Muscle cramps may be broken down into three main categories.

Ischemic

Metabolic

Biomechanical

Ischemia is the term used to describe a situation when there is insufficient circulation to tissue. When blood flow to a muscle is inadequate, the muscle will cramp. The pain that accompanies the cramp prompts us to walk or rub the cramp which in turn results in increased circulation. Ischemic cramping typically occurs at night and is called nocturnal claudication. Muscle cramping due to ischemia can also occur with exercise and is called intermittent claudication. Doctors will fairly often ask patients with poor circulation to describe how far they might walk before the cramp and will use this as a measure of their peripheral vascular disease.

The most common metabolic deficiency that causes foot and leg cramping is low potassium. Hypokalemia (low potassium) might result from over exercise, utilize of diuretics (water pills) and a host of other reasons. Potassium is one of the two primary molecules that controls how our muscles work. In addition to potassium, sodium works to initiate muscle contraction and an imbalance or lack of these two salts will result in cramping

Biomechanics is the science of how the body moves. The biomechanics of walking and running is quite complex. The act of walking is a finely tuned symphony of brain messages and muscle contraction. If an imbalance is found in muscle groups and one group is forced to work too much, muscle cramping can occur. Muscle cramping happens almost always in the foot as evidenced by a cramp of the big toe or calf. As with ischemic cramping, we will be forced to walk off the cramp and in this case affecting the biomechanics. Biomechanical cramping could be helped with supportive shoes and arch supports.

Cramping can commonly be a sign of a more serious health problems and usually means that a trip to your family doctor could be in order. We recommend you visit your physician should you have any questions regarding cramping.