Just what causes the twitching in the first place? "Above all, fatigue is the reason for the muscle twitching," explains Kevin Plancher, MD, a leading sports orthopaedist and sports medicine expert in the New York metropolitan area. "The muscles are most likely overworked at this point. The nerves that send impulses to the muscles become fatigued as well, which can cause erratic firing of the muscles." Long exercise sessions cause lactic acid to build up, resulting in a lack of oxygen. Dr. Plancher says, "This alters the way the muscles contract as well, possibly causing twitching."
As mentioned earlier, cramping can be brought on by stress. But it can also be caused by an electrolyte imbalance in the athlete. "In order for a muscle to contract, electrolytes play a key role," says Dr. Plancher. Cramping and twitching can result from increased amounts of sweating that follow exercise, he says. Also, cramping - or what the athlete describes as such - can simply be caused by an over-worked or over-stretched muscle.
Fasciculations shouldn't be a nuisance, once you realize that they are a normal part of muscle physiology. But there are ways to manage fasciculations, for those who don't like the sensation.
Dr. Plancher says, "Movement is a very good way to minimize the twitching. It helps the body move the excess lactic acid out of the muscles. Secondly, it allows the electrolyte levels in the muscles to normalize if they are unbalanced due to fatigue of the nervous system. Stretching the involved muscles will help as well. This relaxes the muscles. Increasing fluid intake can be key to minimizing these episodes, especially if electrolyte imbalances are the culprit." Try a banana or an all-natural electrolyte beverage.