Hello, i am a 56 yr woman and had surgery in 1991. I have a plif .. Cage and rods in my lower back. I take palates twice a week and have been doing this for 8 months now. During that time i choose to stop taking pain meds. I also said bye to my pain mgt dr. I was taking max daily allowed and they were affecting my heart and bp. so i made changes.. Here is question. for the last few years my legs will cramp up at all times i thinkit was due to lack of excersie but, it did not bother me. Now because of strengthing my core and legs my muscle cramps are more intense. I never get more that 2-4 hrs sleep because of muscle cramping an ongong pain mgt. What can i do for the muscle cramps? they are always groups of muscles cramping. Foot/shin/upthru the knee.