If your toes cramp and lock up, even during the night, find a solution for your problem now. Toe cramps can occur from many things, including vitamin deficiency and poor-fitting shoes. The cramps can keep you from sleeping, working, or playing. You can relieve your symptoms now with the explanations and tips below.
Why Do Your Toes Cramp and Lock Up?
The muscles in your feet require potassium and several other vitamins and minerals to function properly. The nutrients work with other bodily chemicals to control the contractions your muscles make when you move. If you have too much or too little of a nutrient in your body, the muscles in your toes can develop spasms. The spasms can cause your toes to cramp, lock, or stiffen up.
In addition, your shoes can also affect the muscles in your toes. Wearing footwear that places stress on your toes can cause them to lock up and cramp. Your toes should have enough room in your shoes to flex and wriggle. But if your shoes restrict movement in your toes, oxygen and blood can't circulate to the tissues freely. Your toes cramp instead. Some people's toes even spread out or overlap each other.
Now that you know the possible reasons for your cramped and locked toes, you can do something about them.
How Do You Unlock Your Cramping Toes?
If you wear narrow, tight, or restricting footwear, such as women's stilettos and men's wingtips, give them a break and opt for more comfortable footwear. You should be able to wriggle and flex your toes without pain. Your shoes should also take pressure off your toes when you walk or stand up. For example, your high heels shouldn't force or place all of your weight on your toes when you wear them.
Also, add more potassium, vitamin D, magnesium, and calcium to your daily diet. You can do this by eating nutrient-rich kale, pinto beans, and unsalted sunflower seeds. Vitamin-D enriched cereals and milk may also help. Don't forget to drink water and other clear liquids during the day. Water not only keeps your muscles hydrated and healthy, the natural liquid can also help your muscles absorb and use their nutrients properly.
If you still experience painful, locked toes, contact a podiatrist for treatment. A podiatrist can examine your toes to see if you have any type of damage in them, including muscle tears and inflammation. Injuries to the joints may also cause problems with your toes' muscles.
For more information about your toes, contact a podiatrist today, such as at Advanced Foot Clinic.
Share23 November 2017
When I developed tendinitis of my foot and ankle, my podiatrist helped me on the road to recovery. An over-use injury from the job caused me considerable pain in my foot and ankle. Ice, elevation, rest, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory relieved my inflammation of the tendons. My podiatrist also prescribed physical therapy, which helped restore my mobility. Gentle stretching exercises performed during physical therapy seemed to have a positive effect. I was shown how to follow up these exercises at home. After several weeks of following doctor's orders, my podiatrist was happy with the results. The bottom line is if you're suffering from foot pain or injury, you should see a foot specialist as soon as possible because treatment options are available.
