Leg cramps and foot cramps are a big issue for some people. Massage will help the cramps somewhat, but only temporarily. Unfortunately, I think there is more than one cause for this issue and therefore it is difficult to know what treatment to use to help alleviate it. When I search for symptom relief, more often than not the cause listed will be low magnesium levels.
At Valhealing, I have long believed there are cures other than pills which we can use to help cure our own bodies of various ailments. Over the years that I have practiced massage therapy, Pilates, Tai Chi and other disciplines, I have paid attention to what helps my clients feel better.
More often than not, I personally have recommended to my clients with leg cramps that they up their intake of magnesium. For my younger clients, I suggest they move from processed foods as a staple in their diet, to consuming more leafy greens. Magnesium tends to be in foods like greens which you’d have to eat a lot of to get adequate amounts of. Including more spinach and kale in their diet can help. Green beans, broccoli and other greens are also good.
Sometimes the elderly populations have a low appetite or difficulty swallowing. Perhaps they are on medications that use magnesium and therefore tend to seriously impact the body’s natural supply of magnesium, which in turn will disturb electrolyte balances. As someone who is not a physician, I am slow to suggest supplements to the elderly without consulting with their doctor first.
Let me give you an example of what we who care for the elderly can be faced with. I have an elderly client I help care for. She had a fall and bruised her hip and low back she went to see the doctor because she was in pain. When they took her blood pressure it was very high. She did not have a history of high blood pressure. But her doctor insisted on putting her on a blood pressure medicine. When her pain has subsided she started having dizzy spells and felt weak in the morning. Upon checking her blood pressure we realized it had become too low. We eliminated the blood pressure medication which was mainly a very high dose of potassium. However, because of her situation, we substituted a lower dose of potassium and that was enough to reduce her blood pressure without reducing it too much.
Gradually her blood pressure began to stabilize, and her leg cramps are lessening over time as we keep the magnesium and potassium in her system. I am still looking for more help in how to relieve my clients’ leg cramps, so if you know of a well proven method, please leave a comment here on my blog!!
Valentina Boonstra
