{"id":24577,"date":"2026-04-10T13:24:58","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T19:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goldcrownfoundation.com\/?p=24577"},"modified":"2026-04-15T13:42:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T19:42:41","slug":"muscle-cramps-in-young-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goldcrownfoundation.com\/es\/muscle-cramps-in-young-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Muscle Cramps in Young Athletes: Causes, Treatment and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pl-24577\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-24577-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-24577-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-24577-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p data-start=\"20\" data-end=\"541\">Muscle cramps are a common, and often painful, part of youth sports, but what actually causes them may surprise you. To better understand why cramps happen and how to respond, we leaned on our partners from the Sports Medicine Center at Children\u2019s Hospital Colorado. Dennis Coonan, Program Manager and Head Athletic Trainer, shares expert insight on the causes, treatment and prevention of muscle cramps in young athletes.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<div class=\"headingproperty\" data-block-id=\"86389\" data-block-type=\"headingproperty\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cramps are an unavoidable part of sports for young athletes, but these painful muscle spasms are more involved than you think. We\u00a0spoke\u00a0with\u00a0Dennis Coonan, Program Manager of the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.childrenscolorado.org\/doctors-and-departments\/departments\/orthopedics\/programs\/sports-medicine-center\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Sports Medicine Center<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0and athletic trainer,\u00a0to understand\u00a0more about cramps and what athletes and coaches can do to help.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:150,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">What are muscle cramps?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:150,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Muscle cramps are caused by\u00a0a neuromuscular\u00a0(the connection between the brain and muscles)\u00a0misfire where the muscle loses the ability to function.\u00a0This could be due to fatigue in the\u00a0muscle\u00a0or imbalances in the\u00a0body,\u00a0but it\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0always one or the other.\u00a0Most commonly, young competitors feel cramps or \u201ccharley horses\u201d in their calves,\u00a0thighs\u00a0and arches of their\u00a0feet, but\u00a0a cramp can occur in other extremities too, based on their sport.\u00a0Males and older people are also more prone to getting cramps than females and younger people.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As Coonan notes, some people are prone to muscle cramps\u00a0when brushing their teeth in the morning,\u00a0and some\u00a0get them during exercise only. Either way, they can be painful and cause\u00a0an athlete to stop their play\u00a0suddenly.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What are the symptoms of a muscle cramp?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">While everyone may feel cramps differently,\u00a0typical symptoms include:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"13\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sudden sharp pain<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"14\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Involuntary muscle contraction<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"15\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Muscle contraction that can be seen or felt<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"16\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stiffness or tenderness<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"17\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Twitching or spasm<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span data-contrast=\"none\">What causes muscle cramps in sports?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:450,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">While there\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0exact research to\u00a0identify\u00a0what causes\u00a0young athletes to cramp, there are some myths.\u00a0Such as\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.childrenscolorado.org\/just-ask-childrens\/articles\/hyper-hydration-in-young-athletes\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">hydration<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, or lack thereof.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cCramps are not related to\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.childrenscolorado.org\/just-ask-childrens\/articles\/sports-dehydration-safety-tips\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">dehydration<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d Coonan says. \u201cAlthough it could be a secondary factor,\u00a0neuromuscular fatigue is likely the biggest culprit.\"\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">While proper hydration is an important part of playing sports and contributes to performance, there\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0a direct correlation to cramps.\u00a0Interestingly, some genetic variations may influence\u00a0an\u00a0athlete's\u00a0sensitivity\u00a0to exercise-associated muscle cramps, meaning\u00a0cramps\u00a0may be inherited.\u00a0But overall,\u00a0cramps are\u00a0muslce fibers that are not firing in the correct way caused by\u00a0fatigure, lack of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.childrenscolorado.org\/just-ask-childrens\/articles\/strength-conditioning-benefits-children\/\">conditioning<\/a>, imbalance in chemicals such as electrolytes or just plain overexertion.\u00a0That tiredness\u00a0can be caused by many factors such as weather,\u00a0lack of conditioning, an imbalance of chemicals such as electrolytes\u00a0or\u00a0just plain\u00a0overexertion.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-contrast=\"none\">How are sports related muscle cramps treated?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:450,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">While it may look like an athlete is leaving the field due to an injury, it could also be a cramp.\u00a0You\u2019ll\u00a0often see athletic trainers or coaches helping with the\u00a0three research proven ways to treat a cramp on the sidelines: stretching the muscle, direct\u00a0pressure\u00a0and ice.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cStretching is the gold standard of how to treat a cramp,\u201d Coonan says.\u00a0\u201cWhile stretching and applying ice at the same time\u00a0can\u00a0break up the spasm that\u2019s happening and get the area to relax.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Many people believe\u00a0that mustard packets,\u00a0salt tablets,\u00a0pickle\u00a0juice\u00a0or electrolyte drinks can treat a cramp. But unfortunately, these tactics\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0proven to work.\u00a0Eating mustard packets\u00a0or drinking pickle juice\u00a0is thought to disrupt the pathways and potentially override the signals causing the cramp while\u00a0salt tablets\u00a0or an electrolyte drink\u00a0can correct an electrolyte imbalance. But those\u00a0methods\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0proven and as Coonan\u00a0warns, a fast influx of salt can\u00a0be\u00a0dangerous,\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0fluid\u00a0can take\u00a0around 40 minutes to affect an athlete\u2019s system.\u00a0However,\u00a0it's\u00a0not lost on professionals that\u00a0some\u00a0athletes believe in methods such as mustard or pickle\u00a0juice to recover quickly.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cI'm one of those people that I'm like, look, this didn't work, this didn't work, this didn't work; let's try mustard,\u201d Coonan says.\u00a0\u201cLet's throw the book at it\u00a0and\u00a0after trying all the scientifically proven methods first,\u00a0if that doesn\u2019t work, we move forward.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">Post cramp care and recovery tips<\/span><b><i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:450,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Often, a cramp leaves as quickly as it\u00a0came. But one debilitating cramp\u00a0may become a routine, so\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0important to recover using these tips:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"18\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stretch the area post-game or practice\u00a0to ensure\u00a0maximum\u00a0cool down of the affected muscle<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"19\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If a part of your equipment is causing a constriction, think about adjusting size and fit or removing altogether<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"20\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Massage the area<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"21\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rest the muscle, if possible<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335551500&quot;:5064766,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"22\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Keep hydrated\u00a0before, during and after activities<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span data-contrast=\"none\">How can athletes prevent muscle cramps?<\/span><b><i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335557856&quot;:16777215,&quot;335559738&quot;:450,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Even the best prevention efforts\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0guarantee an athlete\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0experience cramps, but\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0important\u00a0to take the proper precautions to set up for success.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As\u00a0much as stretching is part of the treatment, regular stretching\u00a0is important to keep muscles loose\u00a0as a warm-up and cool-down.\u00a0Alongside stretching,\u00a0hydration\u00a0gives muscles the\u00a0much needed\u00a0fuel to keep going through fatigue and\u00a0can\u00a0help alleviate\u00a0pain.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s\u00a0important to prepare by conditioning for your sport. That can look like\u00a0weight lifting, cardiovascular endurance,\u00a0flexibility\u00a0and mobility.\u00a0Not only can conditioning improve performance, but\u00a0it can also\u00a0help\u00a0prevent fatigue later in the game.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">While stretching,\u00a0hydration\u00a0and conditioning\u00a0are\u00a0fairly common\u00a0ways to prepare for\u00a0play,\u00a0\u00a0acclimating\u00a0to the weather is just as important.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cIf you've been in\u00a0air conditioning\u00a0for three months and then you decide to go out for the football team, you can have a problem,\u201d Coonan says.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cramps\u00a0can be helped by conditioning in the heat or cold. While they\u00a0can be brought on by both hot and\u00a0cold weather,\u00a0cramps\u00a0are\u00a0most commonly seen\u00a0during the warmer months\u00a0due to\u00a0excessive\u00a0sweating\u00a0and electrolyte loss.\u00a0And while cramps can be an isolated experience in the heat,\u00a0it may be a sign of a more serious condition such as\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.childrenscolorado.org\/just-ask-childrens\/articles\/hydration-tips-for-preventing-heat-illness\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">heat illness<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0and should be\u00a0monitored.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cramps are a part of working hard,\u00a0and whether you inherited them, you only get them on hot\u00a0days\u00a0or\u00a0you\u2019ve never had one, understanding what causes them and how to\u00a0treat them may just help prevent them.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:120,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-24577-0-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-image panel-last-child\" data-index=\"1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-image so-widget-sow-image-default-c67d20f9f743-24577\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"sow-image-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.childrenscolorado.org\/just-ask-childrens\/articles\/how-to-avoid-cramps-from-football\/?slid=surg_ortho_slr&#038;utm_source=partner&#038;utm_medium=partner_email&#038;utm_campaign=sports_medicine_partner_articles\"\n\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" \t\t>\n\t\t\t<img \n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.goldcrownfoundation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/sponsor-childrens.png\" width=\"150\" height=\"110\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" alt=\"\" \t\tclass=\"so-widget-image\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Muscle cramps are a common, and often painful, part of youth sports, but what actually causes them may surprise you. To better understand why cramps happen and how to respond, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24578,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41,42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-huddle","category-sports-performance"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Muscle Cramps in Young Athletes | Causes, Treatment, Prevention<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn what causes muscle cramps in young athletes and how to treat and prevent them with expert advice from 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