Mother of all charlie horses... HELP!

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  • devilwhiterose
    devilwhiterose Posts: 1,157 Member
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    I got them when I wasn't drinking enough water.
  • maggiemay22467
    maggiemay22467 Posts: 214 Member
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    I have them all the time so I found that if I drink water all day and a banana at around 3pm every day has really helped me alot.
  • BenjaminMFP88
    BenjaminMFP88 Posts: 660 Member
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    Everyone is mentioning only partial solutions. Often times cramps are caused by an electrolyte depletion and/or imbalance. The list of electrolytes in the body are Sodium, Potassium, Bicarbonate, Magnesium, Chloride, Hydrogen Phosphate and Hydrogen Carbonate. Depending on the person, depletion and/or imbalances in any one of these could cause cramps/charlie horses.

    Potassium is great, but too much filters out Sodium as does water, so recommending this could exascerbate the problem.

    I would recommend ensuring you are hitting the dietary guidelines for the three main electrolytes to start, and if it doesn't work, go to your Dr as this could precourser something else.

    Sodium: Roughly 2500mg per day
    Potassium:Rroughly 4500mg per day
    Magnesium: 300mg for no pregnant and/or breastfeeding, up to 450mg if you are

    Don't worry to much about going a bit over these, so long as you get them.

    Just my two cents...
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    The other members have some good ideas on why you are getting them. I will agree with the member who gave you a strategy on how to relieve them. He is right. You will have instant relief. Point your toes upward so you lengthen/stretch the calf and the pain instantly goes away.

    Yep. This is the only relief for me. It's a pain in the *kitten* since you have to keep holding your leg like that or the pain will come back, but eventually it should dull. Holy crap those hurt. You have my sympathy.
  • OMGeeeHorses
    OMGeeeHorses Posts: 732 Member
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    I had one a couple days ago. Ditto to the waking up in the middle of the night, it was 10 times WORSE for me as it was in my already damaged leg from a car accident. My leg stuck straight out and was all tense and wouldn't move at all. I try and rub mine a little bit ( I say little because its SO painful) and that seems to slowly have my muscles release there death grip on me..
  • Cfkearney
    Cfkearney Posts: 184 Member
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    I've had that exact same pain. Waking up in screaming pain and my calf muscle a big ol ball of tension. The first time it happened to me I was pregnant. I was told a calcium deficiency could cause that. It's happened since then probably 2 or 3 more times when I wasn't pregnant. It always sucks.

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