HELP Severe cramp in calves

Hi hope someone can advise me of any exercise / diet to reduce the onset of
cramps in my calves after a ride and ocasionally durring a time trial run
the cramps are very severe leaving me compleatly debilitated with the pain
for about a minute and tender calves for about a day.
Im not a cycling pro , got back into road riding about 6 months ago and have
beeen gradually trying to improve my fitness on a local TT route here in
northamptonshire ,UK.
I REALLY enjoy my cycling and want to find a solution to this. Any
sujestions would be greatly appreaciated.

Rob D

Hi hope someone can advise me of any exercise / diet to reduce the onset of
cramps in my calves

Keep your potassium level up (a banana with breakfast in the mornings?), use a
good sport drink, and consider an electrolyte supplement if you still have
cramps.

TopCounsel wrote in message

Hi hope someone can advise me of any exercise / diet to reduce the
onset of cramps in my calves

Keep your potassium level up (a banana with breakfast in the
mornings?), use a good sport drink, and consider an electrolyte
supplement if you still have cramps.

Quinine tablets (quinine bisulphate) are sometimes prescribed for cramps.
Drink more G&Ts if you don't want to consult your local doctor. :-)

--

"I'm proud that I live in a country where witnessing two hours of bloody,
barbarous torture in gloating detail is considered indicia of religious
piety, whereas a mere second gazing upon a woman's breast is cause for
outraged apoplexy."
Betty Bowers, http://www.bettybowers.com/melgibsonpassion.html

In article wPR6c.440$94.406@newsfe1-win, says...
Hi hope someone can advise me of any exercise / diet to reduce the onset of
cramps in my calves after a ride and ocasionally durring a time trial run
the cramps are very severe leaving me compleatly debilitated with the pain
for about a minute and tender calves for about a day.

It could be simply getting your muscles adapted to the work, but
dehydration and running short of electrolytes can also contribute to
cramps. Make sure you are keeping up on your water intake (don't over
do it, though). I like half-strength Gatorade to give me some
electrolytes back as well.

.....


--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

"RobD" wrote in message news:wPR6c.440$94.406@newsfe1-win...
Hi hope someone can advise me of any exercise / diet to reduce the onset of
cramps in my calves after a ride and ocasionally durring a time trial run
the cramps are very severe leaving me compleatly debilitated with the pain
for about a minute and tender calves for about a day.
Im not a cycling pro , got back into road riding about 6 months ago and have
beeen gradually trying to improve my fitness on a local TT route here in
northamptonshire ,UK.
I REALLY enjoy my cycling and want to find a solution to this. Any
sujestions would be greatly appreaciated.

Cramps (if you're healthy) are a symptom of muscular fatigue. Dehydration may
slightly predispose you, but it has to be significant.
Potassium/calcium/sodium levels don't have much effect unless they're way off
(unlikely). There is no magic elixir you can drink or eat (bananas, sports
drink, quinine, etc.). Sufficient training is the only real cure.

When your major muscles get exhausted, there's a tendency to try to offload
them to smaller muscles. It's these smaller muscles that often cramp when they
get overloaded. Calf muscles are typical in this regard, since you can add
thrust with foot extension when your leg extensors are dying. If calf muscles
are the only ones that cramp, it may be that your stroke is less than optimal
in that you're putting too much foot into it. Try moving your cleats back
and/or reducing ankle flexing & see if the cramps let up.

On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 06:47:53 -0800 in rec.bicycles.misc, "RobD"
wrote:

Hi hope someone can advise me of any exercise / diet to reduce the onset of
cramps in my calves after a ride and ocasionally durring a time trial run
the cramps are very severe leaving me compleatly debilitated with the pain
for about a minute and tender calves for about a day.

stretches, stretches, stretches. all day during free moments.
you want to do calf and hamstring stretches, and glute stretches
for your lower back.

you especially need to stretch your achilles tendons often. you
can even do this at your desk by sitting on the edge of your
chair, putting your feet flat on the floor and keeping the heels
flat as you slowly move the chair forward a few inches and hold
your heels on the floor for 30-45 seconds, then release.

massage helps to relax tightened muscles. if you're exercising
every day and staying very tight, you might want to take break
days to let them have some deep recovery time, or trade off days
between cycling and some other exercise that uses some different
muscles, like hiking or running. photos of the basic stretches
are at http://www.coolrunning.com.au/expert/1997c003.shtml

you don't say what you're drinking on these rides. if you are
only drinking water, you should consider a sports drink so that
your electrolytes get replaced.

On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 06:47:53 -0800, "RobD" wrote in
message wPR6c.440$94.406@newsfe1-win:

Hi hope someone can advise me of any exercise / diet to reduce the onset of
cramps in my calves after a ride and ocasionally durring a time trial run
the cramps are very severe leaving me compleatly debilitated with the pain
for about a minute and tender calves for about a day.

I get that too :-(

I'm told it's due to:

o over-stressing the muscles
o cold
o possible potassium deficiency
o possible salt deficiency
o possible insufficient water intake.

So far I have found that wearing tights or legwarmers improves it,
riding on Look cleats instead of Spuds helps, keeping the cadence
below 100 and above 85 helps, and eating properly (carbo intake) helps
a lot.

The worst is when I get cramp in my thighs. My thigh muscles are
pretty big, as a daily cyclist who likes to ride hard.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

"RobD" wrote in message
news:wPR6c.440$94.406@newsfe1-win...
Hi hope someone can advise me of any exercise / diet to reduce the onset
of
cramps in my calves after a ride and ocasionally durring a time trial run
the cramps are very severe leaving me compleatly debilitated with the pain
for about a minute and tender calves for about a day.
Im not a cycling pro , got back into road riding about 6 months ago and
have
beeen gradually trying to improve my fitness on a local TT route here in
northamptonshire ,UK.
I REALLY enjoy my cycling and want to find a solution to this. Any
sujestions would be greatly appreaciated.

Well, I thought that everyone would say it but I don't see it anywhere - Try
moving your cleats back a little futher. When you ride too much weight is on
your toes and you are holding your body up with your calf muscles.

When they are properly adjusted you will be able to stand and feel only a
little strain on your calves.