Muscle Cramps

Muscle Cramps

Credits: 1.25   Post-Assessment Questions:  9

Release Date: 5 Oct 2020
Expiration Date: 20 Nov 2021
Last Reviewed: 20 Nov 2020
Estimated Time To Finish: 75 Minutes

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Activity Description

Muscle cramps result in continuous, involuntary, painful, and localized contraction of an entire muscle group, individual single muscle, or select muscle fibers. Generally, the cramp can last from minutes to a few seconds for idiopathic or known causes with healthy subjects or in the presence of diseases. Palpating the muscle area of the cramp will reveal a knot. Exercise-associated muscle cramps are the most frequent condition requiring medical/therapeutic intervention during sports. The specific etiology is not well understood and possible causes depend on the physiological or pathological situation in which the cramps appear. It is important to note that a painful contraction that is limited to a specific area does not mean that the cause of the onset of the cramp is necessarily local.

Target Audience

This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of physicians.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the learner will be better able to:

• Describe the diagnostic approach for evaluating a patient who presents with muscle cramping.
• Review some of the key differentials for that must be considered when evaluating a patient presenting with what appears to be muscle cramping.
• Outline the various treatment and management strategies that can be employed for a patient with muscle cramps.

Author(s) / Contributors Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Each author, editor, faculty and planning committee member have completed a disclosure form indicating that neither they nor their spouse/partner has a financial interest/arrangement or affiliation that could be perceived as a real or apparent conflict of interest related to the content of this activity.

COMMERCIAL SUPPORT: This activity has received NO commercial support.

Contributors

Hover over the contributor names to see details and disclosures of any financial relationships or relationships they or their spouse/life partner have with commercial interests related to the content of this continuing education activity.

Authors: Bruno Bordoni, Kavin Sugumar
Editors: Matthew Varacallo
Editors-In-Chief: Joshua TuckPrashanth AnandMatthew Varacallo
Chief Medical Reviewer: Christina Wills
Nurse Planner/Reviewer/Editor: Lisa Haddad
Nurse Planner/Reviewer/Editor: Bernadette Makar
Nurse Planner/Reviewer/Editor: Dorothy Caputo
Pharmacy Planner/Reviewer/Editor: Mark Pellegrini
Physician Planner/Reviewer/Editor: Scott Dulebohn

Continuing Education Accreditation Information

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, and StatPearls, LLC. The Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University designates this activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be received in writing and a money-back guarantee is provided if not completely satisfied.

• StatPearls and ETSU reserve the right to cancel any course due to unforeseen circumstances. StatPearls and ETSU will not be responsible for other expenses incurred by the participant in the unlikely event that the program is canceled.

Equal Opportunity

• StatPearls and ETSU are Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action / Equal Access Institutions. 

Medium or Media Used:

• Computer Requirements:  Internet Access
• E-mail Address

Instructions for Credit

1. Register for the activity and create a StatPearls login.     
2. Review the required accreditation information:  Target audience, learning objectives, and disclosure information.
3. Complete the entire self-study activity.
4. Complete the post-test assessments.
5. Successfully pass the post-test with a minimum score of 100%.
6. Complete the evaluation form.
7. Obtain a certificate.

StatPearls and ETSU adhere to ACCME Standards regarding commercial support of continuing medical education. It is the policy of StatPearls and ETSU that the faculty and planning committee disclose real or apparent conflicts of interest relating to the topics of this educational activity, that relevant conflict(s) of interest are resolved, and also that authors and editors will disclose any unlabeled/unapproved use of drug(s) or device(s) during their presentation. Detailed disclosure will be made prior to starting the activity.

The information provided at this CME/CE activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical/clinical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.

• If you have concerns, please contact support@statpearls.com, or call 727-289-9796.

Media Usage Rights

The contributors and editors of StatPearls have attested that all associated media (images and video) have been legally cleared for use with this activity.  All copyrights are reserved.