Cramping in calves...suggestions?

redliner said:

On my harder rides lately, I've been feeling the onset of cramping coming on. I also get the very painful kind when I'm sleeping. Aside from drinking more (which doesn't seem to make a difference for me) is there anything else I could try?

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One possibility is that your cleats are too far forward, overstressing the calf.

Screams of dehydration

redliner said:

On my harder rides lately, I've been feeling the onset of cramping coming on. I also get the very painful kind when I'm sleeping. Aside from drinking more (which doesn't seem to make a difference for me) is there anything else I could try?

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Drinking more doesn't make a difference..hmmm. How much do you drink now per day?? Do you just down a glass of water before a ride?? I would try drinking a lot more water....I shoot for 100oz per day. I keep water bottles in my office fridge and have one on my desk at all times. My fellow office workers laugh at me when they see me refilling a dozen old water bottles. Other thoughts: Try a sports drink or two before a ride - something high in potassium. Also, chow a few bananas per day.....the potassium will cut down on cramps. Not just the morning of the ride, but some the days before. Do you drink caffeinated pop or coffee?? The caffeine is a diuretic which will exacerbate the cramping. Cut down on caffeine.

Just some thoughts...good luck. I used to have cramping problems early every season until I got into a riding routine. I learned it was from dehydration while on the bike and before hand.

On long or rides in high temps., I add "light salt"t (high in potassium and lower in sodium) to my gatorade home brew drink.

I used to have the exact same problem. I solved by, as a previous post stated,
adding a pinch of salt to my sports drink, and by taking these:

Sodium Potassium Aspartate. Buy them at Vitamin shoppe, GNC, or similar.
Usually cost anywhere from $5 to $6 a bottle.

You might want to focus on nutrition. You can also search for information on muscle cramping and electrolytes.

The salt concentration in sweat is about 0.25 tsp/L or 700 mg/L. You can weigh yourself before and after a workout to estimate fluid lost to sweat and adjust for intake. Taking in nutrients immediately after a workout is also important in the recovery phase.

More precise

Art853 said:

The salt concentration in sweat is about 0.25 tsp/L or 700 mg/L. You can weigh yourself before and after a workout to estimate fluid lost to sweat and adjust for intake. Taking in nutrients immediately after a workout is also important in the recovery phase.

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Just to be precise, Na losses per liter of sweat have been measured from 115 to 2300 mg. These numbers show that Na losses can vary by a factor of 20, so an average estimate is not real meaningful. Studies on football players have shown that players who lost more Na were more likely to cramp (3 gm/hr vs 1 gm/hr). This is a very individual thing and depends on electrolyte balance, degree of hydration, and personal chemistry.

Could just be early in the season (the snow is finally gone) and your calves jsut need to get back in cycling shape.

Also, check the way you pedal. Do you point you toes down a really lock your calves? Wastes energy and can cause the calves to lock up through fatigue. - TF

Thanks for the replies. Good information, after reading PaulCL's post, my lifestyle looks like a guide on How To Get Cramps. Too much coffee, not enough hydration, not enough potassium...I could go on. I'll try to make some changes.