Whenever you jog, walk, or even just move your toes, you work your leg muscles by making them contract and relax. Because you use them so much, your muscles need a lot of nourishment. If they don’t get it, they tighten into a painful knot, resulting in muscle cramps. Cramps are the body’s way of telling you that it’s hurting, hungry, and badly in need of rest.

So how do you keep your gams cramps-free? Browse through the gallery for ways to prevent those nasty leg muscle cramps from creeping up on you.


(First published as "Worsening Foot Cramp" in the "Health Check" section of Good Housekeeping Philippines' May 2001 issue. Adapted for use in Female Network. Photo by Hanna Zabielska via sxc.hu)