms of the calf muscles, the gynecologist will have to exclude the possibility of developing gestosis. If no pathology is detected, the pregnant woman will be recommended a course of treatment with diuretics. In this case, it is necessary to monitor metabolism, since diuretics, along with excess fluid, remove useful substances from the body;
• to reduce fetal pressure on blood vessels after the 20th week of pregnancy, gynecologists advise women to wear a prenatal bandage. It also reduces the likelihood of developing varicose veins.

Despite the fact that cramps in the calf muscles during pregnancy occur in most expectant mothers, this phenomenon should not be taken lightly. Frequently recurring attacks of muscle spasms indicate that the pregnant woman’s body is having difficulty coping with the increased load and needs help. Therefore, a woman must not only learn to help herself when her legs cramp, but also be sure to report changes in her health to the doctor who is monitoring the pregnancy.

Many mothers who at one time carried a child could encounter a situation where you wake up in the middle of the night from an unbearable pain: the calf muscle resembles a stone, you can’t move your leg, the pain is so bad that you could even howl like a wolf. People also experience cramps in normal conditions, but during pregnancy the risk of experiencing constant spasms of the leg muscles increases significantly.

If your legs are cramped during pregnancy, regular regular massage will not help: cramps are usually associated with situations that need to be adjusted accordingly in your lifestyle. But initially, if a pregnant woman is being stalked, it is necessary to inform the doctor in charge of the pregnancy.

Why cramps in legs during pregnancy

This is necessary in order to eliminate the possibility of developing varicose veins. Indeed, during pregnancy, the outflow of venous blood from the lower extremities is disrupted: the growing uterus puts significant pressure on the pelvic vessels and can compress the inferior vena cava, ultimately provoking leg spasms. If a woman suffered from varicose veins before pregnancy, the situation becomes even worse. The cause of a situation where legs cramp during pregnancy can be incorrectly chosen casual clothing, which impedes blood circulation in the legs, and muscle fatigue after a long stay on the feet, walking, or constantly wearing heels. But still, in most cases, calf muscle cramps are associated with impaired metabolism of minerals in the body of the expectant mother, primarily calcium, potassium and magnesium.

It is known that during pregnancy a woman experiences double the load: the expectant mother’s body must provide all the nutrients not only to herself, but also to the unborn baby. Accordingly, the consumption of vitamins and minerals increases, and a pregnant woman does not always receive them in sufficient quantities using her usual diet. The baby uses “mother’s” calcium to build his bone skeleton, but normal metabolism of minerals is possible only if the minerals are present in the body in the required quantities. If any of them is missing, the exchange is disrupted, which irreversibly leads to certain consequences. And one of them is that a woman’s legs cramp during pregnancy.

What to do for cramps in pregnant women

In this case, it is necessary to combat spontaneous muscle spasms with the help of diet correction. Since the need for it increases, it is advisable to enrich the diet with foods that contain this microelement in abundance - fermented milk products, a variety of cheeses, green salad, onions, sesame seeds. Magnesium can be extracted by eating buckwheat, nuts, carrots, and all kinds of greens. Sources of potassium include legumes, potatoes, dried apricots and bananas. But changing your usual diet does not always become a panacea for leg cramps: in some cases, a doctor may prescribe a pregnant woman to take vitamin and mineral complexes intended for expectant mothers. They can be used only after consultation with a specialist and under his supervision, so as not to harm the baby.

To avoid a situation where your legs cramp during pregnancy, it is advisable to reduce your consumption of tea and coffee: these drinks stimulate the muscles, causing them to remain tense even during rest. It would be a good idea to choose comfortable and not tight clothes; if there is a risk of developing, with the help of a doctor it is better to choose special anti-varicose tights or stockings.

In the evening before going to bed, it is useful to make foot baths at room temperature with sea salt: this can relieve fatigue and tension from your feet. We should not forget about massage, which not only relaxes the muscles, but also promotes normal blood circulation - the massage is done with light stroking movements in the direction from the foot to the thigh. During pregnancy, it is better to forget about high heels; the permissible maximum is about 4-5 centimeters.

When you stay on your feet for a long time, it is advisable to do simple exercises to prevent congestion in the legs: roll the foot from heel to toe and back; you can simply rise on your toes several times and lower your foot back into place. It is better to sleep on your left side to prevent squeezing the vena cava, and when lying on your right side, it is better to place a low soft pillow under it. Well, lying on the bed - resting or sleeping - is better with your legs slightly elevated (for example, placing them on a low bolster).

If it does happen that a spasm wakes up the pregnant woman at night, you can relieve the pain by pulling your foot towards you by the toe. Some people advise pinching the cramped muscle, or even pricking it with some sharp object (pin or needle). It helps to relieve a cramp faster - you can ask your spouse about it. Applying heat to the back of the shin also provides all possible help - you can put mustard plaster on the calf or pour warm water from the shower on it.

Especially for- Tatyana Argamakova

Cramps are strong and painful muscle contractions. Especially often during pregnancy, the calves cramp at night, when the pain is more intense. The reasons for this may be different. Below we will look at why cramps occur in expectant mothers.

The cause may be a lack of minerals. After all, a pregnant woman and her baby are two organisms, and the mother divides all the useful substances and vitamins that she consumes in two. Therefore, cramps often occur due to a lack of minerals, primarily magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

Regular vomiting in a woman who is carrying a child also explains why her calves cramp at night during pregnancy. With vomit, the expectant mother loses a significant amount of microelements that are part of the digestive elements.

Also, cramps worry a woman due to development. This is explained by the fact that when the expectant mother gains weight, the pressure of the uterus on the vessels in the pelvis and legs increases. It is not difficult to understand that varicose veins are developing: during the day, especially if a woman stands for a long time, she feels heaviness and pain in her legs. This precedes the visible manifestation of the disease - the appearance of dilated veins.

Regular convulsions in expectant mothers may occur against the background of a pronounced decrease in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.

Sometimes a pregnant woman’s legs cramp at night if she has developed flat feet or has thyroid disease.

Other reasons why your calves cramp at night during pregnancy

Often, severe painful muscle contractions are caused by circumstances that are easy to avoid. Cramps may occur due to shoes that are too tight. If a woman wears such uncomfortable shoes for a long time, the blood circulation in her legs is disrupted and her muscles get tired.

Sometimes an unbalanced diet, refusal of some important and healthy foods (for example, cottage cheese) also explains why the calves cramp at night in pregnant women. To avoid night cramps, you need to pay attention to whether you are taking diuretics correctly. These medications help expectant mothers fight edema, but their improper use intensively removes water and minerals dissolved in it from the body.

We looked at the most common reasons why pregnant women experience cramps in their legs at night. But it is important to know that cramps can be symptoms of serious pregnancy problems. Therefore, if a woman suffers from this disease, she needs to immediately consult a doctor. He will help you correctly determine the cause and prescribe treatment.