🔬 What Are Nocturnal Leg Cramps?
Night cramps are sudden, painful contractions of skeletal muscles during sleep or rest.
Unlike restless legs syndrome (RLS) — which causes an urge to move — cramps involve actual muscle tightening that can be seen or felt.
They most often affect:
Calf muscles (gastrocnemius)
Hamstrings
Feet (especially the arches)
🩺 Diagnosis is clinical — based on symptoms — and imaging or blood tests are only needed if other conditions are suspected.
