Twisting & Twitching Toes

An Inactive Lifestyle Can Cause Toe Cramps

Wedges, pumps, stilettos, cone heels, ankle booties and more help women seem taller by 8 inches or more. Walking in stilettos needs one to master the art carefully as it is no joke moving around with such high heels. Our poor toes and feet withstand the heel’s pressure. These tiny little body parts are pressurized each day to bear the brunt of our body’s weight. Sometimes, people apply pressure to the toes while playing some sport or during some fast-paced action making toe cramps common.
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Toe cramps happen suddenly and might seem harmless but sometimes the twitching and twisting results in extreme pain. You might experience a toe cramp due to different reasons:

Ill-fitting shoes: Pointed heels, shoes that are too tight near the toes or ones that don’t fit you right can put pressure on the entire feet, especially the toes. When the shoes don’t fit you well, they might cause muscle injuries too.

Dystonia: Spasms of a group of muscles or even a single muscle. This is not a disease, but a symptom caused due to other diseases such as multiple sclerosis, brain injuries, Wilson’s disease or even stroke.

Blood flow: Improper postures can affect blood flow to different parts of the body. Lack of proper blood flow to the feet or toes results in aches and spasms. Even sitting continuously for hours, sitting cross-legged for a long time or suffering from diabetes impacts blood flow to the toes.

Neuropathy: Damage to the nerves causes spasms, pain, cramps and tingling. Parkinson’s disease and diabetes are two conditions that can cause nerve damage.

Dehydration: We must always consume sufficient amount of water to stay healthy. Dehydration is a major reason for muscle cramps on the toes. These are sure to happen when the muscles are overexerted or when the shoes don’t fit well. Dehydration can also cause electrolyte imbalance which again cause spasm or cramps. Also, any problems with any organs can cause organ failure which again can alter electrolyte levels. This prevents the body from absorbing nutrients. Individuals with a higher risk for kidney or liver failure should visit a doctor if they experience muscle spasms.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS): Almost one-third of people aged above 50 experience RLS which is characterized by foot and leg cramps during the night and an odd sensation in the leg both of which make it difficult for a person to fall asleep during the night. For more insight into RLS, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com where you can find a detailed explanation.

Muscle tightening: Each of our toes are made of hundreds of muscles that help in movement and any tightness in these muscles can cause muscle spasms and pain. Learning a new exercise, not leading an active lifestyle or not stretching before exercise are common causes of muscle tightening.

Treatment
There is no treatment as such recommended as home remedies are the ones that are often sought after for treating muscle spasms. These include:

1. Stretching the toes, rotating it and then flexing ankle anywhere between 5 and 10 times provides relief.
2. Some try ice packs while some others go for heat packs. You can switch between hot and cold packs for relief.
3. Following the RICE sequence of resting the injured part, applying ice, wrapping it with a bandage and keeping it in an elevated position for about 20 minutes every 2-3 hours can minimize pain.
4. Many people prefer to go for a leg, feet or ankle massage to relieve the spasm.
5. Simple exercises such as walking strengthen toe, feet and leg muscles. It is generally seen that people try to pick an object lying on the floor with the help of their toes when they feel lazy to bend down. You can try the same as an exercise for your toe. Keep some object on the ground and try to pick it with your toe.
   
   

Each of us might experience toe cramps any time in life but leading an active lifestyle, stretching your leg and toe muscles daily, pursuing some exercise regularly and keeping yourself fit can help in avoiding toe cramps as much as possible. There is no need to meet a physician until the cramps become unmanageable, the foot is swollen or doesn’t become better with the above treatments. The doctor recommends treatment after diagnosing the cause. Medications, physical therapy, surgical options and lifestyle changes are often suggested for treating a toe cramp.