title: [Exercise-associated muscle cramps].
abstract: Exercice-associated muscle cramps are a common sports-medical problem, although often benign, among athletes of endurance-sports above all. They are characterized by a painful, sudden and involuntary contraction of one or more muscular groups. If they become recurrent and/or uncomfortable, they should then be the subject of a thorough etiologic research. Medical history, conventional physical examination and a limited laboratory screen could help to determine the various possible causes of muscle cramp. The "historical" and more recent physiopathological assumptions are systematically reviewed, just as the therapeutic options which are guided as well on empiricism and experience that on medicamentous limited trials.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'orthopédie et traumatologie du sport, Service d'orthopédie, Département de chirurgie, HUG, 1211 Genève 14. Jean-luc.ziltener@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ziltener
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leal
mesh_terms: D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009120:Muscle Cramp / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology