Leg Cramps
love2ride
Posts: 224
drink lots of water if you got dehydrated during the ride and eat salty foods.
If you are lucky have a massage after the event. also remember to stretch
If you are lucky have a massage after the event. also remember to stretch
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Do the same again this week and you'll probally find the leg cramps will be less and then again the following week etc etc until you no longer get the cramps. And then you'll be one hell of a cyclist!djbarren wrote:Done a fast 60 miles yesterday 30 of which were 4 mph above my average when I am out out on my own, the final 30 were hell serious head wind and was fighting the whole way home. Anyway today I have had serious leg cramps to the point were it hurts to walk.
Has anyone got any advice on how to prevent this happenin again?
Thanks
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holmeboy wrote:
Do the same again this week and you'll probally find the leg cramps will be less and then again the following week etc etc until you no longer get the cramps. And then you'll be one hell of a cyclist!djbarren wrote:Done a fast 60 miles yesterday 30 of which were 4 mph above my average when I am out out on my own, the final 30 were hell serious head wind and was fighting the whole way home. Anyway today I have had serious leg cramps to the point were it hurts to walk.
Has anyone got any advice on how to prevent this happenin again?
Thanks
+1, its called training
Dont let your base miles just be junk miles tho. Your 60 fast miles will be far more beneficial than just rolling along for miles on end, and 60 mile rides are more than enough for building your base.
Before you know it, you'll be doin intervals.0 -
I had alot of leg cramps a few weeks ago, having never had them before... I started to put a dash of salt in my drink mix.. touch wood... not had cramp since!!!0
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remember not to have too much salt because it is linked with heart dissease.0
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Train more, mesure your effort a bit better - learn to pace yourself, do negative splits etc - and use an electrolyte drink, Nuun tablets or Endurolyte capsules.0
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During the marmotte I got the worst cramps I have ever had in my life. At the top of the galibier I stopped and then both legs completely seized up. If I tried to stretch my calf it set it off in my thigh and so on. I tried getting back on the bike to start the descent but had to get off because of the pain. I eventually got back on and then the same thing happened at the top of alpe d'huez. I never want to go through that again0
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Add Himalayan salt instead of normal salt.
I tend to mix about 1/3 teaspoon of him salts with two lemon + 1.5litre of water, general electrolite drink, and I've not had cramp for quite a while (well, other than not stretching properly).
There's a difference between cramps and doms... Doms = good, cramp = bad.0 -
You do not need to add salt into your drinks to stop this, your cramp was due to overuse of the muscles compared to your normal ride. As you said it was 4mph above normal.
Our climate is not that hot you need more salt than we get from a balanced diet.
In almost every case cramps are caused by lack of adequate training.
I had cramps this weekend after two hard raides after a layoff from the bike. I was expecting this.
Once I do recovery ride and a couple of more hard rides I know my cramps will stop.
Last year I did a super fondo in italy and the marmotte with no cramps at all.
On the other hand I did a race after 2 weeks away and cramped badly
As another poster said, train harder with some recovery rides in between.0 -
I'm sorry, but that's balls!
You don't need to add salts to your drink when you're cycling 60 miles at your upper limit? Of course you do, you should be taking on more than just water if exercising for more than 60mins.
Also cramps are not good in any means, if you mean muscle soreness then fair enough, but cramps 99% of the time will be either too little fluid and therefore too many electrolytes in the muscles, or too much fluid washing out the electrolytes from the muscle.0 -
The guy said he had leg cramp the day after the ride, not during the ride, so I doubt it is either cramp or a lack of salt/minerals. Probably more like DOMS by the sounds of it.
As mentioned above you get more than enough minerals in a balanced diet, so getting cramp (if it is indeed cramp) the following day is down to a poor diet.
A general energy drink off the shelf will contain minerals in it, as does things like bananas, and gels, so I doubt it was anything to do with mineral inbalances, otherwise you would have felt it during the ride, or immediately after the ride, not a day later.
To stop DOMS, stretch at the end of the ride firsat of all, this may ease it slightly, but if you have done a greater amount of work than normal, you should expect muscle soreness.0 -
xRichx wrote:I'm sorry, but that's balls!
You don't need to add salts to your drink when you're cycling 60 miles at your upper limit? Of course you do, you should be taking on more than just water if exercising for more than 60mins.
Also cramps are not good in any means, if you mean muscle soreness then fair enough, but cramps 99% of the time will be either too little fluid and therefore too many electrolytes in the muscles, or too much fluid washing out the electrolytes from the muscle.
mmmmm, I do 70 mile runs with just water and don't get cramps. The only time I get it is in hard races - fatigue cramp, and this is using nuun tabs gels etc. Basically need to train more.0 -
I never get cramps during a long ride and I just use water.
I once got one at the end of a 10mile tt half a mile before the line but probably because it i dont take a drink.
A tip rain soaking in to the legs can cause cramp, so if it raining then rub baby oil into your legs.0 -
xRichx wrote:I'm sorry, but that's balls!
You don't need to add salts to your drink when you're cycling 60 miles at your upper limit? Of course you do, you should be taking on more than just water if exercising for more than 60mins.
Also cramps are not good in any means, if you mean muscle soreness then fair enough, but cramps 99% of the time will be either too little fluid and therefore too many electrolytes in the muscles, or too much fluid washing out the electrolytes from the muscle.
I think not.
Just google for causes of cramp and you will see that there is no definitive cause of cramp.
You say "salt" but enerhy drinks have electolytes in them to aid hydration but that is not the same as adding salt to drinks, which should not be required and can cause blood pressure problems.
As many riders on here will verify they can ride long distances without cramps.
When I am fit and into the season I generally ride up to 70 miles with just squash and energy drink.
As I mentioned the OP stated his ride was much faster than his usual ride which means he probably rode much harder than usual which will cause cramps.
I am sorry but no amount of salt, water or eenergy drink would have preveneted his cramps in that case.
If you do not believe me try this if your not an athlete.
Drink as much electrolyte, energy drink, salt drink or whatever you wish, then put on a pair of running spikes, go to a running track or field and do 5 x 100m sprints, followed by 4 x 400m sprints and tell me if you got cramp or not!!
The OP's cramps were almost certainly not caused by lack of hydration or food and more than probable caused by the over use of his muscles. As otheres have said, the more he trains at similar intensity the less he is likely to cramp.0 -
I often go out in the morning with no breakfast and just two bottles of squash.djbarren wrote:oldwelshman
I agree totally, as I stated previously I rode this event over the first 30 miles at avg 21 mph which is 4 mph above my average when riding on my own, and on the way home beating against a head wind my avg was 18mph. So I was working fairly hard, harder than normal. Went out on monday for a fast 30 miles and felt fine,
But as stated before by others my diet can be quite poor as I work nights I tend not to eat alot, so this may also be a contributing factor to the cramps.
Some call it a fatburning ride I do not cramp then either.
I woud be very surprised if not eating properly would cause cramps, you would bonk before you got cramp 0 -
If a diet is poor in nutrients, you will suffer in the long term, and probably suffer alot before someone that has a diet full of the required nutrients the body needs. Even if you work nights surely you can pack a meal up to take to work with you.
TBH if the pain was the following day I doubt it was even cramp, cramp normally affects people when the muscles are actually in use doing the hard work, not a day later. It sounds more like DOMS.0 -
Hi, I went bike riding today and broke my distance record. My legs felt a little stiff, but not sore at all. About an hour later, I had the most extreme leg cramp ever in my thigh muscle (I suspect it was the vastus medialis of the quadriceps femoris). I was in agony and could not walk. It felt like I was hit full-force with a sledge hammer. I called to my wife to quickly get me a triple magnesium capsule (which I keep on hand for lower back spasms). Then I had her bring me a hot washcloth to place on the muscle to relax it. In less than 5 minutes the muscle was back to normal and I haven't had the cramp since. I believe that magnesium is KEY to relieving muscle cramps. The cramp was NOT caused by a lack of salt or dehydration, and it was NOT simple soreness. When the body is depleted of magnesium, muscle cramps and spasms commonly occur.0
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Actually there is no scientific evidence to support the assumption that electrolyte imbalance is the cause of Exercise associated muscle cramps (EAMC). EAMC may occur even hours after the exercise has finished.Muscle Cramping in Athletes--Risk Factors, Clinical Assessment, and Management
Clinics in Sports Medicine - Volume 27, Issue 1 (January 2008) - Copyright © 2008 W. B. Saunders Company - About This Journal Summary
There are a number of traditional hypotheses for the development of EAMC in athletes, including electrolyte disturbances, dehydration, extreme environments, and inherited metabolic abnormalities.
However, a careful analysis of the existing scientific data, including data from recently published prospective studies,does not support the hypotheses that EAMC is caused by serum electrolyte disturbances or dehydration
Evidence from animal experiments, clinical observations, and electromyographic studies indicate that:
the development of premature muscle fatigue, resulting in abnormalities in neuromuscular control during exercise, is a more plausible hypothesis to explain the development of EAMC.
The most important intrinsic risk factors for EAMC in athletes are
- a previous history of EAMC
-and performing exercise at a higher relative exercise intensity or duration when compared with normal training.
The most important extrinsic risk factor is;
participating in hot and humid environmental conditions.
The diagnosis of EAMC is made clinically, and the [/B]most effective immediate management of EAMC is rest and passive stretching.
Athletes presenting with recurrent episodes of EAMC require a comprehensive clinical diagnosis and special investigations. Underlying medical causes of cramping must be excluded in these athletes. The key to the prevention of EAMC is to reduce the risk of developing premature muscle fatigue.DeLee: DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, 3rd ed.
Copyright © 2009 Saunders, An Imprint of Elsevier
CHAPTER 1 – Basic Science and Injury of Muscle, Tendon, and Ligament
Muscle Cramps
Ordinary muscle cramps are common during and after athletic exercise and are frequent in young healthy people not involved in athletics. Cramps occur most frequently in the gastrocnemius complex and can arise during exercise, at rest, or while asleep.0 -
If sweat contains a certain ratio of electrolytes to water, then surely what remains inside of you as you sweat is the very same ratio of electrolytes to water? I always put cramp down to simply undertraining. you can be very fit, but ride over your threshold and muscles seem to cramp very easily I find. i.e. I can ride short road race no problems, but a 100 mile sportive i'm a total mess by then end of it and nearly always get cramp.0
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Take magnesium for it, but also take with calcium. Magnesium needs calcium and calcium needs magnesium to absorb good.
Sources of magnesium
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tnam ... nt&dbid=750 -
A recovery drink, a good stretch, a nice warm bath/shower and a good (nutritious) meal afterwards should sort you out."A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150 -
I've never had cramps before until this year but i am used to riding my super galaxy at a nice pace with plenty of stops etc. Late last year i got myself a ribble sportive to go a bit faster. My first cramp this year was early on and was my hardest 30 mile run. My second i felt just coming on as i was reaching home after a 60 mile run. Both of these runs have been at a lot more effort than i am previously used to but i was taking on plenty of sports drinks and jells so i think it is more to do with effort than hydration in my cases.0
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I went out today on road, first time for 3 weeks, only 55 miles and got cramp
When fit can manage much longer and harder rides easily without cramping.0 -
I had to do something today which I've never done and indeed hoped never to have to do - get off and push up a hill. :oops: Admittedly it was 22% killer and I'd just went over a bitch of a climb that I'd never done before (Dree Hill in Co. Down - horrid) but nevertheless, I had no choice. As I neared the top of the 22, BOTH my quads just kind of tensed up, painfully so but not excruitinigly so. When I got off, they just stayed that way. I had to force myself to stretch and then felt them release fairly quickly, but then on each of the shorter climbs thereafter I could feel them twinge the moment I tried to pick up the pace. It was all I could do to limp the last 10 miles home.
Now, I'm fairly sure that this was neither dehydration, nor lack of electrolytes but I do think this was quite simply my muscles telling me that the hills were too steep and too many and the quick 30 I put in yesterday after 3 weeks off the bike all added to them simply giving up when I needed them most.
Can I assume that this is sort of the weightlfiters equivalent of muscle 'failure'. If so, can I at least take solace from the idea that it'll make my legs stronger?0 -
GavH wrote:
Now, I'm fairly sure that this was neither dehydration, nor lack of electrolytes but I do think this was quite simply my muscles telling me that the hills were too steep and too many and the quick 30 I put in yesterday after 3 weeks off the bike all added to them simply giving up when I needed them most.
This fits with my experience of cramps - I can get them early season as I increase length of rides, then I also get them during long sportives - had to stop on the nameless 20%er on the Autumn Epic 'cos my thighs locked solid and when I tried to stretch it out my hamstrings went! Not funny straddling the bike in cleats on a steep hill, I couldn't even swing my leg over the bike for the first 2 or 3 minutes! The paper quoted makes sense and I'll have to bite the bullet and get on and do some longer stuff this yearIf you haven't got a headwind you're not trying hard enough0 -
GavH wrote:I had to do something today which I've never done and indeed hoped never to have to do - get off and push up a hill. :oops: Admittedly it was 22% killer and I'd just went over a ***** of a climb that I'd never done before (Dree Hill in Co. Down - horrid) but nevertheless, I had no choice. As I neared the top of the 22, BOTH my quads just kind of tensed up, painfully so but not excruitinigly so. When I got off, they just stayed that way. I had to force myself to stretch and then felt them release fairly quickly, but then on each of the shorter climbs thereafter I could feel them twinge the moment I tried to pick up the pace. It was all I could do to limp the last 10 miles home.
Now, I'm fairly sure that this was neither dehydration, nor lack of electrolytes but I do think this was quite simply my muscles telling me that the hills were too steep and too many and the quick 30 I put in yesterday after 3 weeks off the bike all added to them simply giving up when I needed them most.
Can I assume that this is sort of the weightlfiters equivalent of muscle 'failure'. If so, can I at least take solace from the idea that it'll make my legs stronger?
I've been looking into this quite a lot lately and I would say, something like 70 to 80% of cramps are caused simply by the muscles not being conditioned to the effort. The remaining 20 to 30% will be a nutrition or electrolyte issue. Too many people blaim cramp on the wrong diet imo. For example, I used to get the odd cramp in my thighs when I first got into the sport, especially on steep hills, but now I hardly get any at all, no matter how hard or far I ride.0 -
Good diet definitely helps and good water intake before, during and after. Electrolyte tabs or similar work for me.
Pushing yourself and doing 60 mile+ could be a bit of lactic build up and you were sore the next day perhaps because it did not disperse properly. If you are doing a hard 60 mile+ ride and hydrated / ate ok what really, really does work afterwards is to sit in a cold bath for about 15 mins or failing that a long cold shower, concentrating on the legs. Then immediately have a hot bath / shower. The cold pushes the blood to the surface and aqueezes out the lactic build up and the hot surges the blood back to the muscles. It works a treat.0 -
Hi, Very interesting topic
I to suffer from cramps in my thighs and calfs but usually when i am dieting to lose weight quickly for a hilly sportive and not always when i have have a tough ride
Been doing a bit of mountain biking durng the snowy weather and although not doing anything like the miles i do on my road bike i am experiencing servere cramps when i have to unclip quickly and put my foot down to stop me from crashing in the snowy conditions and the stretching to reach the floor sets it off
With this in mind it made me think the problems that i get with cramps on the road bike could be down to my riding position and bike setup if i am having to stretch to pedal efficiently. Have changed cleat position and seat height but still getting the odd cramp now and then
To echo most other theories i would have to say eat the right stuff, train well and stretch prior and after riding0
