Photo: Nick Anderson of Greenville, N.C., left, his father Rick Anderson and stepbrother Jeramie Mullis pose with the 143-pound blue catfish caught Saturday in Virginia in Buggs Island Lake, also known as the Kerr Reservoir. The previous world record was a 130-pounder caught in the Missouri River last year.
A muscle cramp is a strong, painful contraction or tightening of a muscle that comes on suddenly and lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. It often occurs in the legs. A muscle cramp is also called a charley horse. Nighttime leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf.
Skeletal muscle spasms and cramps are usually caused by overuse of the muscle, either from exercise or a repetitive motion. Spasms can also occur if a muscle is overstretched or held in the same position for too long.The muscle essentially becomes hyperexcitable and fails to relax.lthough we often think of skeletal muscle spasms or cramps, other kinds of muscle, such as smooth muscle, can spasm or cramp. Smooth muscles are found in the walls of hollow organs in your body, such as your stomach, bladder, and blood vessels, and play an important role in normal organ function.