John00

"Everything You Know About Muscle Cramps Is Wrong. And eating a banana won’t help"


https://medium.com/s/the-nuance/ever...g-59614efccbaf

FBOATSB

I read the article twice. Interesting, but seems to me the author is still just as confused as the general public. I rarely cramp from cycling, but seems I do after a long hard day of working up and down ladders. Worst is night cramps in groin muscles. But getting up, hobbling to the fridge and downing a couple of shots of pickle juice, and the cramps just seem to melt away while I'm still standing at the fridge! I walk a lap or two around the house to make sure and back to bed and sleep soundly the rest of the night. I also take all the mentioned supplements. Anecdotes abound, it seems.

Carbonfiberboy 

The article is years-old news. We are all supposed to know this by now. It's not that we're confused, we just don't know why we cramp. The official medical term for night cramps is "idiopathic," which means we have no idea why, but we know it's different for each individual. Exercise cramps are simply overexertion, which happens at ever higher levels of exertion the more trained we are until we simply don't cramp anymore during: Just at night for no reason!

Pickle juice, Tums, and mustard all work because of their taste, nothing to do with what's in them. That's why it's so quick.

My wife and I have found that 600 mg ibuprofen will stop night cramps from recurring. We have no idea why, but obviously it has something to do with reducing inflammation, whatever that has to do with it. OTOH, it makes one wonder if inflammation might also have something to do with overuse cramps during exercise. Ibuprofen also knocks out menstrual cramps. Never having had them, that's all I know about it.

Mostly you can beat exercise cramps by working the muscles which are giving you trouble to exhaustion a couple times a week. Gym works well for that or just doing the exercise until you can't walk anymore. Since this is the 50+, maybe only once a week.

canklecat

I use a massive, heavy solid marble rolling pin to massage whatever I can reach that's cramping. I use it after workouts, or when the arches of my feet cramp. Feels good. Seems to reduce soreness and my legs feel fresher next ride.

I suppose a solid gold rolling pin would work better. That'll have to wait until I win the lotto.

But, yeah, nobody knows what causes cramps or what relieves it. I eat bananas, take supplements, electrolytes, etc. Helps other stuff. No idea whether it helps with cramps. Sure doesn't seem to help my neck and shoulders.

TimothyH

The secret way to <fill_in_the_blank>

Everything you know about <fill_in_the_blank> is wrong

What <insert_profession_here> don't want you to know about <fill_in_the_blank>

All article titles which should never be clicked on.

FBOATSB

Even a bar of soap cures leg cramps

Soap

TimothyH

This is brilliant!!!

We could duct tape bars of Irish Spring to our legs as we ride.

Rapha and Assos should make bibs with inside pockets to hold bars of soap next to the quads and hamstrings.

And if it rains, well then you are in business. No showering after a ride or need to do laundry.

Kickstarter.


-Tim-

woodcraft

Irish Spring soap was also supposed to repel deer. Years ago, a client was troubled by deer eating his roses, & mounted many

bars of soap on bamboo wands among the rose bushes. Subsequently, I saw the deer browsing among the roses and the soap.

ksryder

As usual, there is an Onion article that is apropos:

https://www.theonion.com/freshly-sce...ish-1819564039

canklecat

Manly, yes, but deer like it too.

DaveQ24

When I have leg swelling (see the post in Pills & Ills about varicose veins) and I need to take my prescription of 2 mg of bumetanide, I can usually count on terrible leg cramps, and sometimes cramps in other areas, such as my ribs, back, or even forearms. If I pre-load with a pretty substantial doses of potassium, magnesium, and calcium 3-4 hours ahead of time, it definitely makes it much less likely that I'll have round after round of horrible cramps all night. By "substantial" I mean either a tablet of prescription K-Dur 20 (KCl 20 meq) OR 5-6 OTC 99 mg K tablets, 3-4 OTC Magnesium tablets, and a 3 or 4 Tums.

Doc_Wui

Been on my back for two days with back spasms that make it too painful to stand, unless I lay down with heating pad. I have had these before. I blame the current series to a foolish attempt to ride up a steep sledding hill on my bike on Sunday. I had to walk the last 10 yards, and my back suddenly started to hurt the next day. Had to cancel golf for tomorrow. Boohoo.

A banana split sounds good right now.

DrDyno

Both Pickle Juice and Tonic Water (quinine) work well for me.