What Is a Charley Horse?
A knee of the affected leg. Pull your foot up toward your buttock.
Massage, a bath with , or a heating pad can relax the muscle. To fight pain, use an ice pack or take an over-the-counter medication like or naproxen.
In most cases, the charley horse will stop within a few minutes. But if you get them often and for no clear reason, tell your doctor.
Charley Horse Prevention
To help stop cramps before they start:
- Eat more foods high in vitamins and magnesium.
- Stay hydrated.
- Stretch daily and before exercise. Stretching before can help prevent tight muscles. Daily stretching can help with cramps caused by other things.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
- Limit how much alcohol you drink.
- Ramp up your exercise slowly rather than all at once.
- Don’t exercise right after you eat.
- Don’t smoke.