CRAMPING DURING EXERCISE
A muscle cramp is a painful, involuntary muscle contraction that occurs during or soon after exercise. Muscle cramps are notoriously unpredictable which makes them difficult to study. The cause of cramps remains uncertain, although there is evidence that they may be associated with changes is hydration and sodium balance as well as being related to muscle fatigue. These proposed causes are based on evidence that cramping is most likely to be experienced in the second half of exercise events, with high temperatures where large sweat losses are incurred and large volumes of plain water is consumed. The uncertainty is because not all athletes experience cramps despite being subject to the same environmental conditions or having a similar level of fitness. As it stands, the crude assumption is that there are different types of cramp, caused by different mechanisms and more than one cause or risk factor is involved. This means that prevention and treatment will vary but the most likely strategies include:
- Manage sweat losses by consuming adequate amounts of fluid.
- Weigh your self before and after exercise sessions (removed sweaty clothing) to give you an indication of your sweat losses relative to your fluid intake. Try to limit the drop in weight to no more than 2% of your total body weight.
- Drink fluids containing sodium for athletes participating in prolonged exercise in high temperatures which are likely to result in large sweat losses.
- Incorporate routine passive stretching into training and racing strategies.
- Other electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium may be effective in reducing cramping.
- Electrolyte drinks 1-2 days leading up to an important even may be helpful in reducing cramping.
