I am doing a very science-heavy subject, but do not want to go too far into the depths of the research as I will find myself constantly researching, as the human body is an extremely complex thing. I also want to incorporate character design as my minor foci.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cramp
This is surface research.
Cramp: A sudden, involuntary muscle contraction or over-shortening that causes significant pain and a paralysis-like immobility of the affected muscle.
It resolves itself over a period of time, be it seconds, minutes or hours.
Muscle contraction begins when the brain sets off 'action potentials'; waves in the electrical charges that extend along neurons.
Medication and Prevention
Medicine: Quinine (A medicine used to treat Malaria and Babesiosis)
Prevention: Stretching, massaging, hydration. Adequate conditioning, stretching and electrolyte balance.
What are the rules? - Player could hit the muscle in order to stretch it.
(Or, as brought up in the Friday review, the player could stretch the muscle themselves by pulling certain areas)
Causes: Hyperflexion, hypoxia, exposure to large changes in temperature, dehydration, or low blood salt. Cramping could also be a result or symptom of pregnancy, kidney disease, thyroid disease; hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, or hypocalcaemia, 'restless legs' syndrome, varicose veins and M S.
How does the body do it?
The brain sets off 'action potentials', releasing waves in the electrical charges that extend along neurons
The waves travel to a group of cells in a muscle, letting calcium ions out of the cells' calcium storage area
This calcium lets myofibrils (rod-like unit of a muscle cell) contact under the power of energy-carrying adenosine triphosphate molecules.
The calcium is pumped back into the storage unit by fast calcium pumps.
Each muscle cell contracts fully; stronger muscle contraction requires more 'action potentials' on more groups of cells in the muscle.
When the 'action potentials' stop, the calcium feed stops flowing and the muscle relaxes.
Sodium ions are also stored in the storage area. A lack of sodium would prevent the sodium gradient from being strong enough to power the calcium pumps -
the calcium ions would remain in the myofibrils, forcing the muscle to stay contracted, causing a cramp. The cramp eventually eases as slow calcium pumps, powered by ATP instead of the sodium gradient, push the calcium back into storage.
Cramps occur when muscles are unable to relax properly due to myosin fibres not fully detaching from actin filaments. The muscle must be allowed to recover (resynthesise ATP), before the myosin fibres can detach and allow the muscle to relax.
Nocturnal Leg Cramps
Involuntary muscle contractions that occur in the calves, soles of the feet, or other muscles in the body during the night.
Cramps should take place in the leg (area of body), mainly the calf muscle.