Leg cramps
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How common are leg cramps?
Leg cramps are fairly common.

A survey found that slightly more than a third of people get leg cramps at some time.1

Among those who get leg cramps:1

  • 4 in 10 get them more than three times a week
  • A small number (about 6 in 100) get them every day.
Up to half of pregnant women get leg cramps.2 They are also common in older people.



Sources for the information on this page:
  1. Naylor JR, Young JB. A general population survey of rest cramps. Age and Ageing.1994; 23: 418-420. 7825490
  2. Young GL, Jewell D. Interventions for leg cramps in pregnancy (Cochrane review). In: The Cochrane Library. Wiley, Chichester, UK.
This information was last updated in Aug 06, 2008