How To Uncramp Cramps

Mark Lavallee, chair of the Sports Medicine Society for USA Weightlifting, shares his knowledge of cramps–how to avoid them, how to make them go away–with the Washington Post. On the make cramps go away front, Lavallee suggests drinking water or a sports drink, then waiting a bit. It takes about seven minutes, he says, for your stomach to absorb the liquid. For calves and hamstrings, Lavallee suggests sitting on the ground and stretching your legs. Another option: Emiliano Tramontozzi, fitness manager of a Crunch gym in New York City, tells the Post that cramping responds to relaxation. Tramontozzi suggests diaphragmatic breathing, in through the nose, out through the nose, until the muscles loosen up. Read more about how to relieve cramps in the Washington Post.