Leg Cramps ... after the workout

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2011-07-01 12:10 PM

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Raleigh, North Carolina
Subject: Leg Cramps ... after the workout

Last night I spent an hour on the spin cycle and worked the legs really hard.  It was like climbing for an hour with minimal standup time and mostly powering thru the crank with just the legs.  I kept well hydrated throughout the workout and especially afterwards drank a lot of water. 

So after I'd gone to bed and been dead asleep for about an hour, I sat bolt upright due to an excruciating cramp in my quad.  I managed to stand beside the bed and straighten the leg, but this did absolutely nothing to relieve the cramp.  I'm talking a "sweat popping, OMG moaning, almost throw up - almost pass out from the pain" leg cramp. 

And so after what seemed like forever, I managed to lie back down  - not move at all and slowly (leg straightened), very slowly the cramp eased away.  Total time here was probably 5-6 minutes.  When it starts to cramp it's like "BANG" and full ONNN ... there's no easing into it.  But once it start to subside it pretty much goes away.

This is the 3rd time this has happened and so my questions ... do you get these and what can be done to prevent them?  I've read a bit about pickle juice and have no problem drinking the stuff, but wondered what the fellow triathletes are doing.

2011-07-01 3:02 PM
in reply to: #3576983

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Leg Cramps ... after the workout

Cramps are still one of those "unknown" mysteries. One theory that was tossed around when I was in my kinesiology classes (A loooong time ago :D) was that the nerve controlling muscle conduction kept on "leaking" the transmitter substance, and when enough built up, the muscle uncontrollably contracted.

I find that if I do a lot of lower resistance spin type stuff, or I have a really tough interval session, then I can get finicky calves and for some reason, the groin adductor muscle on occasion. Enough pain to wish you were giving birth so you'd have something to show for it :p

John

2011-07-01 3:49 PM
in reply to: #3576983

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Pro
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Baton Rouge area
Subject: RE: Leg Cramps ... after the workout

Dorm,

+1 on this is one of those that has lots of "home" remedies that have little science behind if they truly work.  I used to get them fairly regularly before I started training for Tri's.  I found I got them more frequently when I had too much caffiene but my remedy has been banana's.  I credit the potassium as fixing these.  If I got a cramp I would eat a banana or two and it took care of it and could sleep the night.   I have since moved to a multi-vitamin with higher potassium content.  Where I used to get one or two cramps a week I now have not had one in months.

Once again, did banana's (and now multi vitamin) truly "cure" the issue I am not sure.  Works for me and since I can remember how much pain those cramps were I am not about to mess with it to see if they come back.

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