Thigh Muscles & Cramping

daviesee

Hi,

Wasn't sure which thread to put this in but here goes....

I was wakened last night in extreme agony. Both front thigh muscles were locked up.
If I bent my legs it was agony and if i put any weight on them, same again.
It felt like extreme cramp but wasn't, I don't think, as stretching usually relieves cramp.

Any ideas?

I am guilty of not doing any warm up/cool down stretching so that's a possibility.
I have always worked on the basis that an easy start and finish will cover the warm up/cool down but I could be wrong; again

john-e-big-guns

Muscle cramp is your body telling you that your lacking something in your diet...ie. potassium and lack of fluids .....are you drinking water regularly whist out riding and also after...as its surprising how much fluids the body use when doing any form of exercies

daviesee

I was drinking while on the bike but strangely I wasn't thirsty at all last night and barely drank anything at home.
There could be something in that.

pneumatic

I'm no sports scientist, but when I get cramp, it is often helped by fluids. However, it takes a long time to rehydrate because, however much you drink, the body only absorbs so much per hour maximum. I've known it take a good 24 hours of regular intake to actually get properly rehydrated. I tend to have a pot of green tea at the elbow, topped up with hot water throughout the day.

In the short term, I was once told that quinine was a good remedy. I duly tried plain tonic water and it seemed to help.

Spiny_Norman

pneumatic wrote:

In the short term, I was once told that quinine was a good remedy. I duly tried plain tonic water and it seemed to help.

It helps even more if you drink it with gin, as God intended. 8)

ride_whenever

gin and frozen lime wedges...

daviesee

Now we're talking! :P

Mothyman

one gin and quinine please guvnor.....

ride_whenever

for extra cool, add dry ice and drink under a subtle uv lamp, the quinine will glow and the dry ice makes it fume, just be a little careful because you can pass out if you inhale a mouthful of CO2 vapour...

john-e-big-guns

daviesee wrote:

I was drinking while on the bike but strangely I wasn't thirsty at all last night and barely drank anything at home.
There could be something in that.

You have just answer your own question..you do'nt have to be thirsty to take in fluids you must take in drink regularly whilst riding and also when resting after your rides

Imagin your body is like an engine without fluids it will cease..in your case cramp

snailracer

Bananas are rich in potassium, although it sounds like you hadn't been drinking enough water.

daviesee

No pain, no gain?

Sounds like I have gained something then :P

desweller

http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/rehydration-drinks?navbar=hw86827

deptfordmarmoset

Davie, it's a real long shot, but did you by any chance just change over to your winter duvet? I've had cramps when I've overheated at night - I know nothing about medicine but I get the impression that when the muscles relax more and the body dehydrates, cramps are more likely to happen. Alcohol can also aggravate this quite severely.

Again, nobody's mentioned it so far, but I also tend to add a wee bit of salt to whatever I'm drinking when I'm out on the bike. When I say a wee bit I mean not so much that it actually tastes salty. My logic is that it is one of the salts that your body sweats out, so there's no harm in replacing it. And it seems to help.

(To anybody who knows a little about nutrition, please feel free to disabuse me of this notion if it's completely wrong.)

+1 for the potassium advice, though. I always forget to eat the damn things!

daviesee

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

Davie, it's a real long shot, but did you by any chance just change over to your winter duvet? I've had cramps when I've overheated at night - I know nothing about medicine but I get the impression that when the muscles relax more and the body dehydrates, cramps are more likely to happen. Alcohol can also aggravate this quite severely.

Again, nobody's mentioned it so far, but I also tend to add a wee bit of salt to whatever I'm drinking when I'm out on the bike. When I say a wee bit I mean not so much that it actually tastes salty. My logic is that it is one of the salts that your body sweats out, so there's no harm in replacing it. And it seems to help.

(To anybody who knows a little about nutrition, please feel free to disabuse me of this notion if it's completely wrong.)

+1 for the potassium advice, though. I always forget to eat the damn things!

Funny enough, my wife's first response was - salt. She is a nurse so I am not going to argue and it kind of makes sense.
It had been a hot day in the office and I had been drinking constantly throughout the day so I may have actually been flushing my system. Add on sweating while on the bike plus a health orientated meal (no salt) at home and the answer may be a lack of salt rather than dehydration.

PS:- While I like a tipple that was one night I had not partaken :shock:

RyanB

I had a very similar incident a couple of weeks ago MTB'ing around Kirroughtree. My quads each suddenly swelled away with two pronounced lumps. It may have just been lactic acid but it felt like cramp. I couldn't straightened my legs at all. After about 5 mins I was able to massage the lumps away and was able to (tentatively) continue but it was kinda scary at the time. I also loosened my knee pads and this may have helped.

sampras38

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

Davie, it's a real long shot, but did you by any chance just change over to your winter duvet? I've had cramps when I've overheated at night - I know nothing about medicine but I get the impression that when the muscles relax more and the body dehydrates, cramps are more likely to happen. Alcohol can also aggravate this quite severely.

Again, nobody's mentioned it so far, but I also tend to add a wee bit of salt to whatever I'm drinking when I'm out on the bike. When I say a wee bit I mean not so much that it actually tastes salty. My logic is that it is one of the salts that your body sweats out, so there's no harm in replacing it. And it seems to help.

(To anybody who knows a little about nutrition, please feel free to disabuse me of this notion if it's completely wrong.)

+1 for the potassium advice, though. I always forget to eat the damn things!

If you're eating a proper diet you really don't need the extra salt in your drink.

desweller

sampras38 wrote:

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

Davie, it's a real long shot, but did you by any chance just change over to your winter duvet? I've had cramps when I've overheated at night - I know nothing about medicine but I get the impression that when the muscles relax more and the body dehydrates, cramps are more likely to happen. Alcohol can also aggravate this quite severely.

Again, nobody's mentioned it so far, but I also tend to add a wee bit of salt to whatever I'm drinking when I'm out on the bike. When I say a wee bit I mean not so much that it actually tastes salty. My logic is that it is one of the salts that your body sweats out, so there's no harm in replacing it. And it seems to help.

(To anybody who knows a little about nutrition, please feel free to disabuse me of this notion if it's completely wrong.)

+1 for the potassium advice, though. I always forget to eat the damn things!

If you're eating a proper diet you really don't need the extra salt in your drink.

If you're sweating a lot when you train then you do.

sampras38

DesWeller wrote:

sampras38 wrote:

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

Davie, it's a real long shot, but did you by any chance just change over to your winter duvet? I've had cramps when I've overheated at night - I know nothing about medicine but I get the impression that when the muscles relax more and the body dehydrates, cramps are more likely to happen. Alcohol can also aggravate this quite severely.

Again, nobody's mentioned it so far, but I also tend to add a wee bit of salt to whatever I'm drinking when I'm out on the bike. When I say a wee bit I mean not so much that it actually tastes salty. My logic is that it is one of the salts that your body sweats out, so there's no harm in replacing it. And it seems to help.

(To anybody who knows a little about nutrition, please feel free to disabuse me of this notion if it's completely wrong.)

+1 for the potassium advice, though. I always forget to eat the damn things!

If you're eating a proper diet you really don't need the extra salt in your drink.

If you're sweating a lot when you train then you do.

I'm sorry but I beg to differ. I never use extra salt in my drinks and I sweat an awful lot, including 100+ mile rides/plenty of climbing etc. I just ensure I eat well and am properly hydrated. The odd Hi-5 on sportives and nuun tablets occasionally, and that's it.

sampras38

sampras38 wrote:

DesWeller wrote:

sampras38 wrote:

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

Davie, it's a real long shot, but did you by any chance just change over to your winter duvet? I've had cramps when I've overheated at night - I know nothing about medicine but I get the impression that when the muscles relax more and the body dehydrates, cramps are more likely to happen. Alcohol can also aggravate this quite severely.

Again, nobody's mentioned it so far, but I also tend to add a wee bit of salt to whatever I'm drinking when I'm out on the bike. When I say a wee bit I mean not so much that it actually tastes salty. My logic is that it is one of the salts that your body sweats out, so there's no harm in replacing it. And it seems to help.

(To anybody who knows a little about nutrition, please feel free to disabuse me of this notion if it's completely wrong.)

+1 for the potassium advice, though. I always forget to eat the damn things!

If you're eating a proper diet you really don't need the extra salt in your drink.

If you're sweating a lot when you train then you do.

I'm sorry but I beg to differ. I never use extra salt in my drinks and I sweat an awful lot, including 100+ mile rides/plenty of climbing etc. I just ensure I eat well and am properly hydrated. The odd Hi-5 on sportives and nuun tablets occasionally, and that's it.

And 9 times out of 10 cramps are caused by the muscles being worked harder than they are conditioned to do.

holmeboy

I'm with Sampras, you get cramp when you've been working muscles harder/longer than you're used to. I've had'nt had cramp for a while now and have been dehydrated/cold/sweating profusely/hot but keeping distance/effort to what I'm used to.

daviesee

holmeboy wrote:

I'm with Sampras, you get cramp when you've been working muscles harder/longer than you're used to. I've had'nt had cramp for a while now and have been dehydrated/cold/sweating profusely/hot but keeping distance/effort to what I'm used to.

standard run home after work at a leasurely pace 1.5 mph down on PB.
Did the same run next day after less water with no effects.
Still thinking salt depletion.

yogi

I suffer with cramp on very long hard rides but I was recommended 'Dioralyte' by a friend, and I must say it does seem too work. I've tried the electrolyte drinks, quinine and salt with little effect.

I think age doesn't help, I'm 45 now. Also regular stretching would probably help.

desweller

sampras38 wrote:

sampras38 wrote:

DesWeller wrote:

sampras38 wrote:

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

Davie, it's a real long shot, but did you by any chance just change over to your winter duvet? I've had cramps when I've overheated at night - I know nothing about medicine but I get the impression that when the muscles relax more and the body dehydrates, cramps are more likely to happen. Alcohol can also aggravate this quite severely.

Again, nobody's mentioned it so far, but I also tend to add a wee bit of salt to whatever I'm drinking when I'm out on the bike. When I say a wee bit I mean not so much that it actually tastes salty. My logic is that it is one of the salts that your body sweats out, so there's no harm in replacing it. And it seems to help.

(To anybody who knows a little about nutrition, please feel free to disabuse me of this notion if it's completely wrong.)

+1 for the potassium advice, though. I always forget to eat the damn things!

If you're eating a proper diet you really don't need the extra salt in your drink.

If you're sweating a lot when you train then you do.

I'm sorry but I beg to differ. I never use extra salt in my drinks and I sweat an awful lot, including 100+ mile rides/plenty of climbing etc. I just ensure I eat well and am properly hydrated. The odd Hi-5 on sportives and nuun tablets occasionally, and that's it.

And 9 times out of 10 cramps are caused by the muscles being worked harder than they are conditioned to do.

I guess we're all drawing from our own experiences then. I found that adding electrolytes to my drinks turned off cramps in my quads and calves like a switch.