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Painful calf muscle

12 replies

LilacWine7 · 31/07/2015 19:18

2 days ago I woke up in the night with severe cramp in my lower leg, couldn't stretch out the muscle for several minutes as it was rigid and so painful. It was fine the day after but I woke up this morning struggling to put weight through that leg, the muscle feels bruised/torn, it hurts to walk and to straighten toes. Is this normal after a muscle cramp?

Any tips to stop it happening again?

OP posts:

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mygreeneyedboy · 31/07/2015 19:27

Really normal sorry! Take magnesium supplements to reduce chances of getting a cramp. And just massage your leg.

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TedGlen · 31/07/2015 19:45

It probably is the after effects of the cramp. To be on the safe side, though, please call your midwife as pregnancy increases your risk of dvt.

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sarkymare · 31/07/2015 20:02

Yep this is perfectly normal after a leg cramp. Annoying but normal.

I've been getting them quite frequently and the muscle will be very tender to touch or bare weight for upwards of 3 days afterwards.

Do you have a partner that can stretch your leg out for you if it happens again? I can't physically stretch it myself it's that painful, but the cramp stops almost immediately once DP grabs my ankle and pushes my foot towards me.

Oh a glass of water before bed is supposed to help too.

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Doublebubblebubble · 31/07/2015 20:57

Its so normal. I have been suffering something awful with cramping. My midwife said that drinking tonic water (as in gin and tonic without the gin) eating bananas and trying although its almost impossible to make sure that you don't do this when you're asleep to not stretch your leg out to a point... You kind of need to spiral stretch it (I wiggle my ankles to a point - not sure that makes sense lol)... Its so annoying when it happens at night x good luck x

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BikeRunSki · 31/07/2015 20:58

I had that too - magnesium supplements sorted it out.

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CoffeeAndOranges · 31/07/2015 21:02

That happened to me last week - woke up shouting so much in pain that I think DH thought I'd gone into premature labour (only 23 weeks!) I couldn't move my leg at all and it was so painful. Luckily he knew straightaway it was cramp and gently bent my ankle to straighten the muscle out, which eased it immediately - I don't know what I'd have done if I was on my own as I was so disorientated I don't think I really knew what it was. It felt so sore and bruised the next day and for a couple of days after.

I didn't realise there could be a DVT risk - I will definitely mention it to my midwife on Monday when I go.

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CoffeeAndOranges · 01/08/2015 06:45

This has just happened to me again! Woke up in agony at 5am, poor dh wrenched out of sleep performing physio on me. Now legs aching and I can't get back to sleep as daren't leg my leg straighten in case it does it again.

Off to find some magnesium...

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GotTheKey · 01/08/2015 08:51

I could have written this post, OP! I feel your pain. Mine went about 3 days after xx

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docmcstuffins1 · 01/08/2015 09:20

Ouch! Sounds sore. It is normal for a muscle to hurt after cramp (the cramp tears the small muscle fibres so it causes bleeding and inflammation). If your calf is still hard, red, hot or swollen though that would indicate a DVT and should be looked at by a Dr (MW would likely tell you to see a Dr).

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Laura7010 · 01/08/2015 19:10

Hi lilac I get this a lot and the limping after is normal I'm afraid especially if it is bad. All tips given are good but I know you may find it hard to keep tonic down etc... I twist my ankle if I feel it coming on as a PP mentioned. It's pants, I'm sorry.

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lauraa4 · 01/08/2015 22:04

I wake up most nights with cramp in either one of my calf muscles. I normally get out of bed and either sort of jump up and down a few times or walk around. Makes it go straight away.