Characteristics of Leg Cramps
| Male No. (%) | Non-Pregnant Female No. (%) | Pregnant Female No. (%) | Totala No. (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How often do you get leg cramps? No. times/mo (%) | ||||
| 1-4 | 21 (53.8) | 55 (59.1) | 3 (50.0) | 79 (57.2) |
| 5-10 | 11 (28. | 16 (17.2) | 1 (16.7) | 28 (20.3) |
| 10-30 | 4 (10.3) | 15 (16.1) | 1 (16.7) | 20 (14.5) |
| Every day | 2 (5.1) | 4 (4.3) | 1 (16.7) | 7 (5.1) |
| >Once a day | 1 (2.6) | 3 (3.2) | 0 (0) | 4 (2.9) |
| How long have you been having leg cramps? No. times/mo (%) | ||||
| 0-6 | 7 (18.9) | 7 (7.6) | 4 (57.1) | 18 (13.2) |
| 7-12 | 3 (8.1) | 4 (4.3) | 0 (0) | 7 (5.1) |
| How long have you been having leg cramps? No. times/y (%) | ||||
| 1-3 | 7 (18.9) | 21 (22.8) | 1 (14.3) | 29 (21.3) |
| 4-5 | 5 (13.5) | 19 (20.7) | 0 (0) | 24 (17.6) |
| 5 | 15 (40.5) | 41 (44.6) | 2 (28.6) | 58 (42.6) |
| Do your leg cramps occur with exercise? No. (%) | ||||
| No | 23 (62.2) | 60 (65.2) | 5 (71.4) | 88 (64.7) |
| Yes | 14 (37.8) | 32 (34.8) | 2 (28.6) | 48 (35.3) |
| Do your leg cramps occur when resting? No. (%) | ||||
| No | 5 (13.5) | 1 (1.1) | 0 (0) | 6 (4.4) |
| Yes | 32 (86.5) | 92 (98.9) | 7 (100.0) | 131 (95.6) |
| Are the leg cramps typically on one or both sides of your body? No. (%) | ||||
| One side | 15 (38.5) | 48 (50.0) | 2 (28.6) | 65 (45.8) |
| Both sides | 24 (61.5) | 48 (50.0) | 5 (71.4) | 77 (54.2) |
| Location - calves, No. (%) | 24 (72.7) | 80 (87.0) | 5 (100.0) | 109 (83.8) |
| Location - feet, No. (%) | 11 (33.3) | 57 (62.0) | 2 (40.0) | 70 (53.8) |
| Location - thighs, No. (%) | 14 (42.4) | 20 (21.7) | 2 (40.0) | 36 (27.7) |
| Do your cramps get worse during certain seasons of the year? No. (%) | ||||
| No | 23 (69.7) | 70 (77.8) | 4 (80.0) | 97 (75.8) |
| Yes | 10 (30.3) | 20 (22.2) | 1 (20.0) | 31 (24.2) |
| Summerb | 7 (21.2) | 8 (9.0) | 0 (0) | 15 (11.8) |
| Fallb | 0 (0) | 2 (2.2) | 0 (0) | 2 (1.6) |
| Winterb | 3 (9.1) | 12 (13.5) | 1 (20.0) | 16 (12.6) |
| Springb | 1 (3.0) | 1 (1.1) | 0 (0) | 2 (1.6) |
| Frequency of sleep disturbance, No. (%) | ||||
| Never | 6 (17.6) | 10 (10.9) | 1 (20.0) | 17 (13.0) |
| Seldom | 10 (29.4) | 30 (32.6) | 2 (40.0) | 42 (32.1) |
| Sometimes | 15 (44.1) | 33 (35.9) | 1 (20.0) | 49 (37.4) |
| Often | 3 (8.8) | 19 (20.7) | 1 (20.0) | 23 (17.6) |
| Have you ever fallen because of leg cramps? No. (%) | ||||
| No | 31 (91.2) | 79 (85.9) | 5 (100.0) | 115 (87.8) |
| Yes | 3 (8.8) | 13 (14.1) | 0 (0) | 16 (12.2) |
| Have you ever discussed your leg cramps with your health care clinician? No. (%) | ||||
| No | 26 (76.5) | 63 (68.5) | 5 (100.0) | 94 (71.8) |
| Yes | 8 (23.5) | 29 (31.5) | 0 (0) | 37 (28.2) |
| Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | |
| Severity of leg cramps, mean (SD)c | 5.2 (2.6) | 5.8 (2.3) | 5.6 (2.0) | 5.6 (2.4) |
| Impact on, mean (SD)d | ||||
| Sleep | 2.3 (1.4) | 2.9 (1.3) | 2.8 (1.8) | 2.7 (1.4) |
| Mental health | 1.6 (1.2) | 1.6 (1.1) | 1.6 (0.9) | 1.6 (1.1) |
| Physical health | 1.8 (1.3) | 1.9 (1.3) | 2.0 (1.4) | 1.9 (1.3) |
| Daytime functioning | 1.9 (1.5) | 2.0 (1.4) | 2.6 (1.8) | 2.0 (1.4) |