Maternity Nursing: Antepartum Q 2
A pregnant client calls the clinic and tells a nurse that she is experiencing leg cramps and is awakened by the cramps at night. To provide relief from the leg cramps, the nurse tells the client to:
A. Dorsiflex the foot while extending the knee when the cramps occur.
B. Dorsiflex the foot while flexing the knee when the cramps occur.
C. Plantar flex the foot while flexing the knee when the cramps occur.
D. Plantar flex the foot while extending the knee when the cramps occur.
Correct Answer: A. Dorsiflex the foot while extending the knee when the cramps occur.
Legs cramps occur when the pregnant woman stretches the leg and plantar flexes the foot. Dorsiflexion of the foot while extending the knee stretches the affected muscle, prevents the muscle from contracting, and stops the cramping.
Option B: If the cramps are in the calf, flex the foot to attempt to stretch the muscle, or walk around on the heels if the pain isn’t unbearable.
Option C: Because they often happen at night when the legs are slightly bent and the feet are pointed downward, some have suggested that this tightening triggers a spasm.
Option D: Although the exact cause of muscle cramps is unknown (idiopathic), some researchers believe inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue leads to abnormalities in the mechanisms that control muscle contraction. Other factors may also be involved, including poor conditioning, exercising or working in intense heat, dehydration, and depletion of salt and minerals (electrolytes).