Cramp

derbygrimpeur

Hi,

I'm an experienced runner and rarely get cramp when running. In fact, I can't remember the last time it happened. Usually it's due to a lack of water/salt. So I always make sure I'm well hydrated etc...

Anyway, I did my first Time Trial for 12 years last week and my right calf was trying to cramp up during the TT but never quite cramped. Did the same TT again last night and had same twitching and then as soon as I crossed the line my right calf went into severe cramp. Still tight this morning despite stretching & applying biofreeze. It's only a short TT (12.5 miles).

Any ideas what could be causing this - could it just be a lack of specific training? I've not done any high intensity cycling as the cycling has mainly to keep my fitness up while I'm recovering from a running injury. Maybe that's the answer?

Thanks

derbygrimpeur

a whole day, 81 views and nobody's commented. Very unlike this place

Harry B

I suffer from cramps as well. I suspect it may be due to a lack of minerals of one type or another.

Herbsman

I think it's just down to fatigue / lack of training.

I used to get cramp a lot when I first started doing long distance or high intensity training, but never any more.

Here's some interesting reading about the electrolyte depletion theory of muscle cramp in athletes: on The Science of Sport: http://www.sportsscientists.com/search/ ... e%20cramps (with it being on a blog, they are obviously in reverse chronological order)

And some scientific papers on the subject (on Medline):

1. http://1.usa.gov/eAozEM Cramp "not associated with...clinically significant differences in serum electrolyte concentrations"

2. http://1.usa.gov/eXu4AK "Serum electrolyte concentrations...not different between those suffering from cramp and those not"

Harry B

Herbsman wrote:

I think it's just down to fatigue / lack of training.

I used to get cramp a lot when I first started doing long distance or high intensity training, but never any more.

Here's some interesting reading about the electrolyte depletion theory of muscle cramp in athletes: on The Science of Sport: http://www.sportsscientists.com/search/ ... e%20cramps (with it being on a blog, they are obviously in reverse chronological order)

And some scientific papers on the subject (on Medline):

1. http://1.usa.gov/eAozEM Cramp "not associated with...clinically significant differences in serum electrolyte concentrations"

2. http://1.usa.gov/eXu4AK "Serum electrolyte concentrations...not different between those suffering from cramp and those not"

If I have speed read those articles correctly it would appear that we aren't really sure what causes cramps :roll:

GeorgeShaw

Harry B wrote:

If I have speed read those articles correctly it would appear that we aren't really sure what causes cramps :roll:

I think that's correct. Electrolyte loss can cause cramps. Under-training can cause cramps. But it's difficult to say definitively "your cramps are caused by xxxx".

Thick Tester

Undertraining, lack of hard riding dehydration etc.... All possibles - thinkk the former is the most likely

I've been ok so far this year... 200mile training weeks since the start of the year and 9 races.... in the 10th the cramps came out uphill into a headwind after 55 miles -
Only differences were heat and a lack of fluid ( bottle popped out ! ).

I would not be too concerned if its a one off - if its a continuous pattern then you need to experiment and find what works!

ozzzyosborn206

i would say as it is a short event it is probably lack of high intensity training, or more likely being in a position you are not used to? it could be the mineral/salt thing but i would have thought that wouldn't effect you after only 25mins?

P_Tucker

Harry B wrote:

If I have speed read those articles correctly it would appear that we aren't really sure what causes cramps :roll:

Indeed. Science doesn't know the answer to many things. However that won't stop people definitively giving an answer one way or another.

Herbsman

Just for the record I never said electrolyte depletion doesn't cause cramps. I know it can cause cramps, but before you rush out and buy electrolyte powder you might want to consider building up your fitness and making sure your bike is set up correctly for you.

'Science doesn't know the answer' is a bit of a daft statement, but true. Apart from the fact that science can't know anything, science is about studying and interpreting available evidence. So even the best, most tightly controlled scientific studies can only tell us 'the available evidence suggests that x is highly likely' and not 'we know that x is definitely, beyond all doubt, caused by y'

Herbsman

Harry B wrote:

If I have speed read those articles correctly it would appear that we aren't really sure what causes cramps :roll:

Yet, people still spend silly amounts of money on special salt mixtures and are convinced that it definitely works, blissfully unaware of the possibility of placebo effect

milese

Herbsman wrote:

Harry B wrote:

If I have speed read those articles correctly it would appear that we aren't really sure what causes cramps :roll:

Yet, people still spend silly amounts of money on special salt mixtures and are convinced that it definitely works, blissfully unaware of the possibility of placebo effect

If the placebo works then maybe its money well spent....

Its not very often that placebos are available on the cheap.

Herbsman

The last time I checked, sugar is very cheap - about 70p a kilo.

P_Tucker

Herbsman wrote:

'Science doesn't know the answer' is a bit of a daft statement, but true. Apart from the fact that science can't know anything, science is about studying and interpreting available evidence. So even the best, most tightly controlled scientific studies can only tell us 'the available evidence suggests that x is highly likely' and not 'we know that x is definitely, beyond all doubt, caused by y'

Well duh. There is very little humanity knows that is absolutely 100% certain without the merest speck of a doubt; however, for a practical definition of the word "know", science knows many things. What causes cramps isn't amongst them.

derbygrimpeur

Cheers for the comments. A nice hilly 85 miler loosened the calf up on Friday and no issues since. May do a TT on Thursday so will see if I have any problems then. I'm thinking the lack of high intensity riding is the most likely cause at the moment,

mamba80

Herbsman wrote:

The last time I checked, sugar is very cheap - about 70p a kilo.

What r you on about?

there isnt really one cause of cramp and some people do find what works for them and if its a mineral salt then great, for others it might be conditioning or bike position etc and if its placebo effect thats fine too but placebo only works if you belive in what you r takin/doin so eating sugar would nt really be in there would it?

Folk spend far more on bikes and wheels etc and never get the benefit they were sold.... but they r happy

Harry B

Herbsman wrote:

Harry B wrote:

If I have speed read those articles correctly it would appear that we aren't really sure what causes cramps :roll:

Yet, people still spend silly amounts of money on special salt mixtures and are convinced that it definitely works, blissfully unaware of the possibility of placebo effect

That would imply the issue it psychological rather than physiological. Surely not??