Calf cramps while sleeping???

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FitnessLover001
FitnessLover001 Posts: 188 Member
in Motivation and Support
Has anyone gotten these before?? Last night I was sleeping, and then all of a sudden my leg cramped up right at the side of my calf and it felt like I was paralyzed, no exaggeration! It's like, I wasn't able to move my leg, but it hurt so bad that I had to. And when I got out of bed this morning, it's still hurting and I feel like I can't do anything fitness wise today.

I do drink water throughout the day, so I stay hydrated. I have been doing 40 min on the stair climber the past three days along with 40 min of other cardio machines, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it??

It just hurts to even walk or stretch on it!

any help with this??

Replies

  • Eleonora91
    Eleonora91 Posts: 688 Member
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    Omg I used to suffer from them and hated it. I've never understood why but I've been told it could be because of a lack of potassium... I'm not sure about this. Might want to make more researches about this topic... anyway asking your doctor would be much better.
  • mlehm99
    mlehm99 Posts: 1 Member
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    Could be not enough calcium. I was on Optifast for 16 weeks and started getting the cramping in the last few weeks. Then I started integrating real food & now I drink Almond milk and haven't had a leg cramp since then.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
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    Yes, I've had these many times before and they hurt like h3ll. I find I don't have them much when my diet is healthier. Potassium is important as are all electrolytes. If you are doing 80 min of cardio, you may be depleting your electrolytes a bit much. Bananas and sweet potatoes are great potassium sources, but remember that sodium is part of the electrolyte family, you just don't need to go crazy. Focus on getting in a good amount of fruit and veggies and you should see these issues diminish.

    As for the pain right now, it would usually take a day to work the cramp out fully. These are killer and suck so very much. I sometimes wake up fearing that one is just about to happen like a bad nightmare.
  • rdianemu
    rdianemu Posts: 132 Member
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    You could try bananas or other high potassium food. I think it helps me. I used to get them when I was younger and dieting/running a lot. I haven't had any for a long time and am putting in more miles but eat bananas like crazy.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    When my calf is tight from running . the best solution that I've found (after proper hydration) is my Foam Roller - It's BRILLIANT. (can't shout that loud enough!)
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
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    Low potassium is usually the cause. The Mayo clinic has a really excellent article on hypokalemia (low blood potassium). If you have any type of kidney disease or might have kidney disease, don't increase your potassium without consulting a doctor because it can become dangerously high.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/low-potassium/basics/definition/sym-20050632

    ETA: Oh, yeah, using a heating pad for 15 minutes alternating with a cold pack for 15 minutes for three cycles might give you some relief.

    :flowerforyou:
  • EmilyTwist1
    EmilyTwist1 Posts: 206 Member
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    Just had one of these this morning, so I know how you feel. I used to get them a lot more, and my doc recommended getting more water, magnesium, and potassium.
  • katro111
    katro111 Posts: 632 Member
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    Ohhhh my, yes, these are the worst. I also get them when I stretch (while still laying in bed) by pointing my toes forward so I've started stretching by pointing my toes toward the ceiling and pushing my heels out. Still a nice wake up stretch for the legs and calves and little to no cramping. :)
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
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    Calf cramps are bad but thigh muscle cramps are REALLY bad. I didn't know they could happen til a couple summers ago when I was working as a flagger for a road construction crew. I figured out I was dehydrated. I was desperate for relief when I woke up in the middle of the night with my upper leg cramping and no position helped, finally hobbled to the kitchen sink and drank about 3 full glasses of water, which settled it down. Never let myself get dehydrated after that.

    Until... last fall I had my first ever colonoscopy and prior to the procedure was required to empty my entire digestive tract. The method the doctor who performed the procedure requires his patients to use is a 3 step process of dulcolax tablets -- wait 2 hours -- drink a bottle of calcium citrate -- wait an hour -- drink clear gator aide mixed with miralax powder.

    WELL, within 3 minutes of drinking the bottle of magnesium citrate I started puking. Had no clue it would bother me but it really, really did. I puked and puked and then my thigh muscles started cramping. Holy Hannah it was horrible!!! I knew I had to drink something so I started on the gatoraide/miralex prep early in order to rehydrate. It helped within a few minutes.

    I really do not know if it was just dehydration or if I screwed up my electrolytes with the effects of the puking from magnesium citrate, but it was something I'll never forget.

    If I ever have to do another prep for colonoscopy I'll choose a different method, believe me.

    Sorry, if TMI, but I figured I talk about lots of personal stuff here as to many others, so wth. And if my dehydration symptoms prevent someone else from drinking too little water, it was worth telling.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
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    Potassium. I recently picked up a jug of low sodium V8 because the stuff is loaded with it... a serving has about a quarter of what you need for the day. Word of warning: it may not be good to have it by itself.
  • Go_Mizzou99
    Go_Mizzou99 Posts: 2,628 Member
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    be sure to hydrate as well...tat seems to help me more than anything.
  • Ilikelamps
    Ilikelamps Posts: 482 Member
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    yep.eat a banana
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
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    Yes, it used to happen to me when I ran every day. Do you have bananas in your diet? You need Potassium. You don't have to get it from bananas, but that's the most common place to get it from. Look up potassium rich foods and add them to your foods every day. And yeah, keep hydrated, though you said you're already doing that.

    I know they're so painful and horrible. :^\
  • AnthonyThrashD
    AnthonyThrashD Posts: 306 Member
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    This has only happened to me when I go heavy on supplements, like whey protein and creatine. It happens even with 10 glasses of water.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I get terrible cramps in my feet. Two things that have helped are epsom/baking soda soaks and foam rolling. Also drinking more water is supposed to help but the jury is still out on that.
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
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    Yes I get them. Usually in the toes (wtf?) or mid back (oww!) For me it's from electrolyte imbalance. I feel best when I drink a crapton of water, but the side effect of drinking a crapton of water is electrolyte loss through sweat affects you more. Thus I also drink g2 anytime I train. I am cramp free and happy even if people at the gym are giving me side eye for drinking g2 on the arc trainer.
  • RunMyOregonBunsOff
    RunMyOregonBunsOff Posts: 862 Member
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    As so many have said, potassium, water and electrolytes are best for preventing them but if you get one the best thing to do is to actually try to flex or tighten the muscle even more for a second and then relax it. Just trying to relax it doesn't work nearly as good if you don't try to tighten it even more first. It's kind of like you are telly the muscle who's boss in a way. Trust me, it works!
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
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    I get these occasionally and used to get them a lot when pregnant. The nurse practitioner said it was due to low calcium, so I would just eat extra calcium or take a supplement. When I get them now, it's often from too much walking or high impact aerobics (kickboxing, zumba, step) with shoes that have inadequate support. I have 2 pairs of sneakers, one with more of an arch and one pair that's flatter. If I walk too much in the flatter ones, I often have leg cramps at night, but I love to bring them to travel because they are so light. They're the "minimus" type, but I can't wear them for heavy aerobic stuff, or I'll really pay for it, although some people swear by them.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
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    As so many have said, potassium, water and electrolytes are best for preventing them but if you get one the best thing to do is to actually try to flex or tighten the muscle even more for a second and then relax it. Just trying to relax it doesn't work nearly as good if you don't try to tighten it even more first. It's kind of like you are telly the muscle who's boss in a way. Trust me, it works!

    I hadn't thought of trying to flex it even more. I usually am just trying to remember what they taught in birthing class for a contraction since, for me at least, it feels like a contraction in my calf and I am just trying to breath enough to make it stop. Fingers crossed that my diet is good enough to prevent these, but if they happen again, this makes sense as to why it might work, at least in my head.

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