night time leg cramps

mjfer123 · February 2014

Most sports drinks and hydrating fluids besides water contain salts. It helps to hydrate your body.
Low cal Gatorade or PowerAde Zero contain a lot of salt, despite having no calories or "sugar" (still contain sweetners)
This sounds counter intuitive, but you need the salt to hydrate your body.
If you can stay within your sodium count here, I don't see any problem with having a sports drink.
I know team mates who drink pedialyte (spelling?) and they say it does wonders for avoiding/removing cramps.

Additionally, stretching is key, on days I don't stretch I feel sore and tight for a lot longer compared to when I do stretch, I recover a lot quicker.
A dynamic stretch is good prior to working out while a static stretch after will help too.

Jmartinleslie · February 2014

Where in your leg are you cramping? Sounds like you could have a muscle imbalance--stretching more could help but you may also need to strengthen the opposing muscle.

maybyn · February 2014

Thanks for the point about high-protein may cause leg cramps. Do you know of any URLs supporting that?

When I googled this myself, I did see this prior topic on MFP that seems relevant. I am not Atkins-style low carb, but have restricted my carbs (75-100g per day). I am curious about the sodium too, I have been craving sodium like mad, but been reluctant to give in.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/529391-leg-cramps

Gosh, no, sorry.

If you googled on Google Scholar, you should be able to get plenty of information on this. The key is to make sure that you take enough calcium to counter a high protein diet - dark green veges in particular.

SarahBeth0625 · February 2014

I am lucky if I get 100 grams a day of protein, as I don't take any sort of supplement/powder/drink.

It is so sporadic, that I am not overly worried. I had them nightly when I was pregnant and that was just frustrating (charlie horses). Ouch!

SingingSingleTracker · February 2014

[I know people are going to say "potassium", but it's not potassium. I've had 3 blood tests in the last couple of months checking my potassium levels, they are fine]. I've started taking magnesium supplements, but they don't seem to help either.

So I've been finding I get night leg cramps on the day(s) following especially lengthy aerobic exercise (stair mill/elliptical). It seems pretty replicable that if I limit my workouts to 45 minutes or less, I'm fine, but if I go to 50-70 minutes, I get cramps.

Any suggestions on how I could change my routine to get in longer workouts, and avoiding the cramps?

Thanks

Two things John. I probably sound like a walking advertisement, but after having fought cramps for years I've learned how to combat them.

The first way is through training. You are training, but eventually you will break through the barrier where the workouts that are beyond 45 minutes won't cause you to have the night cramps.

The second way is through the use of some of the better products out there designed to target fighting cramps. After having tried them all, here's the cream that rose to the top...

#1 - buy a bottle of Salt Stick Caps: http://www.saltstick.com/products/sscaps/cfeatures.htm
#2 - get the best anti-cramp drink that I know exists - Pickle Juice Sports Drink http://www.goldenpicklejuice.com/

Both will amaze you and get rid of your cramps.

acogg · February 2014

I have experimented with my own body and I have found that if I go more than two days without a banana, I get cramps in calves. My potassium and other number are fine, too. I have no idea why I need my daily banana, I just eat it.

lmccull1982 · February 2014

Don't know if this is applicable, but some medications can cause leg cramps. Also, restless leg syndrome and vascular disease. And, as you already know, electrolyte imbalances.

_Terrapin_ · February 2014

stretch pre and post; muscle takes 20 seconds to get stretched so hold stretches for longer then you think; and potassium post workout since you have lactic acid build up. I know, it isn't potassium.....trust me, and yes, it is potassium...stretch, consume a banana after the workout. Best of luck.