My finger joints
used to lock up, but now that they've atrophied, locking-up ain't an issue!
I think a
"cramp" is what happens when you contract a muscle voluntarily, but it refuses to relax. I don't get them upon awakening, but if I stretch my legs or arch my feet then they cramp. If I bend my arm in an unusual position (e.g. behind my back) it might cramp. If I sneeze, my abdomen muscles often cramp. The muscle feels real hard, won't let go, painful but...somehow...induces a feeling of panic, even if i'm expecting the cramp.
I think a
"spasm" would be an
involuntary contraction--kinda like a twitch or fasciculation, only with much larger muscles. Like if your arm suddenly kicked out or went up involuntarily.
The fasciculations on the other hand are tiny little muscles that you wouldn't know how to actuate if you wanted too--any more than you could wiggle your ears. My arm kinda looks like theres little snakes crawling around inside it sometimes. I keep thinking this could make for a great halloween costume!
