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Anyone else suffer from reocurring leg other muscle cramps?? The kind that wake you up middle of night feeling like you completed two Marathons then got hit by a truck?
I started getting them 10 years ago before I had my first hip replaced. Now that both have been done and some back issues starting to show up, have them 4-5 times a week. Typically at night, now moving into day time.
Alot of mixed advice from physicians and info on line. Too much exercise, not enough, various vitamin deficiencies, pinched nerves, sitting too long (e.g. at work, or tree stands). Starting to limit my hunting activities due to the soreness and lack of sleep. Only think that seems to help is grabbing the muscle, squeezing as hard as you can as it starts to pulse and become hard as a rock, then muscle roller (the kind runner use) to loosen it up afterwards. Mostly affects calves but get them in the thighs and triceps, biceps too.
Dehydration will do that too.
Emergen-C helps keep mine under control. Several packets a day when I am backpacking, working in the heat or cross country skiing.
Also minimizing intake of caffeine and alcohol helps. Finally, just walking as a cool down along with the Emergen-C after hard exercise helps before going to bed.
The above methodology got me through a five-day Mt Caribou meat packing marathon last month. Never had cramps in the sleeping bag despite it being the longest (50 km loaded) and hardest pack-out I’ve ever done.
Good luck with controlling them!
I have them at times severely, and I don’t have to be dehydrated, but if I am they are much worse. Sitting too long, as in long drives or using my tractor all day makes them worse. I can only fish for about a half day because I’ll have them in places that really don’t make much sense. They started about two years ago and no doctor has yet to give me relief. In fact, my doc is sending me to a neurologist in a few weeks.
If you’re easily dehydrated try this: Buy some pedialyte, empty the first bottle and save it. Pour half of the pedialyte into the empty bottle and then fill both up with water. You now have 50/50 pedia and water. Sip on that through the day and it will stave off the dehydration. You can also take a couple of swallows of apple cider vinegar, mix it with ice water and it won’t be as harsh, that will make them go away in a few minutes.
For severe cramps use a product called Theraworx Relief. It really works on cramps. It’s available in a spray bottle in liquid or pump bottle in foam. I like the foam. A couple of pumps and rub it in until it’s gone. Did I mention it really works ? :-)
Good luck, damn cramps are a plague !
I had the same excruciating leg cramps for about 2 years, and never figured out why. Would hit me almost every night on and off all night long. Finally started getting farther apart about a year ago, and luckily are very rare occurrence now. Knock on wood. I can’t think of anything that I have changed in my daily routine, or anything different in my diet. Never figured out the cause, but I can relate to your pain. Good luck and hope you can find a cure.
I have heard that distance runner carry mustard packs to keep cramps at bay.
I've had cramps after strenuous exercise since my basketball days. Hiking all day in boots through snow always raised the severity until I started hydrating with Gatorade, haven't had an episode since. I buy the powder & mix to keep from hauling dozens of bottles on trips.
Try CALM, definitely works great
I used to get cramps pretty often in my hamstrings. Holy mackerel that'll wake you up. heel stuck to your ass and you can't get it off. That sucks. I was also living in a state of dehydration. I never drank enough water. Also had headaches quite often. I seem to missing the feeling of being thirsty. So now I make sure to drain a glass of water at at least 3x a day. Still prob not enough, but all those problems went away. I hope for your sake it's something simple like that. Even just the loss of sleep all other problems aside would have a big impact. Sorry man.
What are interpreted as "cramps" or "stiffness" or "I need to stretch" is often (not always) just fatigue. And fatigue can be from a couple sources: Too much work without preparation and ... too little work.
If you think fatigue is possible, think about if you are conditioned appropriately for the level of exertion you want from your legs.
A nephrologist once told me: when patients bring up leg cramps, I change the subject. He also reported a tablespoon of "pickle juice" seemed to be better than placebo, but had no idea of the mechanism.
I also suffer from cramps Home remedy try a couple of cap fulls of vinegar in a glass of water or a sport drink with electrolytes
You my be surprised how quickly it works.
My wife will eat a sweet pickle or to. Works for her.
Calf cramps for me are my nemesis. But I know what cause mine. Dehydration. More specifically, reduced sodium and potassium. I used to distance run a lot. (60-90 miles per week during training cycle) I would wake up with my calf contracted and me blurting profanity like someone w/Tourette's Syndrome. Eating bananas and high sodium foods helped, but I was pushing so hard that nothing "cured" them. (Just reduced the frequency). This year, I got them after packing into spike camp for elk hunt. I biked in 5 1/2 miles and didn't drink water. Got them during the night. After that incident, I drank a serving of Mtn OPS BCAA after a day of elk hunting and they never showed up again. Coincidence? Maybe. But I know what I will drink at the end of every hard hunting day.
I have the same issues due to ortho surgeries/nerve issues. I have nerve damage in my left leg due to back issue/surgery and get a calf cramp that you think the muscle is going to tear.
I take magnesium and potassium supplements and use a electrolyte powder from GNC, look at the ingredients and pick the one with the highest concentration. Most come in individual packets and you dump them in a gatoraide or water bottle. Keep your eyes peeled and buy when they have their BOGO sales. It doesn`t cure the problem but it helps.
Dehydration gives me cramps after a long hike. Water helps. I read that many professional athletes use pickle juice.
Similar to Kurt’s approach, for me, except I use Liquid I.V. I try to use it preemptively, as well as during the strenuous activity & after it as well. I used it religiously on a muskox/caribou hunt, and on my Kodiak blacktail hunt. Not a single crap, and I’m 100% certain that I would have been locked up several times, had I not taken it.
The only thing worse than a Charlie horse in your leg at 3AM.....is a Charlie horse in both legs at the same time!
The wife and her sister swear by Theraworx relief, I've never tried it however.
I’ve suffered for years until I was introduced to Hammer Nutrition products. When I work out or when I’m hunting I put Endurolytes Fizz tabs in my water. Grape is the best tasting IMO. And at the end of my workout or hunt I take a couple of electrolytes replenishment pills. Only on a rare occasion do I get a cramp. Good luck.
I'll add to this one:
(1) Hydrate - as mentioned, (2) bannana for potassium helps keep cramps at bay, (3) Biofreeze is awesome stuff and before bed if I have some pains I'll put down some (4) voltaren before I put on biofreeze. That last combination lets me sleep all night and wake up without any pains.
Thanks for reminder jingalls. I used Hammer Endurolyte pills during marathons and ultras. Take them before and during strenuous activity. They help prevent them after you cramp, but why suffer through an episode if you can keep them away.
I use Wilderness Athlete Hydrate and Recover, and Liquid IV powder packets at night before bed while hunting, seems to help. While packing meat have been using Salt Sticks capsules, as many as 8-10 a day. Really helps with my leg and hand cramps.
Although there could be numerous reasons for cramps, if it's related to dehydration, Hammer nutrition products are designed for endurance athletes (like Race Across America bicycle race, triathlon, ultra running, etc.), company has been around a LONG time, and their products are legit. I've used Hammer for racing, training and hunting for decades. They have a lot of material on their website explaining their products and when/how to use them.
Vast majority of commercial sports drinks don't have the right electrolytes, wrong percentages for optimal absorption, too much sugar and other fillers, etc.
Liquid IV is a relatively new product (to me anyway) that has pretty good mix of electrolytes and works well for me during exercise also.
Sorry to hear Tonybear. Hope you get it figured out!
Pickle Juice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can buy individual shots similar to 5 hour energy drink size or get a gallon of juice. Take a shot or two everyday and it will be your best friend. I am a lifetime cramp sufferer and this is the only thing that has helped me . Hydration and bananas are cute but pickles are the cure!
My father is a chronic sufferer - swears by a tablespoon of yellow mustard at the onset. Must be the vinegar. Hope it helps.
I too have carried dill pickles in zip lock bags for marathon hikes to use at the first sign of trouble. Have had serious episodes day and night, always after a hard hike. Tried many things and for me, #1stay hydrated with an electrolytes fortified drink before ,during and after. Pickle juice and as mentioned CALM works as well. My 2c
Leg & hand cramps have bothered me for years. Lots of fluids helps but I still get them especially during hunting season. Hyland's Leg Cramp pills are the best I've found to get rid of them. They make a PM version that I take after I have a cramp in bed or a daytime version that prevents them.
My wife had trouble for years. She takes a women’s One a Day 50+ multiple vitamin and doesn’t have them since she started taking them.
I was a roofer for over 30 yrs. The whole back of my thigh would get as hard as a rock from cramps..sometimes I would punch myself in the muscle to break it up until I found this stuff..the active ingredient is quinine a natural muscle relaxant..2 pills and it was almost instant relief.. A pharmacist told me to drink tonic water daily it also contains quinine...I also get them pretty bad in my hands too, the pills work on that also
I use to get them real bad post-cancer treatment daily. Since then I take a max potassium and magnesium tab everyday plus a Centron Senior vitamin and a baby aspirin in the mix. Now I only get the cramps (in many different muscles) if I work and sweat hard regardless of what I do to stop them. I can accurately predict when I'll get them now. As I understand it, whatever pills/liquids you take, your body will expel any excess so you might not get the full benefit. On my last Doc visit, the Doc told me she has a patient who has a condition where the body will do a severe potassium or magnesium dump when the patient is active. It's so bad the patient will pass out from the pain. The Doc was supposed to research to see if I have something similar. Anyone who has chronic cramps may want to talk to their Doc about that situation.
Water. My buddy swears by V-8. He won't go to the mountains with me unless he gets one a day. I've had them so bad they'll almost make you cry at night!
Water alone may not work. If it's exercise/exertion based you are sweating out water AND electrolytes. Water alone won't do it, my doctor recommended pedialite powder for dealing with dehydration, mix into the water and all set.
TheraWorx doesnt work. Dehydration shouldn't be a problem taking the magnesium, potassium supplements, I just started using the Hylands tablets. What folks are describing sounds like what I have going on. Used to be a long distance runner martial artist til I started raising kids and all the damage for having un diagnosed Lymes started taking its toll. Gabapentin many years ago, when I first had em didn't help. Sucks getting old. If I didn't use the leg irons I'd probably be done climbing trees.
Thanks for All the info.
Gatorade with some salt added
Country Life Target Mins Calcium Magnesium Potassium 500mg/500mg/99mg 180-Tablet
Works Great on Cramps,
Robb
Dehydration and/or lack of electroytes. I started getting them when the doc put me on 'water' pills for high blood pressure. This causes you to excrete salt and potassium etc. You can drink 'sports' drinks or orange or tomato juice (or V-8) daily and it should fix it. When sweating heavily, drink as much water as you can. (But you'll still need those electrolytes later...)
The Lymes could be the sole reason as well.
I use to have extremely bad cramps to the extent that I would try to get out of bed and stand up in so much pain I thought that my muscles were going to tear. They would last for several minutes sometimes 5 to 10. I started taking 100 mg of CoQ10 and 500 mg of MgO before bed and this greatly reduce the frequency and the severity. I was drinking several diet colas a day. For health reasons I decided to stop drinking the diet colas. Amazing the cramps for the most part went away. I occasionally have a mild cramp but nothing painful. I no longer take the CoQ10 or the MgO. I hope this helps.
Norseman has a good point. Stress will give you bad leg cramps because when stressed you tense up your body. I have that all the time.
This is not a preventative but if you're having a cramp, put a drop of mustard on your tongue. The cramp will go away instantly. I don't quite know how, but it works.
Most common cause of muscle cramps is a potassium deficiency. Your nerves send impulses to the sodium/potassium pumps in your muscles that control contraction. If these electrolytes are low, it can cause your symptoms. Since your heart is also a muscle, the same electrolyte imbalances can cause arrhythmias.
I’ve been having these cramps for two years. I stopped taking the water pill a year or more ago. My Dr. said my potassium levels were ok, but he did put me on two magnesium pills per day. No change whatsoever. I was having one in my left forearm this morning about 4:00 and started to get up to put some Theraworx on it and one hit me in my right thigh. Excruciating ! I gimped into the kitchen for some apple cider vinegar and some ice water. After about five minutes it went away but hurt like hell in the meantime. No more sleep for me until just before my wife’s alarm went off. That has happened more times than I can count. Maybe the neurologist can figure it out, I sure hope so because it is making my life miserable !
Wow, its easier to get medical advice on Bowsite than hunting advice...
The kind of cramps you get while doing vigorous exercise are different than the cramps you get at night. Hydration and electrolytes help the former more than the latter.
There have been studies that show that taking a B complex vitamin daily can help prevent night time cramps. Electrolyte levels are generally normal in people who get night time cramps.
We used to use Quinine and it worked pretty well, but it also is a potent heart medicine and so it's not safe for some people and has been largely abandoned because it killed a few people. But it works.
The B vitamin is definitely safe and works some of the time, so we generally recommend the safest solution first.
What Notme said. I will get cramps in my hamstrings so bad I will come out of a deep sleep literally springing out of bed. Tonic water with quinine will knock it out almost instantly. It will often take me longer to walk from my bed to the fridge than it will for the cramps to go away once I get to the tonic water. Tastes terrible - usually pour some in with Gatorade to make it drinkable but it is pretty amazing how quickly it works. My dad has the same and introduced me to it.
Lee
What Notme said. I will get cramps in my hamstrings so bad I will come out of a deep sleep literally springing out of bed. Tonic water with quinine will knock it out almost instantly. It will often take me longer to walk from my bed to the fridge than it will for the cramps to go away once I get to the tonic water. Tastes terrible - usually pour some in with Gatorade to make it drinkable but it is pretty amazing how quickly it works. My dad has the same and introduced me to it.
Lee
One of my Docs also mentioned tonic water as a temp fix.
+1 for Hylands. Nothing worse than getting cramps while zipped up in a sleeping bag after a brutal day on the mountain chasing sheep or goats. Years back I heard about Hylands on a radio commercial and gave them a try. To my surprise they really work. Now they’re one of the first things I pack.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
Eating more salt on my food helped my leg cramps big time. I use to not salt anything.
I’m not sure, but I think eating more salt on your food will help................;-)
If your experiencing a leg cramp alka selzer will stop it pronto .
Hamstring cramps today while trying to shoot an antelope. Should have paid closer attention
I’ve had leg cramps once in my life. I’ve always been very active with the exception of a couple years due to sickness and recovery from it.
I drink a lot of tomato juice, eat bananas, tomato’s, and green veggies for the potassium and magnesium. I eat a lot of salt come summer time. And, on really hard weeks, I’ll get a snort or two of pickle juice. Been working well for 45 years now.
Spoon full of mustard instantly relieves them. Old timer told me about it. Didn’t believe him till I tried it.
Spoon full of mustard instantly relieves them. Old timer told me about it. Didn’t believe him till I tried it.
Like a couple others I have had great luck using Calm for my cramps.
Its strange, I ride a bike every day and it would seem like my legs are in shape. I hunt the mountains in Virginia and while I am scouting I walk for miles. When I am hunting and its colder I will wake up about 2 hours into sleep and have wicked cramps above my left knee and toward the inside of my legs. Now before I go to bed I will take 1 potassium pill and cramp areas with theraworx. I have not had a bad cramp for over a year now. When my brother comes up he snores so bad that I sleep in coffin-like space above the hall that I made. You have to use a ladder to get in. I have had cramps so bad up there that I couldnt get down to relieve the cramp. Good luck
