Ways To Treat And Prevent A Charley Horse

Drink Plenty Of Water And Electrolytes

The underlying cause of charley horses is often due to dehydration, so drinking plenty of water and electrolytes can be very beneficial. Electrolytes include potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and other substances that help conduct electricity. They are critical because proper electrolyte balances help maintain water levels and keep nerves from misfiring. If a patient thinks they lack electrolytes, consider eating coconut water, bananas, potatoes, pickles, milk, and spinach. They can also get electrolytes in sports drinks formulated to help with hydration. Individuals should try to drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day to ensure they are getting adequate water throughout the day. Making sure to maintain hydration and electrolyte levels is particularly important if the individual loses a lot of water due to sweating, intense exercising, or by drinking diuretics like coffee, black tea, or alcohol.

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Avoid Exercising In Severe Weather

Since charley horses tend to happen after exercising, individuals need to be particularly careful about their habits when they are trying to get into shape. One of the most important things to do is avoid exercising in severe weather because it is so easy to get dehydrated. Any time it is very hot, individuals can get dehydrated and develop charley horses more easily. Keep in mind that humid, hot weather tends to cause more sweating than dry, hot weather. This happens because the body cannot evaporate sweat as easily in humid air, so it produces more and more sweat in an attempt to stay cool. Any time weather is severe like this, individuals need to exercise caution before going outside for physical activity. They should consider exercising indoors if possible, and if they must exercise when it is hot outside, drink a lot of extra water and take additional electrolytes.

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