Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Induction and Assessment of Exertional Skeletal Muscle Damage in Humans
Published on: December 11, 2016
[Exercise-associated muscle cramps]
1Unité d'orthopédie et traumatologie du sport, Service d'orthopédie, Département de chirurgie, HUG, 1211 Genève 14. Jean-luc.ziltener@hcuge.ch
Exercise-associated muscle cramps are a common issue for endurance athletes. This review explores their causes and treatments, emphasizing the need for thorough investigation when cramps become recurrent or severe.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
Context:
- Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC) are prevalent in endurance athletes.
- Characterized by sudden, painful, involuntary muscle contractions.
- Often benign but require etiologic investigation if recurrent or severe.
Purpose:
- To systematically review historical and recent physiopathological assumptions of EAMC.
- To review therapeutic options for EAMC.
- To guide etiologic research for recurrent or uncomfortable muscle cramps.
Summary:
- EAMC are common in endurance sports, presenting as painful, involuntary muscle contractions.
- Medical history, physical examination, and lab tests aid in identifying causes.
- Physiopathological theories and therapeutic strategies are reviewed, balancing empiricism with limited clinical trials.
Impact:
- Provides a comprehensive overview of EAMC for athletes and medical professionals.
- Highlights the importance of differential diagnosis for persistent muscle cramps.
- Informs evidence-based management strategies for exercise-induced muscle cramping.
More Related Videos
16:16Membrane Potentials, Synaptic Responses, Neuronal Circuitry, Neuromodulation and Muscle Histology Using the Crayfish: Student Laboratory Exercises
Published on: January 18, 2011
07:32Experimental Protocol of a Three-minute, All-out Arm Crank Exercise Test in Spinal-cord Injured and Able-bodied Individuals
Published on: June 8, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Muscle Recovery and Fatigue
Muscle Stimulation Frequency
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects
Unlike...
Exercise and Muscle Performance
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
Muscle Contraction
Muscle Contraction