15 Yoga Poses to Treat Muscle Spasms and Cramps Cure

What is muscle spasms?

From a yogic point of view, we defined muscle spasms as the excessive pulling of body muscles while performing stretching and twisting yogic poses and asanas. Muscle spasms are also the outcome of strenuous physical exercises that lead to tearing, straining, or pulling body muscles.  Muscle spasms can be caused by tendons, ligaments, joints, and nerves that make up the spine. Muscle spasms cause pain in the neck, shoulder, leg, abdominal sides, etc. Sometimes, the pain may be chronic and beyond one’s limitations. The stretched muscles may be relaxed when they are given proper relaxation time.

Causes of muscle spasms

• Muscles sore
• Dehydration
• Excessive exercise
• Unfavorable climate (hot weather)
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Use of particular medicine

Best Yoga for muscle spasms

1. Tadasana (Palm tree pose): The palm tree pose stretches muscles, especially the tiny ones from toes to fingers. It also shows relaxation effects on the nerves.
2. Parsavkonasana (Lateral angle posture): It facilitates stretching to the heart, waist, and hip muscles.
3. Bandha Konasana (The Cobbler Pose)
4. Makrasana (Crocodile posture):  It gives calming stretching to the legs and back muscles. It also helps to remove mental and physical fatigue from the body.
5. Yastikaana (Stick pose): It’s a simple yoga asana but quite effective in giving soothing stretch to the tiny muscles of the entire body.
6. Matsyasana: Good in treating back and neck muscle spasms
7. Adho Mukha Savasana (The downward-facing dog pose): It relieves the lower back muscles and supports the spine. It is suitable for healing muscle cramps.
8. Balasana (Child pose): It is one of the effective yoga poses to relax the body.  Since it provides calmness to the back and other body parts, therefore good in treating muscle spasms.
9. Bhujangasana (The Cobra Pose): The cobra pose gives gentle stretching to the back and legs. It also puts tender stretch to the abdomen, shoulder, and the entire spinal column.
10. Wall Plank: It stretches the spine, especially the lower spines, legs, and hands.
11. Shavasana (Corpse pose): good for treating stress, strain, cramps, muscle spasms, depression, and other negative domains of the health area.
12. Setu bandha Sarvangasana (The supported bridge pose)
13. Saithalyasana (Animal relaxation pose): suitable for stiff spines.
14. Anulom Vilom Pranayama: The pranayama is highly beneficial for chilling muscle relaxation.
15. Deep  Breathing: It eases muscles toned.

Yoga for back muscle spasms

There are many Yoga poses, asanas, and exercises which are good for treating both upper-back muscle spasms and lower-back muscle spasms. Here the list of Yoga poses which are good for curing backache are:

1. Tadasana (palm tree pose)
2. Hastottanasana (Up-stretched arm posture)
3. Katichakrasana (Lumber-wheel posture)
4. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge formation pose)
5. Shalabhasana (Locust Pose)
6. Makrasana

Yoga for leg muscle spasms

1. Tadasana (palm tree pose)
2. Katichakrasana (Lumber-wheel posture)
3. Shalabhasana (Locust Pose)
4. Makrasana
5. Parsavkonasana (Lateral angle posture)
6. Warrior pose

Yoga for neck muscle spasms

1. Griva-Sakti-vikasaka (Strengthening the Neck) (1)

• Make yourself stand erect.
• Keep your neck relaxed and calm. Now, slowly turn the head towards the right shoulder and the left shoulder.
• Continue the practice 10-15 times.
• Your breathing should be standard.

2. Griva-Sakti-vikasaka (Strengthening the Neck) (2)

• Keep your feet close in a standing position by keeping your back straight.
• Rotate the head from left to right and right to left
• Practice it ten times.
• Your breathing is normal.

3. Griva-Sakti-vikasaka (Strengthening the Neck) (3):

• Stand erect
• Move your neck to and fro
• Initially, it was ten times.

All these exercises help loosen the neck and help in reducing neck spasms and neck cramps.

Home remedies for muscle spasms

• Drink 3-4 litres of water every day
• Taking a balanced and nutritious diet
• Doing simple yoga every day for 30-40 minutes
• Perform simple exercises, especially the stretching one
• Massage the area of the spasm
• Use a warm water bottle for the affected area.

Tips to treat muscle spasms

• Take a maximum rest
• If you want to perform the exercise, do the same as your limit.
•  Applying tolerable heat to the affected area.
• An ice pack is also effective in subsidising the pain
• While exercising, take a sports drink to replenish the mineral.
• Try to avoid beverages such as alcohol, caffeine, and then.
• One has to prefer potassium-rich diets, i.e., bananas.

Muscle spasms medicine

Many medicines ease the symptoms of cramps and show a calming effect on muscle spasms.

Sedative: This medication effectively treats muscle cramps and eases the body’s muscles.  It directly affects the central nervous system and shows calming effects on the concerned area.

Carisoprodol: It gives relief from muscle cramps that happen due to involuntary contraction of muscles. The medicine is recommended when the person is experiencing acute muscle pain where the drug blocks the impulses of nerves to the brain.

Cyclobenzaprine: The medicine gives soothing effects to the stretched muscles. It works upon the nerves but does not hamper the functions of the power.