How to Avoid a Toe Cramp

Getting a toe cramp is nothing short of an uncomfortable situation.  A toe cramp can be caused by several different factors.  This cramp can be a result of a tight shoe, wearing a shoe that has a heel that is too high, exercising on a hard surface, and even a calcium deficiency can be responsible for this pain. 

There is no doubt that dancers and ballerinas probably get toe cramps simply because of the movements they use every day.  With standing on the very tip of the toes and extending the toes so sharply hundreds of times during a dance it puts a lot of strain into the foot and the toes themselves.  Dancers have to wear the proper shoes, and there are many different types of dancing shoes available.  Professional dancers can go through several types of dancing shoes in a year but they need good support and flexibility.

The best way to fix a toe cramp, especially in the case that you are wearing tight shoes is to take the shoe off and massage the foot. Massaging the toe or foot will help the blood flow increase and restore better circulation overall.  Tight shoes do nothing more than give you poor circulation, so it causes cramping.  Once the shoes are off, start walking around.  Don’t just sit still that will help the cramping set in.  Start walking around to help the circulation kick in and flood to the area that needs it most. 

You can also soak the foot in warm water, and this will relax the muscles completely.  You want to make sure that when you start this process that the water is pretty hot, that way as you soak the foot the water will still be warm.

During exercise, make it a point not to put too much pressure just on the toes.  Using the ball of the foot is usually the best option when trying to get a good workout in whether its dance or any sports related activities.  When playing basketball, bending the knees properly to get height while making a jump shot is better than using the toes to get higher.  Standing on the toes will only cause more cramps in the rest of the foot as well as the toe. 

Stretching the foot out is the best way to try and eliminate cramping up front.  You can do a simple exercise simply referred to as “toe raises”.  You can just stand anywhere and rise up on your toes and back down, but you will want to repeat this several times.  You can do two or three sets of ten, and that should give you a good stretch.  If you feel like your toes are cramping up, just stop for a second and massage the toes and then go back to it. Over time, this should stretch your toes enough that you no longer get the troublesome cramps. 

Lastly, a balanced diet is best for helping keep toe cramps at bay.  Leg cramps can also be fixed by following a balanced diet.  The lack of potassium is actually what causes cramps in the body, typically as they relate to the muscles.  Low potassium is also a good indicator of the body’s need for water.  Plenty of water intake will keep the body’s water balance at a healthy level and will keep you from getting cramps. 

The second thing that can bring about cramps is a large dose of a diuretic medication.  Taking water pills keeps water flowing from the body.  In many cases this may be necessary, but you have to be careful with not getting enough potassium to make up for what you are losing.  If using diuretic medications, you may want to eat bananas to prevent this from happening.  Either eating high potassium foods or taking potassium supplements can help restore your natural balance.