Calf Cramps.

Maybe you need a salt tablet go see a doctor

 

Sometimes potassium helps with cramping (I can't explain why right now), so try eating a banana before you play.

Also, drink ALOT of water. Are you using any supplements? Some, such as creatine, require you to drink a TON of water or you can get muscle spasms and cramps easily. Additionally, drinking plenty of water is good for you anyways so . Salt tablets are a good idea too (as mentioned earlier). That or try taking some sports drinks beforey you play to get some electrolytes (which are basically the same as salt tablets).

It could also be that you aren't in physically good enough shape right now and that your muscle are fatigue so much that you're experiencing muscle failure. Just a thought but i'm not sure what your fitness level is like at all.

 

I've heard that take ant-acids such as tums when you begin to cramp and relieve them, although I've never tried it.

strange, a runner I know will drink pedialyte the night before races or something to keep from dehydrating

 

Holy cow! I just came back from training, where i got a calf cramp, so I thought that i would ask you guys, and I look, and there is a topic here already!

I sometimes get cramps when I'm sleeping. But a training tonight, after 2 hours, we did our warm dwn jog, and I got a massive cramp in my calf, and i literally flicked onto my back on the floor, and screamed my head off...I felt my calf, and felt like a totally odd shape, and was rock hard! Now my leg feels really dodgey, and I keep getting slight ones in my hamstrings.

 

I used to get that a lot. it was more common in the beginning of the training season(when I'm working back into match fitness), or late in the season after some really hard workouts. I'd be sitting at dinner, and my hamstring seized up, which is by far the worst of them because I couldn't even move my leg. I just ended up drinkinga lot of water and gatorade. and did some slight stretching.

 

I know this sounds silly, but you can sort of (ok, well *I* can, don't know about anyone else) "think" my way out of a cramp. Sometimes I'll get one in the foot or calf while doing nothing really (usually cramps are due to dehydration wether you feel dehydrated or not) or being under-strengthened.

Anyways, as soon as you feel a cramp, I know it's hard, but try just immediately disconnecting from the pain and literally just relax your mind. Part of the pain of a cramp is the panic that sets in immediately when you feel it. It can make the pain go away, but basically once you have one you're done for the day, it's going to keep cramping until its had a chance to rest, recover, and repair.

 

I hate those foot cramps, where your toes start to cross up. I was at a party the other night and just from standing all night and other stuff, it just happened.

 

BANANAS are your best friend in this situation. Or, if you are allergic to those, take a potassium tablet (my friend does this). I suffer from calf cramps too and eating a couple bananas a day plus drinking lots of water prevents them almost completely. I usually cramp up the first game of the season, then I eat bananas for the rest of the season and never get a cramp again.

 

bananas and water. make sure you do a good cooldown, including stretching

 

Seems like they always happen more if your feet are cold.

UGH I hate those.

 

Yeah i occasionaly get those. There always intense when theyre random. My advice in case yall havent noticed already is to put pressure on em. If your calf cramps stand up and put pressure on it. Always gets rid of the pain right away. It takes a bit of discipline to get ur foot down when its locked like that but it sure helps alot.

 

definitely. I remember during state cup one year, I cramped up towards the end of the game. I was laying on the field in pain, and my teammate came to help me, but pointed my foot downward instead of up to stretch the calf. I never writhed in pain like that before.

 

I ran cross country in college, and generally ran on my toes, so I experienced more than my share of calf cramps. The main reason, as others have said, is usually dehydration. Diet is important as well, if you deplete your glycogen stores, you'll start cramping quickly--those low carb diets are not for people who do alot of running. Watch out for caffeine, ephedrine (you shouldn't have this anyway now), and creatine, all can be detrimental to hydration. I know some guys that drink water with quinine and have had good results, though I suspect some of that is placebo effect. Other than that, I'd start hitting the weights.

 

Also, you might want to ask about a podiatrist.

 

Hey,

This is general knowledge I've acquired from biology classes and my dad, who used to train to run a marathon.

First off, you should drink more than just water, since when you sweat, you loose sodium and potassium. An easy way of getting this is by drinking sports drinks. Unfortunatley, they contain a lot of sugar, so another possibility is making your own electrolyte drink. Here's a website that explains all you need to know about electrolytes, including a recipe to make by yourself: http://www.causeof.org/electrolytes.htm
Note: Another recipe I found suggested adding 1/2 cup of orange juice to add some taste and natural sugars.

Secondly, about the getting up in the middle of the night because you have a cramp in your calf. Basically, from what my dad told me, this happens because you're dehydrated. The solution: Drink about a cup or two of water before you go to bed. It's as easy as that, hasn't happened to me since I've started doing it on a regular basis.

I hope this helps someone.

mrfocus

 

Lol...Calf cramps are the worst, just this tuesday I got one at 7:00 in the morning, it woke me from bed, and honestly I could not figure out why...to top it off I had a match later in the night. The night before I didn't have a match or practice or anything....and I had lots to drink.

But the way that I usually get rid of my calf cramps are to stretch them out like straightening your leg and reaching for your toes. Also while you are stretching them it doesn't hurt, in reality it's actually quite painful but effective, to knead the cramped muscle as if you were giving yourself a leg massage. I've had to do this a couple of times the morning after a game, so it may take some discipline, but gotta fight the pain. Oh yeah drink lots of water...I usually have a bottle of water and gatorade for a game...I drink about a 3:1 ratio of water to gatorade during a match so taking both never hurts. Good luck...

 

I cramp up easly and when i play tournys uasally in the 2nd game i cramp up