Summer heat and humidity are now at their peak, and with that I have recently had many patients ask me what they should do to prevent muscle cramping to occur. First of all it helps to know what is causing these cramps to occur.
Causes: Muscle cramps can be caused by many things.
1). Electrolyte or mineral depletion or imbalances. (see below for more on this).
2). Muscle fatigue- which can be either from overexertion or from holding a static position for an extended period of time. Remember to take breaks from prolonged sitting at your computer or from a long drive. If you are exercising in the heat and humidity decrease your intensity and or your duration.
3). Dehydration- see Dr. VanNederynen’s blog from last July 2015 as this topic was very well addressed there.
4). Some medications may cause muscle cramping as a side effect- usually because these medications either dehydrate you or throw off your electrolyte balance.
5). Inadequate blood supply. People with poor circulation or narrowing of their arteries are more susceptible to muscle cramps.
6). Nerve compression- compression of nerves in your spine can also produce muscle cramps and/or cramping like pain in your extremities.
Most cramps are usually a combination of the top three. Being physically active in this hot and humid weather can often result in cramping as we lose a lot of electrolytes, dehydrate, and become fatigued.
Electrolyte or mineral depletion or imbalances:
Electrolytes are ionized minerals that conduct electrical impulses and allow our muscles to contract and relax. The balance of the electrolytes is critical for normal function of our muscles and also our cells and organs.
A majority of the focus has been sodium, calcium, and potassium, which are certainly important. Unfortunately, magnesium is often overlooked. This critical electrolyte plays a key role in many functions of your body and is crucial to your performance. Magnesium plays a critical role for extended bouts of muscular contractions and cramp prevention– just as much as the other three.
Good Sources of Magnesium:
Magnesium is found in unrefined whole grain breads and cereals, as well as green leafy vegetables, lentils, peas, beans, nuts, and seeds. Meat, fish, fruit, dairy products, and processed foods are poor sources for magnesium.
If you are experiencing cramping- first make sure you are hydrated, secondly make sure to include some electrolytes in your drinks, and make sure you include calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium. As Dr. VanNederynen posted in her blog last month our new drink mix Endura by Metagenics has an excellent balance of electrolytes including Magnesium. I too have had good success training and racing in this heat and humidity using Endura.
Treatment for Muscle Cramps:
Most cramps can be treated by stretching the muscles involved. Gently massaging or foam rolling the muscle will often help it to relax as well. One of the most common muscles to cramp is the calf muscle. For a calf muscle cramp stand about 2 feet from a wall and lean into the wall and place your forearms against the wall with your knees and back straight and your heels pressed back in contact with the floor. Visit www.performancehealthcenter.com and look in the self care tab under foam rolling to see a short video on how to foam roll your calf muscles, or better yet sign up for next month’s foam rolling class on August 18, 2015. Call or sign up at the front desk.
If you have any questions about this Blog, or any questions in general about your health, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]