Have you ever experience that moment where you're reaching to grab something up high, or bending down to pick something from up off the floor, and all of a sudden your entire back wrenches in pain due to a muscle spasm? You feel like you can't even move and all you were trying to do was get something! How could such a small and simple task result in such terrible pain?
Well, it wasn't simply that one task. For starters, your muscle was already strained and you just didn't know it. You pushed that muscle to it's limit, so it stiffened into spasm to protect itself from further damage. Typically, muscle spasms come from repetitive motions or movements such as heavy lifting or poor posture from slouching in front of a computer. when your muscle has experienced strain over a period of time, one quick movement will cause it to spasm. When this happens, the blood supply is cut off, resulting in even more pain...the kind that leaves you sitting still, unable to move for hours. If you are looking to avoid muscle spasms, or to reduce the pain from one that has already occurred, follow our tips:
Get plenty of restorative rest, and stretch both before going to sleep and first thing when you wake up in the morning.
Increase your daily intake of magnesium and calcium, as muscle spasms are thought to be caused by low levels of both.
Treat yourself to periodic massages to loosen your stiff muscles.
Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. A good rule of thumb is to consume 1/2 oz. for every pound you weigh. So, if you weight 180 lbs, you should be drinking at least 60 ounces of water per day.
Schedule regular chiropractic visits.
Chiropractic care naturally helps correct any stress on the nervous system, allowing your body to function properly. This will help treat an existing muscle spasm, or help to prevent it from ever happening in the first place!
