Getting cramp after rides! HELP!

jamski

So, long story short is I've had 6 months of Physio on my back, which is now brilliant. Doesn't stop me doing anything, brilliant on and after rides. Stopped physio now, but I've started getting cramp in quads and hamstrings after 'big' rides, and now my back is stronger, it almost feels like my legs are weaker!

I've been riding more than I ever have, all be it only around 25 miles a week. Done this since about the middle of July. Before that is was around 10 miles. It's really frustrating, as I was managing the back pain and feeling stronger, but now the back isn't even a thought, my legs have gone!

Any advice or knowledge gratefully received!

Thanks,

James.

steve_sordy

Return to your obviously brilliant physio!

In the meantime.....

Do some stretches before the ride.
Do some stretches after the ride and before you sort the bike out.
Consider doing some stretches mid ride too.

jamski

steve_sordy wrote:

Return to your obviously brilliant physio!

In the meantime.....

Do some stretches before the ride.
Do some stretches after the ride and before you sort the bike out.
Consider doing some stretches mid ride too.

I do need to stretch more before, I mean, I need to stretch, currently don't do anything really immediately before a ride. As for physio, I actually have a 'family friend' who's a physio. Didn't want to mix business and pleasure before, but now BUPA aren't paying, I can't afford £50 a session! Going to give pilates a go too.

Actually, I've stopped yoga as it wasn't doing anything for my back, but perhaps it was helping the legs! I shouldn't need all this at 35!

Bottom briquettes

Dynamic stretches before the ‘body’ of the ride ( ride at a low intensity for a few miles, usually does it ). Go to low intensity a few miles before the end of the ride, buy a cheapo turbo trainer, and do a warm down session for a few minutes, then get some foam rollers, and follow one of the many programmes you can get off of you tube. Stay hydrated, and try and maintain your salt balance during the ride. Eat a banana during the ride, you may find it helps. If you’re going into multi hundred Km type rides, work out where your personal ‘zones 2 and 3’ are ( Heart rate / power ) and try to not go out of those zones for as much of the ride as you can.

jamski

Bottom briquettes wrote:

Dynamic stretches before the ‘body’ of the ride ( ride at a low intensity for a few miles, usually does it ). Go to low intensity a few miles before the end of the ride, buy a cheapo turbo trainer, and do a warm down session for a few minutes, then get some foam rollers, and follow one of the many programmes you can get off of you tube. Stay hydrated, and try and maintain your salt balance during the ride. Eat a banana during the ride, you may find it helps. If you’re going into multi hundred Km type rides, work out where your personal ‘zones 2 and 3’ are ( Heart rate / power ) and try to not go out of those zones for as much of the ride as you can.

Thanks, hundreds of KMs are never going to happen. Even if I wanted to I don't think I'll have the time for about the next 14 years!

Have a foam roller, and will YouTube some stretches for hamstrings/quads.

billycool

As well as stretching, look at hydration levels. Dehydration can have a big infleunce.

I started to cramp up on a big Peaks ride a few weeks ago. 27 miles on a hot day down Jacobs Ladder etc. Unfamiliar terrain for me and some of the hills killed me. I sweated too much, overheated and didn't take on enough fluid.

I rode 17 miles at the weekend on a fairly hilly route and was trying to keep up with a much fitter rider than me. When putting the power down, I really feel it in my quads and IT band (outside of the knee and up your thigh). If i go in a lower gear and just lower the pace, I don't get it so much.

I also have a hot date with a foam roller after my big rides (anmd after playing sport) and that REALLY sorts me out. Much cheaper than a physio. You use your body weight to roll up/down the roller and it really sorts my quads/IT band and glutes out. It will make you squeal a little but no pain no gain. After a few minutes working on the `sore bits`, you really go feel things loosening up.

Try taking on loads of fluids directly afterwards. Any idea how dehydrated/hydrated you are?

For me, fluids and a foam roller are my best friend!

jamski

BillyCool wrote:

As well as stretching, look at hydration levels. Dehydration can have a big infleunce.

I started to cramp up on a big Peaks ride a few weeks ago. 27 miles on a hot day down Jacobs Ladder etc. Unfamiliar terrain for me and some of the hills killed me. I sweated too much, overheated and didn't take on enough fluid.

I rode 17 miles at the weekend on a fairly hilly route and was trying to keep up with a much fitter rider than me. When putting the power down, I really feel it in my quads and IT band (outside of the knee and up your thigh). If i go in a lower gear and just lower the pace, I don't get it so much.

I also have a hot date with a foam roller after my big rides (anmd after playing sport) and that REALLY sorts me out. Much cheaper than a physio. You use your body weight to roll up/down the roller and it really sorts my quads/IT band and glutes out. It will make you squeal a little but no pain no gain. After a few minutes working on the `sore bits`, you really go feel things loosening up.

Try taking on loads of fluids directly afterwards. Any idea how dehydrated/hydrated you are?

For me, fluids and a foam roller are my best friend!

I think you're probably right about fluids, I was pretty drippy today! Will crack the foam roller out later too. Do you normally do that as soon as you're home.

steve_sordy

BillyCool wrote:

............. Any idea how dehydrated/hydrated you are?

.............!

What colour is your urine?

Dark = dehydrated
Pale = OK

steve_sordy

jamski wrote:

.......... Going to give pilates a go too.

Actually, I've stopped yoga as it wasn't doing anything for my back, but perhaps it was helping the legs! I shouldn't need all this at 35!

I started Pilates in Jan'09 and apart from hols and illness, I have not missed a week since!

I was always sporty but in 1996 I did some serious damage to my lower back that plagued me for years. My back was getting worse and worse and I was moving more and more like an old man. There is no doubt in my mind that Pilates saved me. My core muscles are now strong, my balance is excellent and my flexibility and posture are unrecognisable from the time before Pilates. I started on the recommendation of three different qualified respondents to a question in Mountain Bike Rider magazine. The question was about back problems and what to do about them. I found their responses convincing and I signed up for an introduction to Pilates class that day. I've been going ever since, I do not consider it a luxury, it is an essential! 8)

My younger brother had been doing Yoga for years, but he started with back problems and sciatica in his last 50's. He had to give up Yoga. I got him riding a bike as I had discovered that whenever I had a slight twinge of sciatica that it went as soon as I rode a bike. It worked for him too. It took a few more years, but I managed to persuade him to give Plates a try (he's a stubborn sod!) He is now a total convert to Pilates (as am I) and he says that he is in the best shape for many years. He is 64 and I'm 67 and I expect that we will both be going to Pilates classes until the day before we fall off our perches.

billycool

jamski wrote:

BillyCool wrote:

As well as stretching, look at hydration levels. Dehydration can have a big infleunce.

I started to cramp up on a big Peaks ride a few weeks ago. 27 miles on a hot day down Jacobs Ladder etc. Unfamiliar terrain for me and some of the hills killed me. I sweated too much, overheated and didn't take on enough fluid.

I rode 17 miles at the weekend on a fairly hilly route and was trying to keep up with a much fitter rider than me. When putting the power down, I really feel it in my quads and IT band (outside of the knee and up your thigh). If i go in a lower gear and just lower the pace, I don't get it so much.

I also have a hot date with a foam roller after my big rides (anmd after playing sport) and that REALLY sorts me out. Much cheaper than a physio. You use your body weight to roll up/down the roller and it really sorts my quads/IT band and glutes out. It will make you squeal a little but no pain no gain. After a few minutes working on the `sore bits`, you really go feel things loosening up.

Try taking on loads of fluids directly afterwards. Any idea how dehydrated/hydrated you are?

For me, fluids and a foam roller are my best friend!

I think you're probably right about fluids, I was pretty drippy today! Will crack the foam roller out later too. Do you normally do that as soon as you're home.

Preferably ASAP. Your muscles are most receptive to stretching and/or massage directly after exercise when they are still supple. I tend to do mine as soon as I get home (i.e within a couple of hours). The sooner the better.

I also take a lot of electrolyte supplements (like High5 Zero) as I lose so much salt etc. Eating bananas helps as potassium levels always drop and can make you cramp up (just ask a tennis player).

For me, cramp is partly down to the correct fuelling (food/water) but also a certain amount of bike `fitness`. I have also found that if my saddle is ever so slightly too high or too low, it puts additional pressure/stresses through my quads on the hill climbs and that has a cumulative effect on the on-set of cramp.

Don't tweak too much at the same time though. Prevention is better than cure, so look at the food/drink aspect first. A foam roller won't stop you cramping up but it will stop you walking like John Wayne

TonyJams

Go slower.
You'll start to work out when a cramp is 'due', you'll be surprised how much further you can ride is you let your body take it easy. We've all gone through this at some point when getting serious with the sport, and all learnt to ease back and let the changes happen as they need to.
Also, try magnesium supplements for an extended period and see if that improves things.

Bottom briquettes

Get some foam rollers, they are superb.