Reader Question #1

The following question has been posed: What causes cramps?
The short answer is this: Muscle cramps are caused by an inappropriate shortening of muscle fibers. This can be caused by many different things, from chemical imbalances(calcium, potassium, etc...) to physical trauma. One of the more common causes of muscle cramps is a reactive shortening of muscle fibers due to a sudden stretch placed on the muscle. This can be from a hyper-extension, or when a flexed muscle is suddenly lengthened. This causes the body to reflexively shorten the muscle, to protect it from tearing. This reflexive shortening is the muscle spasm or cramp that causes pain. Often these spasms can then be held by segmental facilitation of the autonomic nervous system (over active nervous output)until some action is taken to release the muscle (stretching, counter-strain treatment, etc).

(Boosh)