Muscle Aches and Cramps Soothing Action That Brings Relief

Soothing Action That Brings Relief

For a child, occasional muscle aches or cramps seem to come with the territory. Whether it's general soreness in your daughter's back and shoulders from overdoing her butterfly stroke or a painful cramp in the calf muscle that awakens your son from a sound sleep, the pains that plague kids can range from mild to severe.

Frequently, muscle aches strike active kids who like to exert themselves. But sedentary children can be troubled by muscle aches, too. '' When kids who are unused to exercise try to push themselves to keep up in gym class or at play with their friends, they often overuse their muscles,'' says George H. Durham II, M.D., a pediatrician at the Bryner Clinic and a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Utah School of Medicine, both in Salt Lake City.

Muscle aches can afflict kids any time of the day or night. Children who exercise in extreme heat sometimes get painful ( but not serious) ''heat cramps'' in the calf, thigh or abdomen. Other painful cramps in the calf, foot or thigh occur at night and awaken kids from sleep, adds Dr. Durham.

''Night cramps happen to well-nourished, healthy, active children,'' he says. ''They may be the result, according to some studies, of very active leg movements during certain portions of the sleep cycle.'' You can't prevent all muscle aches and cramps, but by following these steps you can help your child feel more comfortable.

Fight heat with a stretch-and-chill. ''If a heat cramp has already hit, give your child something to drink, stretch out the muscle and apply an ice-pack to it for up to 20 minutes,'' advises Brian Halpern, M.D., clinical instructor of sports medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and fellowship director of Sports Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, in New Brunswick. Be sure to wrap the ice-pack in a towel so it won't freeze the skin.

Beat the heat with liquids. Heat cramps are preventable, doctors say. But you need to take along a water bottle to your child's summer soccer game. '' Your child can avoid cramping by drinking plenty of liquids during exercise, especially in the hot weather,'' says Dr. Halpern. For very active sports like soccer, tennis or football, he should drink a few ounces every 10 to 20 minutes or so in hot weather--and have a cupful of water or sports drink whenever there's a break in the game.

Plan to build fitness gradually. A child who pushes his muscles harder than they want to go will surely feel the pain. ''In Utah, many of our school programs encourage kids to run half a mile to a mile every day under the direction of the teacher,'' says Dr. Durham. ''That can put a lot of pressure on the child who is overweight or not as athletic as the others. When these kids force themselves to keep up, they often suffer leg aches from doing too much, too soon.

''A better approach is to encourage your child to build up strength and endurance gradually. Exercising that way is less intimidating to him, and less stressful to the muscles,'' Dr. Durham says.

After a tough workout, coddle the muscles. Even active kids may have muscle pain as a result of strenuous physical exercise. '' When the muscles are stressed, there is some tissue swelling and an accumulation of metabolic waste products,'' explains Flavia Marino, M.D., a clinical instructor in pediatrics at New York University Medical Center, Tisch Hospital, and a pediatrician in New York City. This causes a little soreness, which is nothing to worry about, Dr. Marino says.

''Some rest, perhaps a warm compress over the sore muscle, and some acetaminophen [Children's Tylenol] should do the trick,'' says Dr. Marino. Check the package directions for the correct dosage for your child's age and weight, or check with your physician.

Be reassuring about night cramps. ''Night cramps can be very frightening to kids, particularly when they are in that preadolescent stage when they tend to be very concerned about their bodies. They may be worried that there's something horrendous going on,'' says Dr. Durham. He recommends that you reassure your child that cramping is normal. If this is something that you, too, have experienced, tell your child about it--and let him know it's probably a passing phase.

Rub away the knot. ''Massaging the cramped muscle in the direction that it runs should unknot it and make the pain go away,'' says Dr. Marino. ''But your child may get some additional comfort from a hot-water bottle or a warm compress,'' she adds.