Muscle Cramps and The Complete Body

Muscle Cramps affect The Complete Body. Because the Muscles are connected to the body's Nervous System any muscle can be affected by cramps. The human body is like a fine piece of machinery which has, just like the machine, an intricate electrical system. The difference is our body's electrical system never switches off unless we die. A machine's electrical system is disabled when the power is disconnected from it. Usually by a switch.

The only time the power is disconnected from one of the body's nerves is if the nerve is severed either surgically or by trauma. If that happens the muscle it is attached to becomes paralyzed. - just the way a light does not work if the wire to it is broken.

The body's nervous system starts in the Brain and travels to all parts of the body via the Spinal Column. It branches out and connects to all of the muscles. The machines operating actuators.

What causes Muscle Cramps? I once had it explained to me that a cramp is like a "Short Circuit" in the body's electrical system. Simple explanation but fairly accurate.

If a nerve becomes pinched or is touched or damaged then the flow of electricity in the body is thrown out of balance. This causes the corresponding muscle to act in a very strange and unpredictable way. The muscle sometimes rolls up into a ball. You may have seen someone suffering a cramp in the Calf Muscle where the back of the leg seems to roll into a ball.

Different nerves and muscles react in different ways. There is a nerve, when affected causes a muscle cramp that makes the Big Toe to try to stand up at a right angle to the foot. Because the power is still flowing to the muscle it tries to continue its movement even though it has reached the limit of its travel. That would be like continuing to send power to an actuator when it can't go any further. It is still trying to move but it can't. From experience, I can tell you that is very painful.

There is another that causes the (Tibialis Anterior ) shin muscle to try to roll up. Some times the Thigh Muscle often called the Quadricep is affected. All of these are due to a reaction from the Sciatic Nerve.

The Lower Back and Sciatic Nerves.

Images from Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. Gerard J. Tortora and Bryan Derrickson 12th EditionJohn Wiley & Sons Inc.

There are lots of other muscles affected by muscle cramps. Muscles in the Arms, the Back and the Stomach. Stomach cramps can be quite dangerous especially if you are swimming when the attack occurs. My mother would never let me go swimming for at least half hour after eating. If the attack occurs while swimming the body can go into spasm where you are unable to move. Of course, this can result in drowning. I was given an anecdotal story many years ago by an acquaintance about how he observed an "object" bobbing up and down in the water. He went to investigate and found a man with his knees drawn up to his chest and unable to move. The guy was suffering from stomach cramps. Luckily someone spotted him.

The arm muscles are often affected by cramps. Especially the ones just below the elbow. This is usually a result of something out of place in the Thoracic area of the spine. Another, caused by nerves in the same area is when the muscle at the lower end of the Shoulder Blade goes into spasm. I have experienced this and it is quite painful and seems to just hang on. It can take quite a few minutes to subside.

Sometimes we experience cramps which are not severe enough to cause the muscles to go into spasm. They are intermittent impulses which cause certain muscles to twitch. These twitches can occur anywhere in the body. Sometimes in the Thighs or Lower Legs and Toes. Sometimes in the Arms. I would have to suggest that the most annoying is when the muscles in Face, around the Mouth or Eyes are affected. Twitches in this area are very embarrassing to the sufferer who becomes very self conscious about the condition.

Other factors can also cause muscle cramps. The complete body nervous system, to operate properly with its associated "Electrical" impulses requires the Electrolytes to be in balance. During exercise and endurance racing, particularly in hot conditions, the Electrolytes can get out of balance due to dehydration. Some interesting articles can be found on these.

Muscle Cramps and Electrolytes