Working out hard and experiencing painful or uncomfortable muscle cramps, isn’t it frustrating!! Ever been just lying in bed and get that sharp Charley horse in your calve!!?? No fun!! Unfortunately, muscle cramps can be a side effect of exercise. Cramps come on when a muscle contracts and doesn’t relax. By just sitting still, you can literally see your muscles twitching. Even after the muscle does relax, it will remain fatigued and possibly sore. They usually only last a few seconds to several minutes or more. They can occur in the middle of your exercise routine or in the evening while you are doing nothing active, possibly even sleeping! They most commonly occur in the leg, especially in the calf, hamstring and quadriceps.
You want to be sure and stretch! Over working the muscles can cause a build up of lactic acid in your muscles, which can cause cramping. Be sure you are hydrated as dehydration is a huge reason for cramping. Not enough water or electrolytes can cause severe pain!! When you start to feel a cramp come on, you want to do the best you can to relax and start gently stretching the muscle. Gently is the key word! You may also try to ice the area for about 15 minutes to increase circulation in that area. I am sure you have heard of replacing your electrolytes with sports drinks right?! Not such a great idea! They are loaded with sugar and calories but have been known to make you even more dehydrated! There is no doubt that you need proper electrolytes for neurological function, fluid balance, muscle function and acid/base balances but there are other ways to get your electrolytes… Try Coconut Water!! Coconut water has five electrolytes, which is more electrolytes than most sports drinks, including fifteen times the potassium (and more potassium than a banana). In addition, it has a fraction of the calories of sports drinks, no added sugars and (unlike sports drinks) has protein (only 1 gram), phosphorus, calcium, Vitamin C and riboflavin. Add 8 oz to your protein shake and what a perfect home remedy, and tasty to top it off! Only adding 40 or so calories to your shake and adding all the electrolytes to get body back in balance and feeling so much better!!
A few things to remember:
-include stretching in every workout
-control your breathing, especially while you are stretching, allowing oxygen to be delivered to your muscles
-make sure to warm up before heavy exercise so that your muscles are not shocked.
-gradually ease into the exercise
-Increase your training intensity slowly, over time
-avoid eating a big meal too close to your work out, it takes blood flow away from your digestive system and towards your muscles, causing cramping and nausea
-drink plenty of water
-incorporate Coconut Water into your nutritional program
Muscle cramps are nothing to worry too much about but if you try some of the natural remedies and they continue, than maybe you should seek a specialist but cramps will usually go away with proper in home care!
