When it is very hot and you perform intense physical exertion, it is possible to suffer from heat cramps. What is it about ? In what context do they occur? How to prevent and manage them?
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The cramps of heat are muscle spasms. They can occur when a person makes an intense and prolonged effort causing excessive sweating, they drink a large quantity of water and it is very hot. This disorder occurs in healthy people who allow themselves to play sports even on days of heat wave or among workers (construction workers, steelworkers, soldiers). During sweating, electrolytes (calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium) are lost along with some water. The intake of drinking water compensates for this loss but not that of electrolytes, the volume remaining is all the more diluted in the organism. It’s this lack of electrolytes that triggers the cramp.
It is an involuntary contraction of the muscles of the hands, calves, feet, thighs, abdominals or arms. The muscle is then firm, tense and painful. This symptom should be considered as a warning sign from the body. White patches on the skin can also be observed and are linked to dehydration.
Heat cramps can occur during exercise or a few minutes after stopping exercise. Cramps that occur several hours later, during the night, for example, are not heat cramps.
How to prevent heat cramps?
The ideal is to postpone intense physical activity if it is too hot. It is better to do it early in the morning or on another day. If it is not possible to postpone, the person who must perform intense efforts while it is very hot must hydrate but not only. She must also compensate for the loss of electrolytes by drinking salt water, water rich in minerals or by eating salty foods before, during and after exercise. She must be able to stop if a cramp occurs.
How to deal with heat cramps?
When the cramp occurs, the person should stop all physical activity and rest in the shade or in the cool if possible. Stretching the affected muscle effectively relieves pain in general. The person can also massage the contracted area.
To compensate for the loss of salt, drink 1 to 2 liters of water containing 2 teaspoons of salt or isotonic solutions for athletes. If the pain passes, it is possible to gently resume the interrupted physical activity.
If the cramp does not pass with this treatment, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Administration of intravenous solutions of solutes salt may be necessary in the most severe cases
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