Muscle Cramps!

meghan6867
meghan6867 Posts: 388 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Until recently I've never really gotten those really painful, obnoxiously debilitating muscle cramps... now however, I get them pretty frequently. I get them after a really awesome workout... and sometimes even when I'm doing nothing at all. It's always in my lower legs and the pain seems to linger on for days afterwards.

Does anyone have any suggestions to try to prevent muscle cramps and/or recover from them faster?

Thanks! :smile:

Replies

  • Chrissy180
    Chrissy180 Posts: 30 Member
    Muscle cramps are usually caused by 2 things in a healthy adult. Dehydration and not enough potassium in your diet. Both are easy fixes. Increase your water intake, especially when working out and take a daily multivitamin. Good luck!!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    ^^Agree with Emtmedic44

    Potassium can be obtained from fruit and vegetables. Add them to all your meals.
  • meadow_sage
    meadow_sage Posts: 308 Member
    I get them too. I use Hylands Leg Cramps the dissolving ones work faster. You can get them from any drug store and they are homeopathic. They work like magic and they work for other muscles, not just leg cramps.
  • meghan6867
    meghan6867 Posts: 388 Member
    ^^Agree with Emtmedic44

    Potassium can be obtained from fruit and vegetables. Add them to all your meals.

    Thanks guys... I've tried adding potassium with bananas and whatnot... I eat them daily. Maybe I need to up the ante a bit though... more potassium! And H20!
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    Muscle cramps are usually caused by 2 things in a healthy adult. Dehydration and not enough potassium in your diet.

    I would add a third reason - fatigue.
    Make sure you're resting those muscles enough, and make sure you stretch/warm-up before your workout and cool down afterwards.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Try taurine supplementation.
  • kerriotto
    kerriotto Posts: 93
    I sweat a lot in bikram yoga so it's easy to get dehydrated and have leg cramps.
    For awhile I was using Nuun electrolyte tablets in my water (lower calories than Gatorade) but the more I practice, the less I need to supplement.
    I've heard that pickle juice can also help alleviate cramps but I haven't tried it personally and can't vouch for the accuracy of that.
  • Chrissy180
    Chrissy180 Posts: 30 Member
    Pickle Juice is a fix for cramps..but its a temporary one. It works by moving Potassium and Sodium across the cell wall. The only problem is when you do this you delete your extracellular supply of Potassium that needs to be replenished by either taking Potassium or eating it in your diet..

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