Why Do Muscles Cramp During Exercise?

April 27, 2011

You’re in the middle of your workout, and you’re feeling great. Suddenly, your calf cramps, so you try to stretch it out…but the pain intensifies! What do you do now?

Learn how to prevent and get rid of muscle cramps.

If you’ve ever had muscle cramps, you know they can be extremely painful if not debilitating. Muscle cramps range in intensity from a mild ache to a severe pain.

Contrary to what we have been lead to believe, no one is certain what causes muscle cramps.
There are two scientifically respected theories about exercise and muscle cramps. The first, and most popularized, dehydration or the Electrolyte Imbalance Theory. It states that a muscle may cramp when water and electrolyte levels are depleted, making cramps more likely in hot or high humidity conditions.

Although there is significant evidence to support this theory it does not explain why a cramp can occur when fluid levels are maintained. Studies show that even when electrolytes are replaced at the same rate of loss cramping still occurs in almost 70% of athletes. So while dehydration is implicated for muscle cramps in high temperatures, why do athletes experience them at colder temperature?

This brings us to the second way a muscle may cramp, known as the Neuromuscular Theory. It is physiological in nature. The body has specific protective mechanisms involving the connection between the brain and muscular tissue. Our muscles are guarded by receptors, known as muscle spindles and the golgi tendon organ. Imbedded in our muscles, these receptors protect against over-contracting and over-stretching by sending electrical signals to motor neuron in the spinal cord. During normal contraction these signals are balanced.

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How to Get Taller Fast?

April 12, 2011

There are basically two areas where you can maximize your natural stature, even after puberty enhancement of growth potential and reverse impaction. Enhancement of growth potential basically includes living a healthier lifestyle to maximize your natural ability for growth, and reverse impact is a straightening of your body to increase its height.

First, make a visit to your doctor. There may be medical reasons why you do not have the height that you feel you should have, like a curvature of the spine, nutrition or growth hormone issues. And always consult with a physician before starting any type of program that affects your body. This one is largely about living a healthy lifestyle, so hopefully there should not be any issues.

Nutrition and health are two key components that could be keeping you from realizing your full growth potential. Provide support for your musculoskeletal structure by taking calcium supplements and eating foods rich in calcium, like yogurt, cheese and milk. Also, enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and minimize foods with animal fats and sugars, which can negatively affect growth. This will also have a side benefit, as you will experience a positive health boost in addition to any height enhancement. And do not drink alcohol or smoke, as both habits have been shown to limit growth potential.

A key component of increasing your height is reverse impaction, or a natural stretching of parts of your body that have become impacted through poor posture, carrying too much weight for extended periods, or other factors. This is achieved through stretching and exercise. Two of the most effective forms to gently stretch your body are to hang by your hands from a horizontal bar and to suspend your body upside-down by using an inversion table.

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