As if pregnancy wasn’t hard enough with restless legs, round ligament pain and sore boobs, the third trimester brings another affliction to your daily life – leg cramps. It is estimated around 30-50% of pregnant women will experience painful leg cramps during their pregnancy and sadly these are made worse as when you’re peacefully sleeping, pain can strike randomly during the night. But, what exactly are leg cramps? what causes them? and what can you do to ease them? Read on to find out as we discuss pregnancy leg cramps with MD Chun Tang.
What are leg cramps?
Everybody can suffer with leg cramps, but they tend to commonly affect more women when they’re pregnant – especially during their third trimester.
Leg cramps are caused by the muscle in the leg suddenly shortening which causes a strong and shocking pain. They usually affect the calf muscle at the back of the leg, although other muscles in the legs, including feet and thighs can be affected too.
What do leg cramps feel like?
Leg cramps feel like a sudden painful and tight knot in your leg muscles that can completely catch you by surprise. The pain can be severe and sudden and last anywhere from several seconds to several minutes.
The best thing to do is to try and ease the cramp as soon as possible as this will reduce the likelihood of any long term pain.
What causes leg cramps during pregnancy?
So what causes leg cramps during pregnancy? Dr Chun Tang told us:
“It is not known exactly what causes leg cramps during pregnancy. This affliction affects between 30-50% of women and commonly strikes at night whilst you are sleeping. Some reasons could include:
- Stress on the leg muscles due to the increased weight they have to bear
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Too little exercise due to resting more
- Decreased circulation in the legs due to the baby pressing on blood vessels
- Dehydration
- Fluid retention
As there are so many things that could cause leg cramps, it can often be hard to pinpoint the exact cause”
How can you relieve leg cramps?
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to relieve leg cramps, depending on what it is that’s causing them. Dr Tang advises: “When cramps strike, stretch your leg muscles to ease the pain. The easiest way to do this is by standing up and raising your heel so you’re standing on your toes.”
“Make sure you stay hydrated. Aim for at least three litres of water per day. This will keep you and your baby as healthy as possible. It’s also important to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Oily fish such as salmon can help improve circulation. Eating a balanced diet will also ensure you are getting all the vitamins you need to keep you and your baby healthy.
“When it comes to exercise, don’t push yourself too hard. If you work in a job where you’re on your feet all day, try to take more breaks.
“Painkillers such as paracetamol can help ease the pain that may linger after a cramp. Be sure to avoid taking ibuprofen as this painkiller is not recommended for pregnant women.”
Most importantly, Dr Chun explains that you must see your doctor as soon as possible if you find that your leg cramps are one sided or your calves are tender or swollen. “This could be a sign of deep vein thrombosis and although rare, you need to let your doctor rule this out.”
Deep vein thrombosis can be fatal if left untreated which is why it’s so important you seek medical attention if you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above. Don’t worry though, it’s very treatable through the use of injections to thin the blood.
We hope your pregnancy is free from leg cramps, especially as they can come at the most inconsiderate of times. If you feel like there’s anything unusual, it is always best to speak to your doctor or midwife.
