Consistent calf cramps

sum1serin

I've read a couple of posts on this topic but am not finding a great answer. I've been SLOWLY doing a c25k program. Sow like.....I should be done by now and am just starting week 5 because of persistent calf cramps.

I do a warm up walk, I don't push myself too far and tend to stop as soon as my calves start to seize. I stretch afterwards. I'm hydrated as I drink 64-120 ounces of water a day.

What else do you suggest? It's holding me back because I have to wait almost 3-4 days for my calves to recover so I can "jog" again. Thanks in advance!

BobbieLee1959

bump

greatmom2

I know in the past when I have gotten extra potassium such as from eating bananas or taking a multivitamin that provided my potassium, the cramps would let up.

concordancia

Is it the back of your calves or the sides?

I sometimes feel like the sides are on fire, but it actually seems to subside quicker if I walk through it. Of course, when you are over a mile from the car, there isn't much choice!

Add stretching in after the warm up and when you stop - be very careful of stretching while cramping, though.

I would also second the potassium. It is hard to track because it isn't required on nutrition labels, so there are a few high potassium foods, like Greek yogurt, that don't list it at all. As the previous poster said, bananas are the stand by.

NCchar130

I know in the past when I have gotten extra potassium such as from eating bananas or taking a multivitamin that provided my potassium, the cramps would let up.

I get all kinds of muscle cramps because of nerve damage in my legs from disk problems. Potassium makes a huge difference. Bananas, dried apricots, baked potatoes with skin on, lima beans, tomato sauce are some foods that come to mind that have a lot of potassium in them. There are lists you can google to find that will help you to add more. Magnesium is also really helpful - I buy a magnesium chloride spray I can spray directly on the cramp that will relieve it quickly (I get it on amazon) but it can be irritating to the skin. Epsom salt soaks are another good way to get the magnesium. I have soaked my legs up to mid-calf by using a bucket of warm water and Epsom salts when my calves or feet are particularly crampy and I don't have the time or inclination to actually sit in the bath.

sum1serin

Is it the back of your calves or the sides?

It typically has been directly behind but the last time I did a walk and very short jog the pain wrapped around and almost started to feel like a shin splint plus calf cramp. The thing that throws me is that I have gotten no Charlie horses at night so at least i can be thankful for that.

I have started taking a magnesium supplement but may start doing a prenatal since that typically has all the necessary vitamins. I may have to check into that spray. I guess if all else fails a visit to the doctor and blood panel may be a necessity.

stormydaze_02

Worth having it checked out by your doctor if it's a new thing. Sounds like you are drinking enough and stretching.

Postassium rich foods, plus a Calcium & Magnesium supplement should help

Scott15Fit

You could try taking a pause on your running and building up the strength of your calf muscles first as well as the flexibility.
Have a look here: http://www.physioadvisor.com.au/14790350/calf-cramps-physioadvisor.htm

Edit: That's what I'm currently doing for shin pain.

cordianet

I wonder also if it's not just poor shoes? Running shoes are tricky things. If you weren't fitted at a running shoe store, where they check you stride, pronation, arch, etc., this would be worth looking into.

elnavigator

I would agree with potassium intake before running, make sure you are drinking your water through out the day to keep hydrated and I would probably drink sports drink like gatorade with electrolytes it helps me when playing tournaments I used to cramp during matches, no more

dixiewhiskey

I wonder also if it's not just poor shoes? Running shoes are tricky things. If you weren't fitted at a running shoe store, where they check you stride, pronation, arch, etc., this would be worth looking into.

This

rkleine74

I had the same problem with dancing, and the instructor recommended a potassium supplement. It made a huge difference!

Factory_Reset

Get fitted for proper running shoes. That could be the problem. Also, check this out and see if it helps: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/01/09/warm-up/ Another friend posted this and my hubby's been using it and its helped his calf from cramping up.

kristafb

I get horrible leg cramps, calf & thigh, especially at night and the only thing that has seemed to help me is magnesium & coconut water. Of course this is barring a medical issue or bad shoes.

llangstraat

Potassium and Magnesium both work wonders in my experience.

Factory_Reset

Please OP, do not start taking pills/vitamins just cause others say to. That may only lead to some other issues.

beanerific518

I used to get this when I first started exercising by taking daily walks. I would get a few minutes into a walk and it felt like my lower leg would just seize up. I would have to pause and stretch my calf muscle just to keep on going because it felt like my foot was going numb. By the end of the walk, my leg would start to feel better.

This stopped happening the more fit I became. Now I can walk and run without any pain. You will get there, just take it slow and be persistent.

meshashesha2012

if you're sure you're shoes are correct then i'd go with something off with your hydration. keeping hydrating when you consistently workout is more than just water. you need electrolytes.

i eat a banana or drink coconut water after a hard workout and i no longer get cramps or weird muscle twitches

sum1serin

I wonder also if it's not just poor shoes? Running shoes are tricky things. If you weren't fitted at a running shoe store, where they check you stride, pronation, arch, etc., this would be worth looking into.

I actually went to get fitted for running shoes the other day after I had been doing my c25k training in Vibrams. The running store did the whole nonsense and then basically couldn't suggest a better shoe for me as I'm a neutral runner and have the right form. I was kind of looking for another shoe that had just a little bit more cushion but still a minimalist shoe as shoes with lots of cushion make me roll my ankles. But the problem we encountered was finding pairs that were offered in wide. My vibrams fit my wide foot just fabulous. I know I could work on not landing on my heels which is something that has come to my attention, but I don't think it's the shoes.

I grabbed some Gatorade powder to put in my water for my workouts in hopes that it may be electrolyte imbalance so I do have things on hand to make small adjustments and see what helps. If this continued, I was going to focus on strength training in the meantime.

I still appreciate all of your thoughts and ideas. Bananas go bad so fast here so I may just snag a supplement for the potassium.

kristafb

I wonder also if it's not just poor shoes? Running shoes are tricky things. If you weren't fitted at a running shoe store, where they check you stride, pronation, arch, etc., this would be worth looking into.

I actually went to get fitted for running shoes the other day after I had been doing my c25k training in Vibrams. The running store did the whole nonsense and then basically couldn't suggest a better shoe for me as I'm a neutral runner and have the right form. I was kind of looking for another shoe that had just a little bit more cushion but still a minimalist shoe as shoes with lots of cushion make me roll my ankles. But the problem we encountered was finding pairs that were offered in wide. My vibrams fit my wide foot just fabulous. I know I could work on not landing on my heels which is something that has come to my attention, but I don't think it's the shoes.

I grabbed some Gatorade powder to put in my water for my workouts in hopes that it may be electrolyte imbalance so I do have things on hand to make small adjustments and see what helps. If this continued, I was going to focus on strength training in the meantime.

I still appreciate all of your thoughts and ideas. Bananas go bad so fast here so I may just snag a supplement for the potassium.

I had the exact same issue with shoes. I have wide feet & weak ankles and any of the shoes with a bigger heal, lots of cushion, I would constantly roll my ankles. On the other hand I couldn't do the Vibrams or Merrels for barefoot running, they were too hard on my legs & feet. I actually started wearing Reebok Flex and I love them!! just the right amount of cushion & so comfy!!

freelancejouster

I read the first couple posts, but it sounds like something a friend of mine in track had. She would stretch, then walk, the stretch vigorously (pushing herself pretty hard) then do the exercise. Afterwards she would stretch again and use a roller on her calves and then ice at night, which heals up the muscles.

cordianet

I actually went to get fitted for running shoes the other day after I had been doing my c25k training in Vibrams. The running store did the whole nonsense and then basically couldn't suggest a better shoe for me as I'm a neutral runner and have the right form. I was kind of looking for another shoe that had just a little bit more cushion but still a minimalist shoe as shoes with lots of cushion make me roll my ankles. But the problem we encountered was finding pairs that were offered in wide. My vibrams fit my wide foot just fabulous. I know I could work on not landing on my heels which is something that has come to my attention, but I don't think it's the shoes.

I grabbed some Gatorade powder to put in my water for my workouts in hopes that it may be electrolyte imbalance so I do have things on hand to make small adjustments and see what helps. If this continued, I was going to focus on strength training in the meantime.

I still appreciate all of your thoughts and ideas. Bananas go bad so fast here so I may just snag a supplement for the potassium.

Whoa, back up the bus! If you're really doing this in Vibram Five-Fingers, that alone is likely what's causing the problem. Not that I have anything against them, I have a pair myself, but it's a tough transition from normal shoes to the VFFs. Imagine walking on your tip-toes for miles. That's effectively what's happening, even if it does not seem like it, because your calves are likely tight from wearing "normal" shoes. If you're going to go minimalist, you need to take it really slow and probably should consider going minimalist for your other footwear too. Transitioning from heels to a minimal shoe to run in would be enough for you to experience exactly what you're experiencing.

The other option would be to do your c25k in a regular running shoe and SLOWLY transition to a more minimal shoe over time.

meshashesha2012

I wonder also if it's not just poor shoes? Running shoes are tricky things. If you weren't fitted at a running shoe store, where they check you stride, pronation, arch, etc., this would be worth looking into.

I actually went to get fitted for running shoes the other day after I had been doing my c25k training in Vibrams. The running store did the whole nonsense and then basically couldn't suggest a better shoe for me as I'm a neutral runner and have the right form. I was kind of looking for another shoe that had just a little bit more cushion but still a minimalist shoe as shoes with lots of cushion make me roll my ankles. But the problem we encountered was finding pairs that were offered in wide. My vibrams fit my wide foot just fabulous. I know I could work on not landing on my heels which is something that has come to my attention, but I don't think it's the shoes.

I grabbed some Gatorade powder to put in my water for my workouts in hopes that it may be electrolyte imbalance so I do have things on hand to make small adjustments and see what helps. If this continued, I was going to focus on strength training in the meantime.

I still appreciate all of your thoughts and ideas. Bananas go bad so fast here so I may just snag a supplement for the potassium.

bananas go bad fast everywhere. but thankfully we can unpeel them and then freeze them and they keep for longer that way

on yeah and if you're wearing minimalist shoes you definitely need to work on landing no further back than the mid foot.

good luck

sum1serin

Whoa, back up the bus! If you're really doing this in Vibram Five-Fingers, that alone is likely what's causing the problem. Not that I have anything against them, I have a pair myself, but it's a tough transition from normal shoes to the VFFs. Imagine walking on your tip-toes for miles. That's effectively what's happening, even if it does not seem like it, because your calves are likely tight from wearing "normal" shoes. If you're going to go minimalist, you need to take it really slow and probably should consider going minimalist for your other footwear too. Transitioning from heels to a minimal shoe to run in would be enough for you to experience exactly what you're experiencing.

The other option would be to do your c25k in a regular running shoe and SLOWLY transition to a more minimal shoe over time.

I don't wear heels. All my shoes are very flat. Think converse for normal wear, flipflops (if I'm going out of the house), I'm barefoot in and around the house or no heeled mary janes 2 days a week. So I am going really slow. I didn't just decide to suddenly start running in these. I've walked.... and walked and walked. So it's not a pushing too hard too soon kind of thing as I've been using these since December. There's no option of doing a more cushioned shoe right now because there's no shoes for me to try on at the local store and per the other post- I roll my ankles with other "running shoes".

I had the exact same issue with shoes. I have wide feet & weak ankles and any of the shoes with a bigger heal, lots of cushion, I would constantly roll my ankles. On the other hand I couldn't do the Vibrams or Merrels for barefoot running, they were too hard on my legs & feet. I actually started wearing Reebok Flex and I love them!! just the right amount of cushion & so comfy!!

I'll have to look into those then, because I did want a backup pair because the vibrams I have are getting well worn and the running store here locally really aggrivated me when I went in- basically telling me I was out of luck because they only get so many wides in and they go fast but couldn't tell me when they get shipments in so I can actually be there to simply 'try' them on and order a pair. Did you feel you could order your regular size or did you go half a size up?

jasonheyd

Someone else mentioned it briefly above, but you might look into a foam roller. I had a calf pull that kept nagging at me, but using one of these before & after runs worked miracles:

http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Performance-Revolutionary-Roller/dp/B0040EGNIU

There are other options out there, and some are quite a bit cheaper.

If it's both calves and in the same general place, then it could be related to the shoes. From what I gather (and I'm no expert), if you're working on more mid-foot landings rather than heel-striking, calf pain's not uncommon.

Also keep in mind that walking & running are pretty different mechanically. Even if you're wearing flat shoes while walking, transitioning to a slow jog in something like the Vibrams is going to be a major change if you tend to heel-strike when running.

You might want to try running in something with more heel for a bit, and see how the calves feel, then start a few short runs in the Vibrams, easing into them. I've got some friends who made the change, but did it by starting out with no more than 10 minute runs in the Vibrams, running in thicker-heeled shoes the rest of the time until they got used to it.

concordancia

Meh, I wear vibrams all the time and I get the cramps when I wear "real shoes" for speed walking.

Alta2000

Whoa, back up the bus! If you're really doing this in Vibram Five-Fingers, that alone is likely what's causing the problem. Not that I have anything against them, I have a pair myself, but it's a tough transition from normal shoes to the VFFs. Imagine walking on your tip-toes for miles. That's effectively what's happening, even if it does not seem like it, because your calves are likely tight from wearing "normal" shoes. If you're going to go minimalist, you need to take it really slow and probably should consider going minimalist for your other footwear too. Transitioning from heels to a minimal shoe to run in would be enough for you to experience exactly what you're experiencing.

The other option would be to do your c25k in a regular running shoe and SLOWLY transition to a more minimal shoe over time.

I don't wear heels. All my shoes are very flat. Think converse for normal wear, flipflops (if I'm going out of the house), I'm barefoot in and around the house or no heeled mary janes 2 days a week. So I am going really slow. I didn't just decide to suddenly start running in these. I've walked.... and walked and walked. So it's not a pushing too hard too soon kind of thing as I've been using these since December. There's no option of doing a more cushioned shoe right now because there's no shoes for me to try on at the local store and per the other post- I roll my ankles with other "running shoes".

I had the exact same issue with shoes. I have wide feet & weak ankles and any of the shoes with a bigger heal, lots of cushion, I would constantly roll my ankles. On the other hand I couldn't do the Vibrams or Merrels for barefoot running, they were too hard on my legs & feet. I actually started wearing Reebok Flex and I love them!! just the right amount of cushion & so comfy!!

I'll have to look into those then, because I did want a backup pair because the vibrams I have are getting well worn and the running store here locally really aggrivated me when I went in- basically telling me I was out of luck because they only get so many wides in and they go fast but couldn't tell me when they get shipments in so I can actually be there to simply 'try' them on and order a pair. Did you feel you could order your regular size or did you go half a size up?

New Balance actually specializes in wide sizes.

gilberts3

Hi when I started exercise I had cramps during and after exercise I started drinking Gatorade and the cramps stopped

Bbwnomore2

tonic water with quinine in it

tallvanurse

I wonder also if it's not just poor shoes? Running shoes are tricky things. If you weren't fitted at a running shoe store, where they check you stride, pronation, arch, etc., this would be worth looking into.

I agree. A friend was experiencing a lot of calf/shin pain. He went to a store known for checking just these things. He bought new shoes and inserts to correct the rotation of his foot. They also suggested a compression "sleeve" for his calves. The shoe stores warned him that it might take a week or so to notice a difference but he noticed immediately. It certainly can't hurt to be fitted.

sum1serin

tonic water with quinine in it

I actually was told about this the other day but had no clue what it is... but now I do. How much do you drink and how often?