Origin and Development of Muscle Cramps

In Brief Cramps are sudden, involuntary, painful muscle contractions. Their pathophysiology remains poorly understood. One hypothesis is that cramps result from changes in motor neuron excitability (central origin). Another hypothesis is that they result from spontaneous discharges of the motor nerves (peripheral origin). The central origin hypothesis has been supported by recent experimental findings, whose implications for understanding cramp contractions are discussed. Muscle cramps have a neurogenic nature. Recent experimental findings providing new insights into cramp pathophysiology are presented.