Typically, muscle cramps that are associated with poor circulation occur only during walking. Classical symptoms of poor circulation are the calves feeling heavy and fatigued, and the person needing to stop and rest for a few minutes before they’re able to walk again. These symptoms are present on a daily basis.

The most common reason for true muscle cramps that occur in feet and calves at night or in the early hours in the morning is nerve impingement. This is most often seen in patients who have lower back problems such as disc herniation in the lumbar-sacral spine.

A simple way to find out whether the cramps are caused by poor circulation is to have your podiatrist evaluate the pulses in your feet. If the pulses are strong, then the cramps are not caused by poor circulation.