cramps while running

[xToXiCxk23]

any advice on how to avoid cramps while running?thanx in advance

[.CRAC.]

all i can say is stretch or what some people told me that it is something that u might of eaten, thats what i heard

[deRusett]

Run more, you'll work through your craps, also try and stand up straiter.

[neworleans]

stretch buddy

[Firepower]

make sure you drink plenty of fluids a couple of hours before you run.

[xToXiCxk23]

so i just got back from practice. got cramps around the same time as yesterdays
practice...around the 1 mile mark...(wasnt continious running)
i remember reading somewhere that if i breathe deep while strecting
my ribs, cramps would go away....is this true?

thanx for all the advice

[watergravy]

Make sure not to drink pop, and make su]re you get some potassium before running such as bananas. Pop made me cramp so much with running and bananas were the cure.

[xToXiCxk23]

hmmm...will keep that in mind

[cardcatcher2]

Make sure not to drink pop, and make su]re you get some potassium before running such as bananas. Pop made me cramp so much with running and bananas were the cure.

yeah bananas do help a lot. i eat one every day and i hardly get any cramps. things like tomato juice help too. or you could try baking soda and water, but from personal experience, i'd stay away from that one

[Freeman4]

This website has ways to avoid cramps: www.menwithcramps.com

lol

[andyjs3589]

Drink more water

[teriyakisaki]

stretching and an increased intake of water and gatorade, and less sugary stuff like sodas and energy drinks should solve your problems.

[xToXiCxk23]

stretching and an increased intake of water and gatorade, and less sugary stuff like sodas and energy drinks should solve your problems.

isnt gatorade loaded with sugar?

[DrDan]

Depends, what kind of cramp are you taking about? And what distance and speed are you running?

If you have a cramp around your obliques (I usually have them on the right side, probably because that is where the stomach empties into the intestines) then that is probably because you didn't wait long enough to digest your last meal or perhaps you drank too much water or other fluids and also didn't wait long enough for your body to absorb it, and so you get those cramps while running. To fix that, just give yourself more time after a meal/drink before running AND/OR slow down while running. When you are running your body takes away a lot of its blood supply and energy from the digestive system and puts it to use elsewhere to help you run. But if you run slower, that means the rest of your body doesn't need as much blood and energy so then your digestive system will have more to work with and you will have no cramps or less intense cramps.

If you have cramps let's say, in a muscle in your leg, then you probably need to stretch more effectively, warm-up for a longer period of time, maybe dress more warmly because if it's cold getting cramps in muscles is more likely and maybe your electrolytes (K, Na, Cl, etc...) are out of balance. This could be because you are not eating right or possibly not drinking enough water or too much water.

[xToXiCxk23]

i get the first kind of cramp

edit:would advil about 30 minutes before practices help my sore muscles and maybe even cramps?

[SavageOne]

I've found that if I drink water about a half hour before running then it usually helps with avoiding/minimizing cramps.

[Conner00]

you have to drink plenty of water...

[-themask-]

dont drink alot while running

also-train your oblique muscles

by doing twisting crucnhes or bicycles, if they r weak it will cause cramps-the first few weeks u do them u'll get cramps just by walking but after that u'll nvr get em agai unless u dirnk too much water b4 running.

[teriyakisaki]

isnt gatorade loaded with sugar?

it isnt "loaded" with sugar. it does have it, but nowhere near as much as sodas or energy drinks, but you do need some amounts of sugars in your bloodstream. on top of this gatorade also gives your body things water doesnt like electrolytes which are key when it comes to cramping. plus energy drinks and sodas tend to have assloads of caffeine which do nothing but dehydrate you in the long run.

one thing to keep in mind is you can actually overhydrate yourself by drinking too much gatorade. although it can take a while for this to happen, it is a very real possibility, especially if you are drinking a large volume over a short period of time. most people say the best way to avoid this is cut hte gatorade with 50% water. in other words, for every gatorade you drink, take in an equal amount of water.

[xToXiCxk23]

alright thanx

my cramps dont seem to come as often anymore. they come for like a minute
and then they go away, so i guess my body is getting fit =)
well im out...i have practice at 9am tomorrow =(

[tonester]

i get the first kind of cramp

edit:would advil about 30 minutes before practices help my sore muscles and maybe even cramps?

Don't take Advil. You need the bodies natural inflammatory response to help in repairing and recovering from your workouts. They should only be taken to assist during injuries. Have you not heard that studies have shown that ibuprofen (Advil) eats away at the lining of your stomach and heart. Not good. At your age you don't want anything interfering with your growth (size, weight, speed etc.) potential.

[Robb_P]

I thought that the muscles have to be restored to a normal state so that they can receive nutrients more efficiently?

Eg. ice baths - initial vasoconstriction takes inflammation down to normal, reflex vasodilation leads to more efficient flow of nutrients.

However I wouldn't advise Ibuprofen either. Stick to the tried and tested - ice baths, stretching, light excersise immediately after the workout (10-15mins) - to reduce resulting muscle soreness.

[Ajaxus]

all these posts and no mention of breathing technique? shame

how do you breathe while running? most inexperienced runners try to breath how they normally do during other activities, this is wrong.

just like weight lifting, there is a certain pattern you need to settle into while running. it will be more efficient at getting oxygen into your system as well as serve as an immediate cure to cramps while running (assuming none of these are in your legs, in that case see the above posts).

a good pattern to settle into at the beginning of your run is to breathe in deeply over a period of four steps and out over a period of four steps. as you become more exhausted you can quicken this to in over 3 and out over 3 steps. i wouldn't go any under a 2 step interval though just because it would be FAR too rapid. rapid breathing can lead to alot of problems and is best avoided.

when you first start doing these breathing exercises while running it will seem odd, but as you do it more and more it will become habit and then you won't have to think about it anymore.

i find consistent breathing to be a good way to relieve cramps in the abdominal-chest regions.

some people also swear by mixing it up, breathe in over 4 and out over 3 and such.

also check your running form to be sure that you aren't causing any extra stress to certain area's of your body. make sure your arms are moving consistently but don't twist your waist dramatically when they move. and make a point to land on the heel of your foot and roll through completely to the toe. a good runner doesn't make a sound even running on pavement, that's how you know that you are using the right form.

8 years of distance running didn't go to waste on me..

[monolithdigital]

Fluids are good. Gatorade is not. The body gets plenty of enough sugars, and unless you are exersizing for more then 90 minutes, you wont need electrolyte replenishment.
The breathing and rolling from heel to toe are helpful for me as well. since balls of the feet only amplify my calf cramping
Stretching is helpful, its not a cure IMO. But it will prevent it from happening in the first place.
Slowing the pace, if at all possible, and training to beat it out is probably the most helpful advice that has worked for me. Eventually, your body should adapt if you aren't beating yourself up every time. Its like weights, you can't go hard all the time.

[xToXiCxk23]

good advice...i run on the balls of my feet if im sprinting
first meet tomorrow :] 55m dash. wish me luck

[Bwen]

Depends, what kind of cramp are you taking about? And what distance and speed are you running?

If you have a cramp around your obliques (I usually have them on the right side, probably because that is where the stomach empties into the intestines) then that is probably because you didn't wait long enough to digest your last meal or perhaps you drank too much water or other fluids and also didn't wait long enough for your body to absorb it, and so you get those cramps while running. To fix that, just give yourself more time after a meal/drink before running AND/OR slow down while running. When you are running your body takes away a lot of its blood supply and energy from the digestive system and puts it to use elsewhere to help you run. But if you run slower, that means the rest of your body doesn't need as much blood and energy so then your digestive system will have more to work with and you will have no cramps or less intense cramps.

If you have cramps let's say, in a muscle in your leg, then you probably need to stretch more effectively, warm-up for a longer period of time, maybe dress more warmly because if it's cold getting cramps in muscles is more likely and maybe your electrolytes (K, Na, Cl, etc...) are out of balance. This could be because you are not eating right or possibly not drinking enough water or too much water.

Nicely explained. A balance of fluids and electrolytes in your body combined with a decent stretch can help prevent cramps occurring anywhere in the body.

[ruggybear]

make sure you drink plenty of fluids a couple of hours before you run.

Yup, something about having too much salt in your system (don't ask where I heard that). That and loads of stretching should set you straight.

[zoo4life]

When I had cramps, heres what I did to prevent them:
1) wear sweats... a cold muscle is likely to get cramped
2) warm up properly
3) dynamic AND static stretch before and after workout respectively
4) take a cold/hot shower right after each workout to rid yourself of lactic acid.

good luck

[Soccerplayer010]

ok, i play soccer and as you all know there is alot of running!!! As a jog in the begining of practice we run about 2.5 miles a day.
I get these cramps on the right lower side of my stomach durring the run as well as durring the running while practice goes on. I need help on how to get rid of them!!!!!!!!!!!

any ideas

[Mr. Chainsaw]

one thing to keep in mind is you can actually overhydrate yourself by drinking too much gatorade.

I've personally never heard of this. I have heard of water poisoning/water intoxication from drinking too much water. This can happen when you're sweating profusely (like running or working outside in hot weather) and drinking plain water, which messes up your electrolyte balance. I've also heard that drinking sports drinks hydrates your body better than just plain water since they replenish your electrolytes and creates an isotonic environment.