Muscle cramps?

[Streamweaver]

How do I prevent Muscle cramps ?? Im talking severe cramps!!
Mostly in my calves and the sides of my torso. Ive started taking Potasium twice a day (just started yesterday) but I woke out of a sound sleep again with a major cramp in my calf that feels like it tore or pulled a muscle!! I know one problem that is at least contributing is dehydration,even when drinking lots of water I get dehydrated sometimes and the potasium is suposed to help keep fluids in the tissue so maybe this will help eventually. any ideas?? Thanx,Streamweaver

[bearbag hanger]

How do I prevent Muscle cramps ?? Im talking severe cramps!!
Mostly in my calves and the sides of my torso. Ive started taking Potasium twice a day (just started yesterday) but I woke out of a sound sleep again with a major cramp in my calf that feels like it tore or pulled a muscle!! I know one problem that is at least contributing is dehydration,even when drinking lots of water I get dehydrated sometimes and the potasium is suposed to help keep fluids in the tissue so maybe this will help eventually. any ideas?? Thanx,Streamweaver

I've found GatorAid or something similar helps a lot. I have to drink it all the time or I get the same problem.

[Streamweaver]

Thanks for the replies!! I do drink quite a bit of Gatorade mixed very weak though or it makes me gag after awhile,It does seem to help. I do need to work on my stretching!! I think I have some books with illistrations showing proper stretching but its just another of my bad habits ,not stretching or warming up properly.Im also going to have to go to my cartiologist to see how much salt I can safely eat,I dont know if salt has anything to do with it but I think it might.
Im not on any restrictions but after my surgery the doc said just dont go crazy with the salt shaker. that doesnt really tell me much lol .Thanks alot,Streamweaver

[dje97001]

Go for a ! Seriously, Bananas are great at preventing cramps. I suppose that banana chips might also work (unless the potassium is removed/weakened through the dehydrating process?.. doubtful), and that way you could eat them while hiking. Consider it another excuse to eat.

[bobgessner57]

I find gatorade a bit yucky too, especially the blue stuff that looks like tidy bowl. If I am getting really depleted then it tastes ok.

Dates are high in potassium and travel better than a fresh banana. Good quality dates can be found in some supermarkets or at health food stores and co-ops. They are filling and are good with peanut butter or nuts as well as by themselves. Those nasty sugar coated ones in most stores are a poor imitation of the real thing. I have good luck avoiding cramps by snacking on stuff like the dates and swilling the water down. I often have banana chips in my gorp or a dried fruit mix but am not sure of the nutritional readout on them.

[torch]

Potassium is only half of the problem! The amount of sodium you lose in your sweat is greater than the amount of potassium, and sodium is also vital to muscle contraction. Sodium loss is offset more because it is a bigger part of our diet and more common in the foods we eat, but still, increasing potassium intake alone will not prevent cramping!

[sloetoe]

How do I prevent Muscle cramps ?? Im talking severe cramps!! I know one problem that is at least contributing is dehydration,even when drinking lots of water I get dehydrated sometimes and the potasium is suposed to help keep fluids in the tissue so maybe this will help eventually. any ideas?? Thanx,Streamweaver

Actually, K will help with muscle activation, Na with saturation.
No matter: if you're going long distance and you don't want to worry about it, EAT MORE GORP. Gorp is tremendous for the distance hiker:
1) It's calorie dense (fats from peanuts and M&Ms)
2) buttload of fiber (so to speak -- raisons are just like tiny prunes, but don't tell anyone -- it's a secret)
3) Plenty of sodium (peanuts) and potassium (raisons).
4) Enough sugars to give you a decent degree of instant pick-me-up
5) Goes great with water.
6) Goes great with water.
7) Eat your gorp with water.

For the record, my favorite gorp is still cashews, M&Ms, Reese's Pieces, raisons, "craisons", pistachios. GOD but I'm hungry now.....

Lastly, examine your diet. Do you put table salt on your food? I didn't for YEARS, then started distance running. BOY did I learn...

Sloetoe
(thinking of running the Damascus Red-Eye again:
50 miles overnight, from Troutdale, over Rogers/Greyson/Whitetop/etc
to Damascus, Friday-Saturday, May 14-15.
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?)
But I'll be packing my HammerGel, my Succeed caps, my Clip2 mix, blahblahblah
http://www.ultrafit-endurance.com/succeedcaps.html

[Streamweaver]

Lastly, examine your diet. Do you put table salt on your food? I didn't for YEARS, then started distance running. BOY did I learn...

This is prolly the most important element that is missing from my diet right now!! I almost never put salt on my food but after I started this thread I did start adding a bit of salt once in awhile in addition to 1-2 potasium pills I also started taking recently and the multi-vite that Ive been taking daily for years ,and I have noticed an improvement since then.The only thing that concerns me about the salt is that after I had open heart surgery in 95 (had a valve replaced)actually after the initial 6 month recuperation my Cardiologist told me I didnt have any diet restrictions "but just dont go crazy with the salt shaker" . I didnt worry to much about that because I didnt use much salt anyway,but now that I think Im not getting enough salt I have to figure out just how much salt is "going crazy with the shaker".So next step is to remember to ask next time I go for a checkup I guess.

Thanks alot for all the advice!!! I guess a guy who had heart surgery should already know about this stuff,but what can you do?! Streamweaver

[Doctari]

As you stated, dehydration is part of the problem. Most Americans are chronicly dehydrated, drink till your urine is almost clear as water (or VERY very thin lemonade). Also the potassium will help, be careful with your salt/sodium intake, most American & other developed countries have an awful lot of salt in their diets already, and the stuff can raise your Blood Pressure quite a lot.
Stretches before & after excersize WILL make a BIG difference. Let me rephrase that: PROPER Stretches before & after excersize WILL make a BIG difference.
I work at a Renaissance Festival, and If I don't stretch before, I pay for it ever so much afterwards: Cramps, overall aches & pains, etc. I rarely forget more than 2 or 3 times during the 5 months of rehersals & fair.

Doctari.

[torch]

While it is true that most Americans have a high sodium content in their diet, that isn't necessarily true while on the trail. You are not eating the same processed foods and/or fast foods while hiking. Sodium content can change dramatically from day to day, so when you start hiking, even if you have a high sodium diet in the "outside" world, you may not while eating "hiking" food.

The bottom line is, take in plenty of electrolytes, not just potassium, and keep your hydration level up.

[charlottebronte]

Consult a specialist, but I use: Magnesium (look on the Ironman websites, since they have a big problem with cramps); NOT Gatorade, since it can create more cramps; Hammer endurance fuel doesn't have so much crap in it; electrolyte solution which you can make yourself; stretching, I mean seriously stretching, all the muscles in the lower back, the groin, thighs, hamstrings, Achilles, everything, but only AFTER exercising and get someone to show you how; stretch every day for much longer than you think; Pilates; alot of other vitamins so the magnesium works properly; sleep with feet flexed (don't let the blankets weigh them down); eat bananas; use Lite Salt (=potassium) instead of salt.

[orangebug]

Advice from the above are excellent, except for the lack of Calcium as an important additive. Usually, the onset of muscle cramps/ Charley Horses is a combination of dehydration and calcium deficiency. This is often a component of hypothermia, also.

Any of the electrolyte sources are fine, except that few have calcium. TUMS, cheese, powered milk (I like regular fat), jerkie (bones are scraped in with the mess) and such are good sources. Adequate calcium replacement may help avoid shin splints and stress fractures.

Bill...

[okpik]

.................................

[loonyhiker]

Drinking water, bananas, and salt have helped me with leg cramps but I found out that I was not getting enough calcium also. My doctor suggested that I take calcium (1200 mg per day) to fight osteoporosis and it has really kept my calves from cramping. I was surprised! My hubby has bad back muscle spasms since it was fractured in 3 places from a car wreck 3 years ago. He has started to add more calcium to his diet (hooray for ice cream! good rationale for more ben and jerrys) which have tremendously decreased the spasms.

[Connie]

I read that calcium and magnesium should be in a 3:1 ratio.

I have never had a calcium-magnesium supplement "work" for me and I have tried the calcium and magnesium in different formulations, maleate, aspartate, etal.

My best recommedation is CytoSport CYTOMAX cool citrus exercize and recovery drink taken as directed ..wear a watch. It tastes okay, in cool or in lukewarm water.

I drink water, and weak juice and water. But if I know I can expect muscle cramps, because I am powering up a trail, I "dose" on this great stuff !

It moves along the lactic acid build-up, and improves oxygen uptake.

Of course, I "camel-up" a day or two before getting up into high country. I should pee, about every two hours. I pee pretty clear, after the first urine in the morning. This is recommended.

If you are cramping, stretch the cramping muscle out and "pump" that muscle by squeezing off and on with your hands, or, someone you get to help you.

[Connie]

oops ..take as directed, in the amount directed ..not more, not less ..before, during, and after the exercize that gives you muscle cramps.

[MOWGLI]

Here's an answer I haven't seen yet, and it's the fix!

There is a product called Emer'gen-C made by Alacer Corp. It contains loads of Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, as well as a bunch of B Vitamins. It comes in packets that weigh 8 grams. I call the stuff my fizzy lifting drink. It's great! You can find it in most health food stores. You can even purchase it at Amazon.com.

I have met several backpackers who swear by the stuff. A good buddy who is a chemical engineer tells me it is the best thing he has found to stop cramping!

Here's a link to the manufacturer of the product.

http://www.alacercorp.com/

Try it out! It's lightweight, and cheap, cheap, cheap! Tastes good too.

(no I don't work for them - but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night)

Little Bear

[SGT Rock]

Rosaleen sent me some of this stuff when I was in Iraq. It works.

[smokymtnsteve]

I know a little about leg muscles...

and yes the emergen-c is good..also try Co-enzyme Q-10...drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest..elevate legs during rest periods and carry a 3/4 length pad and use your pack to elevate your feet at night.

Plus practice my deep knee bends

[Pencil Pusher]

Nothing scientific here, I was told the muscles scream because of not enough water intake.

Cytomax rules for getting a second wind when the going gets tough. I don't know what the heck is inside that stuff, but it works. I'm not picky about taste and don't drink the stuff regularly. It's expensive, about twice the price of Gatorade.