A charley horse is another term for a leg cramp. ... A cramp can have different effects depending on its location. Painful leg cramps, for instance, can make it more difficult to walk.

Learn more about the causes, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, & prevention of Charley horses - cramps caused by muscle spasms, involuntary contractions of one or more muscles ...

During a charley horse, an involuntary signal is sent to the muscle without the “proper instructions,” she says, and as a result, the muscle fibers shorten and contract too hard.

This week, Dr. Mallika says she's seen a number of patients complaining of charley horses, or pain and muscle spasms in the legs or feet. They can last seconds but sometimes minutes.

How to treat leg cramps, or charley horses 01:40. BOSTON - In a new feature called At the Clinic with Dr. Mallika, she tells us about some of the trends she's been seeing at her urgent care clinic.