Charlie Horses in your feet? What the devil?

mncardiojunkie
mncardiojunkie Posts: 307 Member
edited September 19 in Fitness and Exercise
I am getting charlie horses in my feet late at night. It happens when I don't work out over the weekend.

My work routine is 35 power cycling, 45-55 minutes weight lifting and 18-34 minutes running/speed walking at the highest incline on the tread mill=5 days a week.

Could it be from wearing high heels boots and shoes? :huh: I've worn high heals for years. I'm not sure I want to give them up.....

I haven't had a charlie horse for years.

Anyone have preventive method? OR EVEN A CURE...cause let me tell you...they hurt like the devil and I can't walk for about 10 minutes.:sad:

Anyone that has any input would be greatly appreciated. :smooched:

Thanks
Marie

Replies

  • mncardiojunkie
    mncardiojunkie Posts: 307 Member
    I am getting charlie horses in my feet late at night. It happens when I don't work out over the weekend.

    My work routine is 35 power cycling, 45-55 minutes weight lifting and 18-34 minutes running/speed walking at the highest incline on the tread mill=5 days a week.

    Could it be from wearing high heels boots and shoes? :huh: I've worn high heals for years. I'm not sure I want to give them up.....

    I haven't had a charlie horse for years.

    Anyone have preventive method? OR EVEN A CURE...cause let me tell you...they hurt like the devil and I can't walk for about 10 minutes.:sad:

    Anyone that has any input would be greatly appreciated. :smooched:

    Thanks
    Marie
  • Eve23
    Eve23 Posts: 2,352 Member
    Though you can get them from your shoes. I am thinking you more than likely just need to get more pottasium in your system. I had one last week that was sore for quite awhile.

    Good luck
  • tiedye
    tiedye Posts: 331 Member
    Try eating a banana. It really works for me when I get a cramp in my calf.
  • mncardiojunkie
    mncardiojunkie Posts: 307 Member
    Try eating a banana. It really works for me when I get a cramp in my calf.

    Thanks...OH NO...NOT THE BANANA THING AGAIN!!! :sick: I absolutely loath bananas. I lived in Brazil for two years and there was bananas in everything, much like there were bread and butter pickles in every sandwich in Sweden-can't eat any pickles now. BURN OUT on Bananas...don't fancy them at all.

    I eat a ton of spinach..but this darn charlie horse happened right after I ate 2 cups of cooked stuff. I cook the stuff from the raw..so it's not over cooked, canned or frozen.

    Anyone have another source of potassium?

    I'm going to start taking my potassium tablets.

    Thanks...:flowerforyou:
  • Eve23
    Eve23 Posts: 2,352 Member
    I hear you on the bananas. Here is a link to a site that will give you some new ideas on how to get it. I found a few I didn't know about. Like avocados mmm.:bigsmile:

    http://www.healthchecksystems.com/vitamins.htm#Minerals
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
    It is possibly your potassium to calcium ratio in your body. I was told this by one of the health gurus I trust. I started taking potassium tablets and they went away
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    Charlie horses? Or cramps?

    My feet cramp all the time. That's the only place I really cramp and it's annoying! :grumble:

    Sorry, no advice. I always heard bananas for cramping...and pickles...I used to drink a bit of juice sometimes when I was cramping extra much.
  • mncardiojunkie
    mncardiojunkie Posts: 307 Member
    I hear you on the bananas. Here is a link to a site that will give you some new ideas on how to get it. I found a few I didn't know about. Like avocados mmm.:bigsmile:

    http://www.healthchecksystems.com/vitamins.htm#Minerals

    Thanks for the link! It's great.

    They are DEFINATELY CHARLIE HORSES!

    I think I will just start up with the potassium tablets and add avocado to my diet. Good IDEAS!
    Thanks!
  • Chunky_Monkey79
    Chunky_Monkey79 Posts: 9
    Ohmygoodness...I thought I was the only one experiencing this...I also get them when I have slacked off on my work out! I also wear high heels and boots for work...personally I know that isn't what is causing my charlie horses because I wear them everyday! I take a multivitamin everyday...I suppose I need to avoid skipping workouts :)
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    Oh ok. I think I call charlie horses something different. The term charlie horse for me means you get hit (for example, boxing out in basketball....butt bone to the thigh....instant charlie horse haha) and the muscle knots up and stays that way for days.
  • mncardiojunkie
    mncardiojunkie Posts: 307 Member
    A charley horse is a popular North American colloquial term for a painful bruise of the quadriceps muscle of the anterior or lateral thigh that commonly results in a muscular hematoma and sometimes several weeks of pain and disability.[1] Such an injury is known in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries (and also in the U.S.) as a dead leg.[2][3] In Australia it is also known as a corked thigh or "corkie".[4] It often occurs in sports when an athlete is struck by an opponent's knee, in a manner like the kick of a horse, perhaps the reason for its name.

    The term "charley horse" is also used to describe simple painful muscle cramps in the leg or foot, especially those that follow strenuous exercise.[5][6][1] These muscle cramps can have many possible causes including hormonal imbalances, dehydration, low levels of potassium or calcium in the blood, side effects of medication, or more seriously, diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and neuropathy.[7] They are also a common complaint during pregnancy.[8]

    Copied from Wikipedia.

    It seems to be a very bad cramp.
    So, yeah, I have foot cramps? :huh:
    Mine occur more frequently when I don't work out. I work out M-F pretty punishing workouts, I might add. I get them on Sunday nights.

    I'll add to the list of to-dos to stop these things...drink lots of water.
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