Exercise Information
Site Map | Privacy Policy

Calf Cramps - How To Get More Gain For Less Pain!





I cannot imagine that there is anyone past the age of about 10, that has never had calf cramps. Let's face it, they are horrible. From having no pain and full movement to excruciating agony in a matter of seconds. I think that you can relate to that. If you are into sports though, calf cramps are far more common, and can stop you in your tracks. So what are calf cramps exactly? Anyone competing in sports know that they usually occur after strenuous exercise. But what about those poor folk who wake up with cramps for no discernable reason. So, how do they occur?

How Calf Cramps Can Occur
=========================

Although not an exhaustive list by any means, here are some common causes of calf cramps

? Dehydration: If you are involved in any sports, especially if you are serious about it, you should always ensure that you maintain your fluid levels. As you get hot, your body sweats, and you lose fluid. If these fluids are not replaced, there is a danger of dehydration, and dehydration can accelerate the onset of calf cramps.

? Over tiredness: If you exercise longer or harder than you are used to, there is a danger of calf cramps. Sometimes, in competitive situations, this can be difficult to avoid, but in training, you should increase demands on your body slowly, so that it can get used to it. That is the purpose of training after all. If you train to peak fitness in competition, the likelihood of calf cramps or any injury for that matter, is reduced.

? Vitamin deficiencies: There is speculation that that athletes who get calf cramps could suffer from low levels of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.

? Poor warm up: It is vital that you warm your body up carefully before any exercise. If you don't stretch your calves properly for example, they continually stay contracted and are thus more susceptible to cramps.

? Poor circulation: I can attest to this myself. When I was young, I played a lot of soccer, and used shin guards to protect the front of my legs. To keep the shin guards in place, I used ties to hold my socks up. More than once, during a strenuous game, my calves tightened up and cramped. The cause, I am sure, was poor circulation as a result of tight sock ties.

Some of these causes will have obvious remedies for example. I shouldn't have tied up my socks so tight for example! If cramps occur during exercise, then stretching the calf whilst massaging can alleviate the pain, and stop the muscle from tightening. However, there are other things that you can do which might stop the problem occurring.

? Stretch your muscles before exercise as part of a regular warm up routine. Try and warm down after exercise as well.

? Ensure that you stay properly hydrated during exercise and drink plenty of water

The article was written by Charlie Cory, who is the owner of Home Fitness Online, a website dedicated to providing advice about attaining higher levels of fitness from the comfort of your own home.

You can visit his website about calf cramps.


MORE RESOURCES:

dBTechno

KU research adds to evidence that exercise can help damaged brains
Kansas City Star, MO - 14 hours ago
Exercise is cheap. Everybody can do it. If it does impact Alzheimer’s disease, we should be treating people with exercise.” The implications of any ...
Exercise, a Natural Medicine! HealthNewsDigest.com
Exercise prevents memory loss NDTV.com
Fit Enough to Fight Alzheimer’s The Santa Barbara Independent
HealthJockey.com - Los Angeles Times
all 450 news articles


Boston Globe

Russia, Venezuela to hold joint naval exercise
RosBusinessConsulting, Russia - 4 hours ago
Russia and Venezuela plan to hold joint naval exercise in November, Viktor Dygalo, head of the Russian Navy's information and public relations department, ...
Russia says to send nuclear warship to Caribbean Reuters
Venezuela to host Russia navy exercise elEconomista.es
US watching Russia-Venezuela military maneuvers AFP
RIA Novosti - RIA Novosti
all 400 news articles


BBC News

Sweating, Crying May Help Prevent Exercise-Induced Asthma In Athletes
Science Daily (press release) - 2 hours ago
It also may prevent the development of exercise-induced asthma (EIA), a common respiratory condition among trained athletes. ...
'Sweaty' people less likely to suffer asthma Telegraph.co.uk
Sweaty people 'less asthma prone' BBC News
Sweaty people 'less prone to asthma' Press Trust of India
NewsLite - InTheNews.co.uk
all 26 news articles


NewsTalk 94.3

PGDP Emergency Drill Exercise Set For Tuesday
NewsTalk 94.3, Kentucky - 57 minutes ago
PADUCAH, KY - The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant will be testing their emergency preparedness plans Tuesday during an emergency drill exercise. ...


Washington Post

Venezuela postpones jointly military exercise with Russia
Xinhua, China - 17 hours ago
7 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez postponed on Sunday a jointly military exercise with Russia, originally scheduled for November this year. ...
Around the world Arizona Daily Star
all 95 news articles


ABC News

Freddie and Fannie Shareholders: What This Means for You
Motley Fool - 1 hour ago
Shareholders perked up yesterday when Reuters reported that "the government has no plans to exercise those warrants," but at the end of the day, ...
Video: Paulson:'We Had No Choice' CBS
Winners & Losers of the Fannie & Freddie Bailout Wall Street Journal Blogs
Market rises on US bailouts, regional rally The Edge Daily
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader - Los Angeles Times
all 6,626 news articles


Palin’s ‘experience’ an exercise in manipulation
UW Badger Herald, WI - 10 hours ago
by Gerald Cox Sarah Palin has more experience than Barack Obama. On this, Republicans are not lying to you, despite the cries of foul from the left. ...
Exclusive: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 Family Security Matters
all 897 news articles


Delhi Metro commuters asked to exercise
Times of India, India - 9 hours ago
NEW DELHI: In a drive to motivate commuters to exercise as well as use its lifts and escalators less frequently, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has ...


Even campaign music is an exercise in spin
HeraldNet, WA - 10 hours ago
One way in which American politicians steadfastly demonstrate style over substance is in the "campaign theme song." Because of movies and television, ...


Cardio Infrared Technologies, Inc. Announces Increased Sales and ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
Cardio Infrared Technologies, Inc. is committed to continue to market this equipment to the exercise and medical markets and to aggressively expand the ...

Exercise - Google News

© 2005-2006