You may have ever experienced a muscular contracture in one of your toes that has forced you to suspend what you are doing. This type of discomfort is a cramp and can occur in different body parts, such as hands, legs, feet, and fingers and toes.
They are produced by excessive physical activity, are the warning of a circulatory ailment, or are related to a problem of the nervous system. If you want to know more about the causes of toe cramps and how to get rid of them, continue reading this article from FastlyHeal.
Table of Contents
Why do toe cramps
The causes of toe cramps can be varied, among which we can mention:
Wear tight shoes
The use of narrow footwear generates pressure on the muscles and the vascular and nervous parts of the feet, thus generating the appearance of cramps. Wearing tight shoes can lead to Morton’s neuroma, characterized by cramps in the toes, especially between the third and fourth toes.
Dehydration
This situation occurs more frequently in athletes due to excessive loss of fluids. This also causes a decrease in calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The latter is responsible for the appearance of muscle spasms in the feet and other parts of the body.
Pregnancy
During this stage, the legs and feet swell due to hormonal changes and weight gain, which triggers venous disorders that promote cramps.
Biomechanical problems
A bad footprint or staying for many hours in the same position can cause toe cramps.
Diseases
- Diabetes: people with long-standing diabetes present alteration of muscle fibers; therefore, cramps appear after years of the disease.
- Hypothyroidism: the alteration of the thyroid gland reduces the production of the hormone, generating the appearance of some symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, cold, muscle aches, and cramps.
- Anemia: This blood disorder can cause cramps caused by decreased blood flow to the tissues.
- Renal insufficiency: renal insufficiency generates alteration of sodium, calcium, and potassium electrolytes. This causes the appearance of cramps in different parts of the body.
Medicines
The consumption of certain medicines results in the appearance of cramps. This is the case with diuretics, which allow fluid loss accompanied by electrolytes such as potassium, triggering this discomfort in the toes.
Aging
Toe cramps are common after age 50. This is due to the loss of calcium from the bones and the elasticity of the muscles. As one advances in age, vascular function and nervous one are affected, giving rise to the appearance of cramps.
How to get rid of toe cramps
If you suffer from toe cramps, follow these tips, and you will see the discomfort improve much faster:
- Wiggle your toes, flex them, lift your foot, and place your heel on the floor. This should be repeated until the pain disappears.
- When you suffer a cramp, please put all your weight on your foot so that it will pass in a few seconds.
- If the cramp persists, you can apply heat to your toes with a warm, damp cloth.
- Use appropriate footwear for the activity you do so that your foot is comfortable.
- When carrying out any physical activity, you must hydrate to avoid the loss of electrolytes that give rise to the appearance of cramps.
- Applying a good foot massage, especially after physical activity or feeling very tired, will help you avoid this discomfort. In this sense, you must rub your feet to achieve relaxation of the muscles.
- The daily practice of physical stretching reduces the predisposition to suffer from this condition.
- Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables high in fiber.
Home remedies for toe cramps
There are home remedies used with excellent results to treat toe cramps. Below, you will know some of them:
- Arnica: used to prevent and cure circulatory conditions, it also has an anti-inflammatory effect. Arnica can be applied in the form of an infusion, immersing the feet in it for about 10 to 15 minutes or using the tincture and placing it in a container to rest the feet. You can do this 1 to 2 times a day until the cramps disappear.
- Ginkgo biloba: has properties to improve circulation and is anti-inflammatory. You should boil three tablespoons of Ginkgo Biloba leaves in a cup of water for about 10 minutes, then let it steep so that you can drink 1 to 2 cups a day.
- Essential oils: those of thyme, rosemary, pine, and eucalyptus allow the area with the cramp to relax. You have to place a few drops of these oils on a towel, cover your feet with it and let it act for a few minutes.
- Horse chestnut: circulatory problems can trigger the appearance of cramps. Therefore, the use of this plant improves circulation, providing better oxygenation to the tissues. This plant comes in capsules, and you can take it daily at a rate of 500 mg 2 times a day.
- Horsetail is a plant used to restore minerals and electrolytes such as silicon and potassium. You can take it as a daily infusion to correct the deficit caused by the presence of toe cramps.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Cramps in the toes: causes and how to remove them, we recommend that you enter our category of Bones, joints, and muscles.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.