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Calf Cramp

  • 01-05-2008 6:40am
    #1
    irishmotorist
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,268 ✭✭✭


    I had a reasonably rare occurrance last night cycling home. I started to develop a cramp, first in my left calf, then in both and it finally settled in the right one. I'd usually feel the tug of the muscle at the top of the upstroke on the leg in question. I think I know what caused it - I had an unexpected 45 minute fast walk with a laptop on my back yesterday morning and I wouldn't be the biggest walker in the world.

    Anyway, I continued cycling on it - albeit fairly gently - trying variously to stretch it by pushing my heel down for 10-15 seconds or taking the pressure off that leg and seeing if it will fix itself.


    My question is, was I risking damaging the muscle by doing this? Also, what would you typically do if this arose...would you hop off the bike and have a good stretch to remove the cramp or would it be likely to return in a few minutes anyway?


Comments

  • #2
    kenmc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,278 ✭✭✭kenmc


    Typically cramps are caused by a lack of salts, and/or hydration. Bananas are good source of potassium, which helps to prevent cramping.
    I've also suffered from cramps while out on long spins, but that seems to have gone away since I started using High5 4:1 mix - it has a load of salts as well as carbs and protein.
    If you can catch it early enough (and you're not going uphill) you can stand with the pedal of the leg in question at the bottom of its' stroke and try to force youe heel down towards the road - this stretches out the cramp in the calf. The decision to get off the bike depends on how bad it is to be honest, and depends on the circumstances. There've been times I needed to get off the bike but was afraid to bend my leg to lift it over the crossbar cos it hurts so much!
    I don't THINK there's much damage to the muscle likely - the way to get rid of the cramp is to stretch it out, which it sounds like you were doing anyway.....
    It's important to get as much fluids into you as you can as soon as you start to notice the cramping.


  • #3
    irishmotorist
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,268 ✭✭✭irishmotorist


    Yeah, I'd tried standing up in the saddle too to get a bit of extra extension on the leg but it didn't sort it. I'd usually have a banana about 30 mins before leaving work but I never thought of having a few good glugs of water - though I would usually take a bit fairly regularly on the spin.

    It wasn't feeling so tight that it would seize up if I got off, but it was probably there threatening for about 7Km or so. If it happens again, I might just hop off and give it a good stretch.

    Thanks.


  • #4
    cantalach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭cantalach


    kenmc wrote: »
    Typically cramps are caused by a lack of salts, and/or hydration. Bananas are good source of potassium, which helps to prevent cramping.
    I've also suffered from cramps while out on long spins, but that seems to have gone away since I started using High5 4:1 mix - it has a load of salts as well as carbs and protein.
    If you can catch it early enough (and you're not going uphill) you can stand with the pedal of the leg in question at the bottom of its' stroke and try to force youe heel down towards the road - this stretches out the cramp in the calf. The decision to get off the bike depends on how bad it is to be honest, and depends on the circumstances. There've been times I needed to get off the bike but was afraid to bend my leg to lift it over the crossbar cos it hurts so much!
    I don't THINK there's much damage to the muscle likely - the way to get rid of the cramp is to stretch it out, which it sounds like you were doing anyway.....
    It's important to get as much fluids into you as you can as soon as you start to notice the cramping.

    Remember that the straight leg stretch you've just described, although very useful, will only work on the gastroc muscles in the calf. The other major calf muscle is the soleus and this can cramp (and tear!) just like the gastroc. To stretch it however you need to have a bent leg. Doing this on the move is tricky however because you have to bring the foot of the target leg to the 3 o'clock position and then counter the rotation of the cranks with the other leg. So I usually find it easier to stretch the soleus when stopped.

    It is important not to neglect your soleus because when you're turning the pedals in a seated position, they are contributing a lot more than the gastrocs towards locking your ankles and transferring the power to the pedals. To the best of my knowledge, the gastrocs only fully come into play when you're out of the saddle and labouring up that 15% gradient.

    Btw, I'm not a physio, doctor, etc.


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