Muscular Knots

I was abruptly awaken from my slumber, not by a nightmare but by an unbearable, excruciating pain on my left calf. It was so painful that I nearly woke up screaming my lungs out. But this pain was all too familiar to me. I have had my fair share of, what we call cramps. It hurts like a bitch every time I get it...

Cramps it seems has two causes, one from the build up of lactic acid and the other lack of water and salt. Lactic acid build up happens due to inadequate oxygenation especially when we exercise. The other is just simply low intake of water and salt. The former seems unlikely since the only 'rigorous exercise' I do is walk to work from LRT station. The cramp that I experienced is called 'Nocturnal Leg Cramp'.

I learned a nifty trick to reduce the trauma of cramps. Cramps make the muscle to contract involuntarily and violently. Whenever there's a cramp coming along, I'll extend / stretch my muscle preventing the muscle from contracting. I do this till the cramp stops. I feel it reduces the pain after the cramp.

I remember when I was still in high school, I woke up from my sleep screaming like I was in some horror movie. I had cramps on both my left and right calves. Talk about shitty luck. I was in total agony and it was a very long episode of cramps. I literally cried that night. The next morning, I could barely limped and my calves were very weak and sore.

I gotta start drinking more water and eat more salt. I should reduce wanking frequency to conserve water than eh? I should start eat bananas too.

Hmmm... Anyone willing to offer me bananas?

-Live Long & Prosper