Get Rid of Muscle Cramps -The Good Side of Water

Get Rid of Muscle Cramps -The Good Side of Water



Most runners and some non-runners have experienced cramps in muscles at some time in their lives. For runners, these cramps are usually in the leg muscles, but on occasion have been felt in the back, and even in the shoulder muscles.

There are various causes of cramps, or as some of older generation people call Charley horses, ' but for whatever reason they are bothersome and often times quite painful.

One of the most common causes mentioned by runners is a lack of water in the body. While almost any sort of liquid will help with fluid replacement the best and easiest to find is good ole plain water.

Water is absorbed quickly and doesn't have any side effects such as an upset stomach when it is drunk. Some studies suggest that cold water absorbs in the body faster than water at room temperature, or warm water.


How much water should a runner drink varies with different authorities, but most suggest that many runners do not drink enough prior to a long run.

Many recommend that hydration before a marathon, or even a long training run, should actually begin a day or two before the event. Trying to drink a large quantity of water before a race has the stomach feeling full and makes running at the beginning of a race hard as it makes taking deep breathes difficult.

Another cause mentioned is muscle fatigue, or overuse. This is common with runners on long training runs or while trying to push the pace in a race. The muscle becomes tired and goes into a cramp or spasm.

Sometimes the runner is lucky and the muscle gives a little warning by tightening up slightly first to let them know that now is the time to back off the pace, or to stop and stretch it out, before a full blown cramp results. If the runner is well tuned to his or her body and can heed the warning signs things usually work out without any further problems. By not recognizing the early warning signs the muscle will become a tight muscle cramp and quite literally make it impossible to run any more.

One of the worst is in the large hamstring muscle in the back of the thigh. Severe cramps in the hamstrings can leave a runner feeling it for several days and often later than that in some cases.

Muscle Cramp In Calf

The other muscle affected is the calf muscle in the back of the lower leg. These can be quite painful and might not be quite as disabling as the hamstring, but it still leaves a runner not able to run.

Before a race people will see runners leaning against a wall and stretching the calf muscle out before a run. I have seen more runners than you can imagine stopping during a race and finding a tree to lean against to stretch out the calf muscle at early warning signs of a tightness or cramp.

The anatomy of the lower leg, or calf, actually has two muscles that can cramp up. By stretching with the leg straight the primary muscle is the gastrocnemius muscle. The secondary muscle is the soleus and it lies underneath the gastrocnemius and is stretched by bending the knee and then pushing the lower leg forward while keeping the heel flat on the ground. Both muscles need to be stretched prior to a run to help prevent problems.

One other common cause is a lack of certain minerals in the body. The most common ones are sodium (salt) and potassium.

Sodium is usually not that much of a problem as most foods contain enough salt to keep that level safe. Potassium can be a little harder to find but can be found in vegetables, beans, nuts, and some fresh fruits (most runners like to choose bananas for this).

A cramp-free run can be prevented by drinking enough water before a run or race, by conditioning the muscle in training before the run to prevent muscle fatigue, and stretching some before the run. Having a pain free run is the most enjoyable kind of a run.