Q After just a couple of months of running, and after finishing my first half-marathon, I’ve been getting muscle spasms in my hips and back. I’ve had to stop running, but I still get them after any light exercise. I’ve been to a physio

Painful, paralysing and PB-unfriendly, cramps can strike at any time. "There's no one definitive cause," saysDr Steve Ingham, head of physiology at the English Institute of Sport (eis2win.co.uk). Research in the Muscle & Nerve Journal shows that genetics might be one factor, ye...

, says exhaustion is usually the culprit. Here's how to fix (and even prevent) spasms in your tired legs.

position for a runner to take in order to get rid of a stitch. A stitch is a form of spasm in the diaphragm muscle. It can be caused by a failure to warm up properly, unconditioned core muscles or even stretching caused by a bloated stomach (as might

the nerves are tight and causing the symptoms. The tension can be caused by problems with the spine, the pelvis and/or something local, such as a muscle being tight or in spasm. This needs to be established so that they can prevent a recurrence once the pain

spasm, which would obviously be counterproductive. So unless your podiatrist can demonstrate a body of evidence to support this claim, the 30-second stretches may well be more appropriate. —Martin Haines, chartered physiotherapist and sports injury

-educate them to work properly again. After a year or so of problems, your muscles will most likely be in so much spasm that they will be unable to work properly to protect and stabilise your spine and pelvis. Hence, whenever you put them under pressure

activity and peaks at 24 to 48 hours, subsiding over the next few days. Over the years several theories have been proposed to explain DOMS, including muscle lactate accumulation, muscle spasms and inadequate cool-downs. However, the generally accepted

– this sometimes results in some lower-back symptoms. Do you have any? If you do, and then go on to overload the nerves with low-grade, repetitive movements, they can become progressively traumatised, and the associated muscles can go into a protective spasm

-impact exercises, such as swimming, cycling, or the elliptical trainer. If you’re relatively new to running, build up your mileage gradually and seek advice if you develop any problems.Last resortsIf you do suffer a back spasm, you may need to administer DIY first