Question

what causes cramping of muscles and how can it be "countered"?

Answer 1

Cramping occurs when ATP deficits occur. Muscle contraction is ATP dependent - it consumes far more ATP than any other cellular process in myocytes to the extent that it is essentially why myocytes produce so much ATP in the first place - and when ATP use outpaces ATP production and muscles have used up the ATP they already stored, contraction can't happen.

This deficit occurs under a number of different physiologic settings - if the cell runs out of anything it needs to make ATP or if anything builds up that prevents ATP production, then cramping occurs.

In an aerobic setting, this is often a deficit case. The cell runs out of glycogen to break down and use to power aerobic respiration (i.e., production of ATP) and in untrained people, it lacks the metabolic capacity to shift readily enough from glycogen to beta oxidation of lipids to keep up its ATP stores and cramping occurs. This often happens in dehydration, as breakdown of glycogen to metabolically useful glucose requires water (i.e., hydrolysis of bonds between carbohydrate moieties in the glycogen) and when there is no water, the glycogen molecules are not metabolically accessible.

In an anaerobic setting, it is a build up case of lactic acid (a byproduct of anaerobic ATP production). The cell is unable to clear lactic acid fast enough to go on making ATP, so to avoid poisoning itself with lactic acid, it shuts down the metabolic process and makes less ATP.

Answer 2

wow very biological...here i thought it happens when blood flows too much into some part..so how can it be countered? elders say you need to stretch the limbs as far as possible and something like that...

Answer 3

Exercise would probably counter cramping or involuntary muscle contractions... Exercise helps the body to maintain its aerobic capacity... The more you exercise, the better your body works with less oxygen available...

Answer 4

of course because of lactic acid's accumulation. during anaerobic.

Answer 5

some use creatine monohydrate to relief muscle cramp

Answer 6

i believe a sudden movement can cause cramping too right?

Answer 7

of course im going by macro observations hehe

Answer 8

yes.that why stretching is necessary before doing some activities including just simple movement