# Charley Horses **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2001, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971 "2001-10-17T13:37:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DoperChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@DoperChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoperChic)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/1 "2001-10-17T13:37:28Z")
What causes charley horses? What can be done to prevent and cure them? I searched the archives and the boards and surprisingly didn’t come up with any info. Star Light ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/2 "2001-10-17T13:48:13Z")
Assuming we’re talking about the same thing, other possible search terms would be “charlie horse” and “leg cramps.” Here’s what _The Merck Manual_, 17th ed., has to say: > [@](#): > > Nocturnal leg cramps commonly occur in otherwise health middle-aged and elderly patients during sleep… Diagnosis is based on the history and lack of physical signs or disability. Stretching the affected muscles for several minutes before sleep often helps prevent cramps. Stretching immediately after cramping usually relieves symptoms and is preferable to empiric drug treatment… Possible drug treatments are then listed, but you should consult a physician for advice before considering any medical treatment. Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/3 "2001-10-17T13:48:24Z")
A charley horse is just a muscle cramp. Massage and stretching it out works well for most people. If you’re particularly prone to muscle cramps, sometimes it means you have a calcium or potassium deficiency, as calcium and potassium ions are needed by the muscle’s nerves to “fire” properly. Info. [http://www.drweil.com/database/display/0,1412,88,00.html](http://www.drweil.com/database/display/0,1412,88,00.html) [http://www.betterbodz.com/library/muscle\_cramps.html](http://www.betterbodz.com/library/muscle_cramps.html) [http://ilil.essortment.com/whatcausesmusc\_rfla.htm](http://ilil.essortment.com/whatcausesmusc_rfla.htm) ---
**Author:** ![DMAAN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/278dde/32.png) [@DMAAN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMAAN)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/4 "2001-10-17T15:51:58Z")
I used to get these alot until someone told me to eat bananas more often. It worked, I rarely get them now. BTW does anyone know where the name charlie horse came from? This always puzzeled me. d ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/5 "2001-10-17T16:21:33Z")
A friend once told me to point my big toe upwards WITHOUT lifting the whole foot. In other words, make your big toe stretch upwards. It has worked for me on both chalie horses (in the shin/ankle area) AND for foot cramps. This works for me…repeat of necessary. For example, I find the cramped muscle is still “not right” and could slip back into a “cramped” state. For foot cramps, sometimes I have had to grab my big toe and physically bend it upwards by hand - since the foot cramp prevented my big toe from moving! I will share that my foot cramps may return, so repeat. - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/6 "2001-10-17T16:33:41Z")
Corrected post: A friend once told me to point my big toe upwards WITHOUT lifting the whole foot. In other words, make your big toe stretch upwards. It has worked for me on both cha[r]lie horses (in the shin/ankle area) AND for foot cramps. This works for me…repeat [if] necessary. [For example, for the shin and ankle,] I find the cramped muscle is still “not right” and could slip back into a “cramped” state [, but usually doesn’t]. For foot cramps, sometimes I have had to grab my big toe and physically bend it upwards by hand - since the foot cramp prevented my big toe from moving! I will share that my foot cramps [often immediately] return, so repeat. [The suggestion to eat more bananas is sound because bananas are high in potassium which is needed by the muscles, and body in general.] - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/7 "2001-10-17T16:35:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > A charley horse is just a muscle cramp. Absolutely untrue. A charley horse is a muscle contusion as a result of impact whereby the muscle is crushed against the bone. You don’t recover from it quickly. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/8 "2001-10-17T16:57:07Z")
**grienspace** , I’m afraid the [Mayo Clinc](http://www.mayoclinic.com/home?id=SC00004) disagrees with you. Can you provide a citation for your definition? The linked page also includes other ideas for treatment and prevention. ---
**Author:** ![RGillen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/848f3c/32.png) [@RGillen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RGillen)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/9 "2001-10-17T17:14:41Z")
Growing up (in northwest OH), a “charlie horse” was when you got punched in the leg and it was sore for the rest of the day. Put it in the same category as “noogies” and “Indian burns”. There are obviously several uses of the term, but this one is not what Star Light is thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![RGillen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/848f3c/32.png) [@RGillen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RGillen)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/10 "2001-10-17T17:24:46Z")
This site calls a “charley horse” a pulled muscle (instead of a cramp) and gives a few possible origins of the term. [http://www.uselessknowledge.com/word/charley.shtml](http://www.uselessknowledge.com/word/charley.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![RGillen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/848f3c/32.png) [@RGillen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RGillen)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/11 "2001-10-17T17:28:27Z")
This site calls a “charley horse” a pulled muscle (instead of a cramp) and gives a few possible origins of the term. [http://www.uselessknowledge.com/word/charley.shtml](http://www.uselessknowledge.com/word/charley.shtml) This site agrees with grienspace. [http://www.mainebones.com/Articles/article78.htm](http://www.mainebones.com/Articles/article78.htm) ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/12 "2001-10-17T17:53:41Z")
We have a terminology problem with “charley (ie) horse,” as that is not a medical term. Jinx even used the term for a cramp in the shin. I never heard it used in reference to that area before, but always to the hamstring muscles. The most common use I’ve seen is for a hamstring cramp. Recently, I’ve had brief cramps in my gactrocs (both of them) at night, but not severe and they disappeared quickly. I’ve recently increased my weekly running mileage and my Sunday long run, which I believe is the indirect cause. The direct cause can be either dehydration or an ion (electrolyte) insufficiency. I used to get those same calve cramps right after swimming a long distance, and it was right after, not at night. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/13 "2001-10-17T17:59:45Z")
When I grew up in southern Ontario, playing hockey and football, a charley horse was when you got usually a knee impacting your upper leg, resulting in extreme pain. Severity ranged from being able to walk it off to being immobilized for a couple of weeks. If cramps are now called charley horses, then this is certainly new to me. Anyway, my definition is supported at [The Virtual Sports Injury Clinic](http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cgi-bin/websearch.pl) and at [Columbia University](http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/texts/guide/hmg24_0002.html), although the latter site discusses tearing of muscle tissue rather than impact dammage. In the first cite, perform a search under “charley horse”, and you will get a cite explaining “dead leg or charley horse” ---
**Author:** ![flano1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f14d63/32.png) [@flano1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flano1)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2001, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/14 "2001-10-17T19:12:56Z")
calling Super Cec… Please, Unka Cec, hijack this thread and answer us, O Great One. Please ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2001, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charley-horses/87971/15 "2001-10-18T03:36:48Z")
We’re **all** correct. > **[Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's most-trusted online dictionary](https://www.merriam-webster.com/)** > > The dictionary by Merriam-Webster is America's most trusted online dictionary for English word definitions, meanings, and pronunciation. #wordsmatter > [@](#): > > Main Entry: char·ley horse > Pronunciation: 'chär-lE-"hors > Function: noun > Etymology: from Charley, nickname for Charles > Date: 1888 > : a muscular pain, cramping, or stiffness especially of the quadriceps that results from a strain or bruise It’s a bruise, it’s a cramp, it’s two…two…two ouchies in one…