cramp in calf

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Kev_T
Kev_T Posts: 2
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi folks

I have just started losing weight and working out regularly. Been a month now and feel amazing already!

I am walking for 60 minutes at 3.5 km/h on my treadmill and am getting an intense cramp in my left calf. It starts about 10 minutes in, gets worse throughout the work-out and then stays rock solid all day making walking and particularly stairs very painful. Everything else feels fine.

I am stretching it before and after and keeping the potassium up (bananas) etc).

Perhaps someone knows of a better stretch?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Replies

  • bdburch
    bdburch Posts: 127
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    I have a similar experience. I was getting cramps randomly in both of my calves and was told by a doctor to increase my potassium. It didn't work. It turns out I also had a mild vitamin D deficiency. After increasing my intake of vitamin D, my legs rarely cramp.

    This is just my particular case though. If it gets really bad, I would see a doctor if possible.
  • notthatthis
    notthatthis Posts: 218
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    If it were perhaps damage to the muscle (microtears, tear, knotting) and not cramp then no amount of stretching will ease the problem you need to deep massage and then stretch. A tennis ball is your saviour and you can self-massage or learn self-myofacial release. Just a question of googling 'tennis ball massage for calf' or other search terms. The tennis ball technique really worked for me, golf ball is nearly as good.
  • ValerieMomof2
    ValerieMomof2 Posts: 530 Member
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    Make sure to do a bent knee calf stretch as well. Many people don't realize that there are 3 muscles in the calf and you need to stretch with a straight leg and a bent knee
    Here's a link to multiple stretches including the bent knee one:
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/415203-tight-calf-stretches/
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    You can try increasing your water intake and/or decreasing your salt intake as well. A lot of times, charlie horses are cause by osmotic imbalance in the large muscles of the legs. Water and salt levels both affect this balance.
  • missjeevious
    missjeevious Posts: 83 Member
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    don't want to be an alarmist- but is your calf swelling at all? Are you waking in the night in pain? I was in pain like this and had a blood clot- obvi doesn't mean YOU have one, but I feel compelled to mention it.
  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
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    Previous poster beat me to the tennis ball. I second that very strongly.
  • Kev_T
    Kev_T Posts: 2
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    Thanks everyone. Great responses and great community!
  • efirkey
    efirkey Posts: 298 Member
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    What helps for me is to drink some Powerade Zero everyday and take a multi vitamin. I tried bananas in the past but they didn't do anything for me.
  • notthatthis
    notthatthis Posts: 218
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    What helps for me is to drink some Powerade Zero everyday and take a multi vitamin. I tried bananas in the past but they didn't do anything for me.

    How do you know bananas did not work, maybe it was everything else that was bad diet wise in your life that did not do anything for you? recommending powerade is like recommending salt, which of course is grea for keeping cramps at bay but not the solution to a problem.
  • ChrisLindsay9
    ChrisLindsay9 Posts: 837 Member
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    Cramps are a sign of dehydration in most cases. Especially in the lower body. Make sure you're hydrating yourself throughout the day if you workout in the evening. If you workout first thing in the morning, then drink frequently during (even if you're not thirsty).

    Hope those calf cramps subside. If not, go lower weight and do higher reps. Calves are unique in that they are an endurance muscle which means you could theoretically work them every time you do a workout. So going 70% at 15-20 reps for a few sets, three to four times a week is another alternative.

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