Pain in calf muscle - rest or push through?

chiark

hi folks
I was out last night and had a bit of a problem with my left calf muscle - it felt like someone was pinching it, and I was in quite a bit of pain when I tried to move it. After 2 minutes of hobbling, it pretty much disappeared...

Decided to take the short route home, and my calf locked on the way home again - thankfully downhill for 3 miles

My leg feels fine today, just a little twinge occasionally. It doesn't seem that I've sprained or pulled a muscle as it shouldn't have recovered so fast and there's no discolouration or bruising, so I'm guessing it was a spasm of sorts...

Should I rest it, or should I push through and get out on another ride tonight?

procyclist

Press on. Sounds like cramp

ShutUpLegs

procyclist wrote:

Press on. Sounds like cramp

Yeah, whats the worst that can happen :?:

saprkzz

You will have to build the muscle and get used to the type of riding your doing, The best treatment for tight muscles/cramp is rest, 2 or 3 days is usually enough.

I was getting cramp on a hard ride at about 30 miles, but seem to have it at around 50ish now.

My physio suggests massage, soaking in the bath and plenty of stretching, especially after the ride!

mattward1979

Nice warm bath, maybe get your significant other (or a prostitute) to rub you down, then do the same tomorrow!!

Sounds like basic cramp though.. had the same for the first year of cycling while my calves caught up with my thighs!

Generally feel a bit of tightness at 30 miles, but nothing that cant be ignored till 50+

procyclist

ShutUpLegs wrote:

procyclist wrote:

Press on. Sounds like cramp

Yeah, whats the worst that can happen :?:

he might get cramp again. read the OP before trolling

procyclist

ShutUpLegs wrote:

procyclist wrote:

Press on. Sounds like cramp

Yeah, whats the worst that can happen :?:

he might get cramp again. read the OP before trolling

DCowling

I get this, and sometimes it gets so bad I can hardly push the crank round
If it get steadily worse stop and stretch, I sit on the floor and touch my toes or sometimes I can get away with standing in the pedals so my heel is dropped down and therefore stretching the calf muscle. you can even push on the opposite crank to give extra pressure ( only learnt this one yesterday during a mild cramp attack). I also use electrolyte drinks as it became a repetative problem, since I started using nuun I hardly ever get these cramps.

StillGoing

I wouldn't push on. Pain is the body's way of telling us something is wrong. Rest it for a day or two and build up gradually. The maxim of no pain no gain has long since been proved to be wrong.

chiark

Thanks all!

I went with procyclist's advice and went out last night, after stretching properly (well, I thought it was properly) and warming up a little. The challenge is that everywhere I go from home involves a hill of varying nastiness

No problems at all on yesterday evening's ride. A gentle 17 miles caused no issues, well, other than pointing out that I am still quite unfit .

I did have a backup plan if my leg decided to play silly sods, but thankfully it wasn't needed.

I have learned one thing: stretching is damn important for me now... Never used to bother, but as I'm not getting younger I think this is more of a factor...

Again, thanks for all advice.

ShutUpLegs

procyclist wrote:

ShutUpLegs wrote:

procyclist wrote:

Press on. Sounds like cramp

Yeah, whats the worst that can happen :?:

he might get cramp again. read the OP before trolling

Spray some WD40 on it?

chiark

ShutUpLegs wrote:

Spray some WD40 on it?

Damn it, I forgot that... If it's tight and needs loosening, WD40 is the answer. It's got to get into the muscle though: inject, drink or inhale?

ollyridesfirst

definitely sounds like cramp....if the leg is locking then the muscle has involuntarily gone into spasm which is precisely what cramp is.

My advice, get some more fluids inside you....by the time you've got cramp it's too late. It is caused by dehydration and is most common in the calves and hamstrings in any sport. On longer rides i have some electrolyte tablets to take. Stick one in my 2nd bottle of water to disolve and keep one in a bag just in case. You lose a lot of essential salts when sweating and these need to be replaced.

If it doesn't get any better, i'd suggest a trip to a decent sports physio. There's plenty around and they'll be able to get deep into the muscle and ease out and knots or scar tissue that don't allow the muscle to expand fully. Be warned though.....this hurts like hell - that's from current experience

chiark

Thanks Olly, I nipped down to All Terrain Cycles at lunchtime to get a track pump, and was chatting with one of the guys who works there. He mentioned exactly the same thing as you did there, almost word for word!

I did try to hydrate before my ride, but with hindsight I probably should have tried harder.

I ended up buying a bottle and cage as well today .

ollyridesfirst

I have 2 bottles with me on every ride and i know that i never drink enough while i'm out! Small amounts at regular intervals is best rather than bloating yourself with half a bottle at once!

It's remembering to take on fluids that is the kicker though. 750ml for each hour is about right.....even though it sounds like a lot. There is a way to work out exactly how much you need, but that's going into sports biology....there's a decent write up here: http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/h ... emia2.html if you fancy doing it....but i'd say 600 - 900ml per hour is about right in normal conditions.

chiark

but... but... but.. That's almost a kilo of extra weight

Point taken though, and if this helps avoid cramp, which was deeply unpleasant, then I'll be doing it.

ollyridesfirst

2 x 750ml bottles of water = 1.5Kg weight

there's the excuse for the new carbon bottle cages/stem/seat post that you NEED

chiark

I had a choice of a £40 carbon cage weighing 20-something g, and a alloy cage weighing 30-something, for £4.

I decided the monetary poundage was more important than the weight...

ollyridesfirst

I need to buy 2 matching ones. I got a Look carbon cage thrown in with my bike and then went and bought an alloy one....it just doesn't go well!

lef

Try adding high5 tablets to the water or similar. Water isn't always enough. They have helped reduce / solve cramping on long or hard rides, well at least for me. If you do get cramp and push through it you risk a muscle tear, but I guess it depends how hard you're pushing.

chiark

Cheers Lef, I'll grab some of those style tablets.

I was such a wuss that I was unable to just push through immediately - I had to stop and hobble around, but thankfully it did clear. I can't believe the pain for just a cramp though: I never want to pull a muscle!

I was worried that I'd done something more serious, so took it as gently as possible to get me home. Thankfully the route was uphill on the way out, and pretty much downhill on the way back.

ollyridesfirst

High% tabs are good....or any that replace electrolytes.

You be hard pushed to tear a muscle through cramp though as the muscle would lock up before you got chance! This would of course make it pretty impossible to keep riding until the muscle was loose again.

The couple of times it's happened to me, i've dropped into the 34 ring and taken it very easy all the way home

MountainMonster

I hope I can describe this stretch properly, as it is very useful for the calves.

Put one leg back your trying to stretch, and keep your heel flat on the ground and gradually lean forward and move your other leg forward. This will stretch the calve very well, and causes no terrible discomfort.

Since adding that to my stretching I have been hard pressed to get cramps during a ride, even after longer rides. Repeat the next day after a ride, and your good to go!

ollyridesfirst

Just to add to MrMonster here...

if you can do that stretch with relative ease, add to it by keeping your back heel to the floor and gentle bending your back knee. Not much, but just enough so you can feel the stretch move into your achilles. Never bounce a stretch and hold for about 10-15 seconds.

chiark

Thanks again! I never used to stretch, but after that recent experience I've started...

The calf stretch you describe is exactly what I do, along with a few others... I went on the advice of google for 'cycling stretches' - http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/runn ... etches.htm

ollyridesfirst

pretty decent stretches on there.....i would highly recommend that pigeon stretch.....although i've never called it that.

A good one for the hips is to lie on your back with knees up and put one ankle onto the other knee then grip that thigh and pull it towards you, then repeat with the other leg. This is great for opening the hips!

procyclist

You should aim to build in stretching to your everyday routine - ie when you first get up.
It will also aid recovery if you aim to 'spin out' the last 5-10 mins of your ride on a granny gear - not so low as you're bouncing in the saddle, but low enough to feel like theres no strain. If you've got a set of rollers or a turbo at home, worth 20 mins on that after a ride at nil resistance

lef

OllyRidesFirst wrote:

High% tabs are good....or any that replace electrolytes.

You be hard pushed to tear a muscle through cramp though as the muscle would lock up before you got chance! This would have course make it pretty impossible to keep riding until the muscle was loose again.

The couple of times it's happened to me, i've dropped into the 34 ring and taken it very easy all the way home

I'd have to disagree, ive had it happen to me just a few weeks ago during a hard ride. It was however relatively minor and kept me off the bike for a couple of days. severe cramp, I agree you probably cant move but if its less severe and you start hammering it while the muscle is flicking in and out of cramping then from experience you risk a strain. Some years ago I ran through cramp on a half marathon and the resulting muscle injury took a significant amount of time to fully repair.