Charlie horse/cramp in foot?

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aippolito1
aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
There's this one move in my Pilates DVD that I try every time I do it and my feet always get bad cramps or charlie horses right in my arches. I have to stop because it hurts so bad and my toes get all crooked. Any idea why? Is this a vitamin deficiency or am I just destined to never be able to do this move? It's supposed to be great for your hips and I really want to do it!! Ugghhh.

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  • diet45
    diet45 Posts: 392 Member
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    I heard if you eat a banana a week it keeps away the cramps.
  • utes09
    utes09 Posts: 561 Member
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    I get these all the time, sometimes during exercise, when I'm just sitting, even sleeping, annnd even in both feet at the same time! It puts my toes to a perfect point, wish I was a gymnast.

    Anyways, I looked into and your potassium intake could have something to do with it. I believe it's a myth that a banana a week or even a day will keep it from happening. A banana only has about 500 mg of potassium and the daily rec. is 3500 mg. Also your fluid level could play a part. Drink plenty of water.
  • coderchris
    coderchris Posts: 79 Member
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    I used to have this problem a trainer told me to eat more bananas and get plenty of calcium. He said I could be deficient in potassium or calcium. I have not had a problem since. Good Luck, hope it works for you.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Interesting!! I haven't eaten bananas for awhile because it was eating up too many of my sugars...been trying to eat more berries since they're lower in sugar. Guess I should put them back in. Hmph.
  • rose1617
    rose1617 Posts: 469 Member
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    If you are out somewhere and worried about this, eat a mustard packet from a restaurant.
    A doctor in my First Aid/CPR class told me this trick and said he keeps them and has coaches keep them for their athletes as a "quick fix" for muscle cramps.
  • sheri3762
    sheri3762 Posts: 159
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    Ive heard of the mustard trick before too. There is a suppliment you can take that is based on the mustard theory, I just can't remember the name of it. I do have a potassium problem and I also have the foot cramps as well. Drives me crazy. I get them in the night or when I stretch. I also get them in my calve and my forearms. Banannas are good, but a baked potatoe has about double what a bananna has. Also V8 jjuice has alot too. I get the low sodium kind cause it is loaded with sodium! Drinking water is also really really important. if your "pee" is dark yellow, your not drinking enough. Try to get it to be kind of clear. I fight the potassium issue every day because I have to take a direretic with my blood pressure med and thats what causes my problem. Doc doesn't want to take me off them yet cause they work so well to keep my blood pressure normal. Hope some of this helps. I feel for you! Those cramps are a pain when trying to excercise, not to mention they hurt like H@%$!!!!

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