# Muscle Cramps



## CRM6 (Apr 7, 2021)

Anyone dealing with this crippling affliction? I 'm 54 and been dealing with this for quite some time. I'd get them after big rides in my hands,thighs,and hamstrings. Knew I was hydrated,with drinking water before the ride,during,and a Gatorade afterwards. But,the cramps would continue. Talking with a doctor friend and she suggested a mineral deficiency. Found out that magnesium was what I lacked. Over 80% are deficient from this mineral. Experimenting with Himalayan Pink Salt for its mineral variety. A teaspoon in a bottle of water, So far so good. Just a heads up.....


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Consider well hydrating with electrolytes before, not just following your ride. Prevention is easier. This addresses my problems.


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## gdb85 (Mar 4, 2017)

Something to try which has worked really well for me, Magnesium spray. I was told that our body will absorb a topical solution much better than an oral supplement. Like you stated most of us lack proper intake of magnesium. I spray 5-6 pumps on each leg and rub it in until just about dry, I do this daily even if I don't ride. Like I said works for me your results maybe different.


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## BadgerOne (Jul 17, 2015)

Yep - saw the title and was going to recommend magnesium and potassium, looks like you've got it figured out. I try to get everything I need from the diet, but sometimes it just isn't possible, so I take magnesium and potassium supplements.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Epsom Salt is Magnesium Sulfate. Taking a soak in an epsom salt bath is a common transdermal magnesium intake. An inexpensive treatment.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

For me and most of the people I see getting cramps the problem is conditioning. Cramps generally occur when you ride longer and harder than you're prepared for fitness-wise.


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## mtnbkrmike (Mar 26, 2015)

I have had bad hamstring cramping my whole life. These put an end to my agony. 100% effective. Up until I discovered them, nothing else worked.


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## Bhamss (Dec 23, 2014)

sounds like you might have more going on but for me stretching pre and post rides is critical to keeping cramps at bay. Also been paying much more attention to post ride meals and hydrating. I would get debilitating cramps that ran down the inside of my leg.


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

Bye bye muscle cramps. Don't get them anymore









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## Cary (Dec 29, 2003)

Gatorade is a terrible electrolyte replacement, mostly sugar. Try First Endurance EFS. Importantly, drink a bottle before you exercise, waiting until you are done is too late. On long rides, alternate between a bottle of electrolyte drink and water.


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## slip20 (Mar 19, 2009)

Both my two brothers and I have all grew up with wickedly bad muscle cramps after athletic endeavors. My brother who is a doctor, and a smart guy, discovered, that for us, its a straight-up salt deficiency. He calls us "salt wasters", because we lose a lot of salt in our sweat. Solution? add about 1 teaspoon of salt to beverages through the course of the day. He invented a drink he calls "Big Mikes Home-brew" about 2 quarts of water, some unsweetened Kool-aid (or similar), and 1 teaspoon of salt. Tastes decent and solves the cramping problem,.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Just get some actual electrolyte products. Not those little fizzy tabs or gatorade.


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## tomboyjr (Jul 16, 2009)

I suffered from cramps during a ride for years. Always around the 2 hour mark. I eat pretty good and was riding a lot. What helped me the most was using Accelerade mixed in my Camelback, its protein based. And getting good protein in my meals the night before and that morning. I had always used the 'carbing up' method and it just didnt work for me.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

I used to regularly get cramps on long rides, usually about 3-3.5 hours in. Always well fueled and drank plenty of water and electrolyte mix. As I started riding more consistently they completely disappeared.


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## hkmeup (Dec 30, 2006)

To the op, you say you get cramps when you do "big rides." Do you also get them during normal rides? If not, I would agree with J.B. Weld that it's likely more exertion related rather than nutrition based. For me personally, the only time I get cramping is during xc races when I'm pushing a lot harder for a more sustained length of time than I do on my day to day rides. I've read to reduce this type of cramping, riders need to regularly exert themselves at higher output levels doing things such as intervals and race pace efforts.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Yes, fitness plays a huge role, in that the harder you are pushing and the less fit, the more likely cramps are. I never cramped doing the ITI 350, but it's pretty hard to, you are never pushing that hard or a short period of time there, it's being able to ride for 16hrs straight or more and you get extreme fatigue...but not cramps IME. The 100 mile races are a mixed bag. With a lot of climbing, cramps can be hard to stave off. The more in shape you are, the better you are suited for this and able to keep going without cramping and this tends to become one of the biggest factors in these races, just not cramping. I kept the cramps at bay in the WM100, but they were definitely trying to get me in a few places. In the WOR50, got bad cramps, like everyone from our state that was down there got the same, and not just once, but like the same muscles at least twice, extremely painful. Whenever you can push through the cramps, it's not so bad on the other side IME, but if it's a hard race and you are going hard, you kind of expect this. The more in-shape you are, the less of an issue this is, as far as distance/exertion. Hydration/electrolytes can help a lot, but we are still looking for a "magic solution" that lets you keep riding without cramping ever. There's no shortage of claims...but no actual 100% fixes.


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

Id like to hear more science. An explanation for why the cramps occur.

Theres a great essay in ‘waterlogged’ about an early experiment to provoke cramps using salt deficiency. They couldnt achieve it after more than 4 days dripping sweat in a sauna. Human body is normally incredibly good at holding salts.

Last i read the modern explanation for cramps is that theyre caused by muscle fatigue and have nothing to do with electrolytes.

Lots of big dollar advertising claims otherwise without evidence.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

I'm going to echo JB's earlier comment. More often than not, cramping is due to a lack of conditioning/training.


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

Crankout said:


> I'm going to echo JB's earlier comment. More often than not, cramping is due to a lack of conditioning/training.


Its not that one isn’t trained, it’s simply that the muscles have been overtaxed and start misfiring, the cramp is thought by some to be a protection mechanism.

For example You might be in great Olympic swimming shape but you will still start cramping after 3 days of treading water.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

eri said:


> Its not that one isn’t trained, it’s simply that the muscles have been overtaxed and start misfiring, the cramp is thought by some to be a protection mechanism.
> 
> For example You might be in great Olympic swimming shape but you will still start cramping after 3 days of treading water.


Well, if I trained for 2-3 days via treading water, I'd be less apt to cramp! 

I've certainly found that as my training was more deliberate and geared toward my goal events, my painful cramping would either subside or, if it occurred, was much more tolerable.


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## mtbdudex (Jan 13, 2020)

Timely thread … I’m on a 4 day per week MTB trail ride log.
Typically Saturdays are my long mid pace ride, mid 30’s to 40’s miles @ 4 hours give or take, Sunday’s 12 ish miles 1hr 15 min “easy”, then Tuesday and Thursday either solo or group rides, 14-16 miles 1hr 30 minutes fast pace.
So 7+ hours per week, 70+ -ish miles per week. 
Been feeling fatigue / long recovery
Now I’ll add magnesium supplement to daily vitamin.

Bonus my wife had these already 










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## TTTURNER (May 13, 2009)

The electrolyte pills and stretching work most of the time for me, but being cold while sleeping will increase cramping at night. I have had brutal cramps after long rides because I ride in the evening when its well over 100 degrees in the summer and my body gets cold at night. My AC is only at 77 degrees, but it will cause cramps in the night if you are uncovered. Surfing in cold water does the same to me.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

eri said:


> Id like to hear more science. An explanation for why the cramps occur.


There is an extensive amount of academic and medical research that has been conducted on this very subject.
What is more interesting on the study of muscular cramping has been the debate over the origination of the cramp. Is it muscular fatigue or an electrolyte deficiency?

I was able to find about 5 conclusive research studies that addressed muscle cramping, I found this one interesting because of this thread here. Check out the abstract and take it a bit farther and do some of your own research. You might be surprised what you find. 
Muscle Cramps during Exercise-Is It Fatigue or Electrolyte Deficit?


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Sodium ion pump is pretty well understood and tested, but why and how the body replenishes isn’t. It almost seems like if you could eliminate cramping you could get into an almost “perpetual motion” machine, as i get used to fatigued riding in races, but not cramping would elevate me to a super human level that doesnt seem sustainable.


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

mtbdudex said:


> Timely thread … I’m on a 4 day per week MTB trail ride log.
> Typically Saturdays are my long mid pace ride, mid 30’s to 40’s miles @ 4 hours give or take, Sunday’s 12 ish miles 1hr 15 min “easy”, then Tuesday and Thursday either solo or group rides, 14-16 miles 1hr 30 minutes fast pace.
> So 6 hours per week, 65-ish miles per week.
> Been feeling fatigue / long recovery
> ...


For recovery: You might also want to take a look at your fuel during your rides and also your overall protein intake.


Cleared2land said:


> There is an extensive amount of academic and medical research that has been conducted on this very subject.
> What is more interesting on the study of muscular cramping has been the debate over the origination of the cramp. Is it muscular fatigue or an electrolyte deficiency?
> 
> I was able to find about 5 conclusive research studies that addressed muscle cramping, I found this one interesting because of this thread here. Check out the abstract and take it a bit farther and do some of your own research. You might be surprised what you find.
> Muscle Cramps during Exercise-Is It Fatigue or Electrolyte Deficit?


Awesome. What i like about that paper is that they point out in some cases sodium deficiency in muscles can occur even when blood levels remain fine. Because my understanding its ridiculously difficult to actually lower human blood salt levels.

Super interesting. I guess im open to supplements working for some people!

thanks for changing my mind.


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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

I've been pretty fit since I got into bicycling at 20 years old (now 53). Started experiencing cramping consistently about 2 years ago. I had not been riding as much and was definitely losing fitness, gaining weight.
Cramps usually happened at the 20-24 mile 2.5-3 hour mark, and they were really painful and debilitating. Sometimes I would get sudden cramping hours after a ride.
I thought it was just that I was getting older.

Over the last 6 months I've been riding more than ever (partly due to the EMTB and being retired). I ride 50% MTB 50% EMTB. Also walk my dog about 2 miles every night. I haven't been quite this fit in a long time. Cramps have completely disappeared.

Did a 5 hour 29mile 3200ft ride last Saturday on the MTB - South Boundary Trail - Angel Fire to Taos NM. Climbed FR70 (most people drive the shuttle vehicle to the top of that climb). Some steep climbing, up to 17% grade.

Felt pretty good at the end. Definitely tired, but no cramping or signs of cramping.
Did an EMTB 'recovery' ride the next day. 😈 16 miles 1500ft


Anecdotal at best and I know nothing about electrolytes or magnesium deficiency. Just a data point to throw out there.


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## mtbdudex (Jan 13, 2020)

eri said:


> For recovery: You might also want to take a look at your fuel during your rides and also your overall protein intake.
> 
> 
> Awesome. What i like about that paper is that they point out in some cases sodium deficiency in muscles can occur even when blood levels remain fine. Because my understanding its ridiculously difficult to actually lower human blood salt levels.
> ...


Thx for feedback. On “short” rides, less than 1.5 hours, just water. On my Saturday “long” ride 3+ hours, I definitely manage electrolytes before / during the ride, and have water bottle with protein for ride home. 
Also .. 2 weeks in the magnesium daily supplement I feel recovery is faster and less fatigued overall.


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