Take a Salt Bath Soak your legs for 15 to 20 minutes in lukewarm water with Epsom salts, which helps relax muscles and ease swelling. If you don't have a bathtub, try to find a bucket big enough to fit at least one leg at a time, with the water covering your legs up to your knees.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration has been linked to muscle cramps for a long time. Dehydration and electrolyte depletion in marathon runners causes leg muscle cramps. Therefore, you can improve your symptoms by drinking plenty of water.
Most leg pain results from wear and tear, overuse, or injuries in joints or bones or in muscles, ligaments, tendons or other soft tissues. Some types of leg pain can be traced to problems in your lower spine. Leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, varicose veins or poor circulation.
Calf raises are one of the best leg strengthening exercises for seniors. To do them, stand straight and rise on the toes as high as possible, keeping your heels off the ground. Then slowly return to your normal position. This can help you walk on uneven ground and improve your overall health.
The older you are, the more likely you are to have leg cramps. This is because your tendons (the tissues that connect your muscles to your bones) naturally shorten as you age. You're also more likely to get them if you're a woman. Up to 60% of adults get leg cramps at night, as do up to 40% of children and teenagers.
Apples are another fiber-rich, anti-inflammatory fruit, and they deliver added benefits for gut health. Pineapple is also on our short list for its bromelain content, a nutrient that has shown to reduce joint pain caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Vitamin B1 deficiency can cause heavy and tired legs after running, muscle cramps, fatigue, and odd sensations in your legs and feet. Some foods rich in vitamin B1 include whole grains, vegetables, legumes, milk products, and meat.
Bananas: A Time-Tested Treatment
You probably know that bananas are a good source of potassium. But they'll also give you magnesium and calcium. That's three out of four nutrients you need to ease muscle cramps tucked under that yellow peel.
Apple cider vinegar contains analgesic properties, which soothe inflammation and offer pain relief in the legs. On an empty stomach, preferably early in the morning, drink a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar. Alternatively, you can mix the solution in your bath water before you bathe.
Dr. Knepper says walking encourages small arteries in the legs to enlarge, which increases blood flow. “Keep in mind that the pain you might feel while walking is not causing further damage,” he says. If your doctor approves, you can begin a simple walking routine that will start to improve your leg health.
Humans with vitamin D deficiency exhibit muscle pain in muscles at multiple locations. However, the strongest association between vitamin D deficiency and pain is reported to occur in leg muscles (Heidari et al., 2010).
The best type of magnesium for arthritis is magnesium chloride, especially topical magnesium chloride.
The essential mineral can help relieve muscle pain by getting glucose, the body's main energy source, into the muscles. This increases blood sugar availability for exercise and other activities. In addition, research shows that magnesium helps neutralize the pain-generating lactic acid during exercise.
Initial research conducted at the North Carolina Research Campus has found that bananas can relieve pain and inflammation just as well. Bananas eaten during exercise are equal to sports drinks and they contain metabolites that function like ibuprofen.
Consuming eggs regularly can lead to an increased amount of swelling and joint pain. The yolks contain arachidonic acid, which helps trigger inflammation in the body. Eggs also contain saturated fat which can also induce joint pain.
Since magnesium plays a role in neuromuscular transmission and muscle contraction, it has been hypothesised that magnesium deficiency may predispose to muscle cramps. Thus magnesium supplements are often recommended to prevent cramps.
Home Remedies For Leg Pain and Cramps
Movement – get out of bed and press your feet against the floor, or walk around the room to aid muscle movement and blood circulation. Applying a cold or hot press – try using a heating pad or ice pack on the painful area of your leg to ease the discomfort.
Strength training is the secret to muscle growth for older adults. It's best to do this with light weights and to work slowly. Slow movements with lighter weights force your muscles to work harder. If you don't have a set of weights, you can use your body weight with resistance exercises like push-ups and squats.
Poor Circulation
Poor circulation often causes leg weakness. This condition is caused by plaque build-up in the arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to the muscles and tissues of the body. The build-up causes blood to move slower, thus resulting in muscle fatigue and weakness.
People who have low levels of vitamin D often have joint pain. Vitamin D supplements may treat joint pain in some people who have a vitamin D deficiency. However, research doesn't support that people with healthy levels of vitamin D take should take these supplements for joint pain.