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We’ve all experienced it: A quad muscle that seizes up while playing pickleball, a foot that starts to tighten during yoga or a calf muscle that suddenly spasms while lying in bed. Muscle cramps are no fun. There are various types of muscle cramps, Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC) and nocturnal (nighttime) cramps, being the most common. EAMC are defined by a sudden and involuntary muscle contraction which is often painful.

“Cramps can happen anytime but are more likely to happen during exercise and at night, and are usually in the leg muscle,” said Parwana Schell, PT, MPT, from Samaritan Physical Rehabilitation Specialists - Corvallis.  

According to Schell, cramps also become more common as you age, with more people over age 50 reporting the condition.

A muscle cramp at night can be annoying, especially if it wakes you up.

“Quality sleep is important for your overall health, so if muscle cramps are regularly keeping you from getting enough sleep, that is something to discuss with your provider,” Schell said.

Nighttime leg cramps can be more common in pregnant women, but the condition usually goes away after the baby is born. If you have trouble sleeping because of a need to move your legs at night, it could be restless legs syndrome, a sleep disorder.

If you’re having a cramp, Schell recommended stretching the muscle. If stretching doesn’t help, you can massage the muscle to help it relax using your hands, a foam roller or a tennis ball. If the cramp is in your leg or foot, walking around can often help it to release.

While experts don’t know why a cramp occurs, Schell noted there are some things you can do to help prevent it from happening.

Most cramps go away on their own and allow you to resume your activity. If you do experience lasting pain or soreness from a cramp, try these tips to ease your discomfort.

“Cramps happen occasionally and are at most a minor annoyance,” said Schell. “If they start to interfere with your sleep or if they occur regularly with no clear cause, then talk to your primary care provider. There may be something else going on with your health that should be addressed. 

Are your sitting too much? See 5-minute office stretches from SamFit.

Watch a video from Samaritan Athletic Medicine explaining how to stretch your calves.

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