Muscle cramps during night AFTER a ride

[easterbird]

I've read some stuff on a few forum about cramping but most of it seems to apply to during or immediately after exercise. Last Sunday I did 70 miles for the first time. Felt great,could have done more, ate appropriatelt and drank about a gallon of liquid before ,during and immediately after. Used some of the liquid as gatorade enduarnce mixed w iced teas(splenda stuff). Finsihed ride at 3 pm and had pizza and salad for dinner with lots of salt. When I settled down to sleep at about 11 pm the cramps started in my thighs(where I felt no tiredness or any sign before WHAM...cramp). I read all kinds of stuff, more salt(I ate more by 1/2 tsp full!),took Tums for Cal/mag,drank ovaltine in milk. After about 2 hours I was able to sleep.
Today worked in garden for several hours hauling mulch and weeding, then rode 39 miles. Drank lots of liquids including the gatorade endurance stuff, Had a salty mexican dinner and just settled in to bed ...WHAM my thighs are cramping. I can't believe it's just salt that's doing this delayed cramps. I will order some endurlyte tabs or something but just wondering if anyone has pinpointed for themselves which chemical induces this late night stuff?

[Duck on Wheels]

I've read some stuff on a few forum about cramping but most of it seems to apply to during or immediately after exercise. Last Sunday I did 70 miles for the first time. Felt great,could have done more, ate appropriatelt and drank about a gallon of liquid before ,during and immediately after. Used some of the liquid as gatorade enduarnce mixed w iced teas(splenda stuff). Finsihed ride at 3 pm and had pizza and salad for dinner with lots of salt. When I settled down to sleep at about 11 pm the cramps started in my thighs(where I felt no tiredness or any sign before WHAM...cramp). I read all kinds of stuff, more salt(I ate more by 1/2 tsp full!),took Tums for Cal/mag,drank ovaltine in milk. After about 2 hours I was able to sleep.
Today worked in garden for several hours hauling mulch and weeding, then rode 39 miles. Drank lots of liquids including the gatorade endurance stuff, Had a salty mexican dinner and just settled in to bed ...WHAM my thighs are cramping. I can't believe it's just salt that's doing this delayed cramps. I will order some endurlyte tabs or something but just wondering if anyone has pinpointed for themselves which chemical induces this late night stuff?

Soaking in a hot tub might help. Blood pumping to the surface to give off heat, cleaning up lactic acids and feeding muscle cells with oxygen along the way ...? (UK elephant or her bf may correct me here; they know lots of physiology). Whatever the mechanism, I find it deals with cramps well, often better than stretching. And it's relaxing and sleep-enducing.

[EvilTwin]

My BF taught me the trick of cold water in the shower. After your nice, hot relaxing shower, turn the water flow as cold as you can stand it and direct the flow onto your legs... thighs and calfs, front and back. I don't know the reason this works, but it does help prevent cramping and sore muscles. A cold dip in a pool, or some such body of water will do the trick too. Good luck.
Barb

[Beth-Ro]

My DH gets cramps after a really long ride. The worst are the innner thigh cramps. He says there seems to be no "opposite movement" to work them out. In desperation, he tried an old country folk type remedy his dad had told him about - 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Since I keep apple cider vinegar in the kitchen, he used that. Amazingly enough, it worked! He has used that remedy a couple times since then and the vinegar consistantly worked to take care of the cramps. He had eaten bananas and consumed enough water and gator aid to float a boat. He also eats pretzels and salty peanuts (because he is a salty sweater). Yet he still gets the cramps. Vinegar is his new friend.

Has anyone else ever heard of this?

[Geonz]

Cramps waking you up in the night are common (or a few hours later at the meeting when I suddenly can't get out of that chair). I've never tried the cold treatment - next time! Vinegar, too... (maybe that's what was behind the "Jogging in a Jug" product that was basically vinegar - and the only thing that *ever* went unconsumed on our school's faculty "open foraging" table where we brought food to share and sometimes cooking mistakes...)

[brok]

Try increasing your potassium intake also

[tulip]

Potassium. Bananas.

[CorsairMac]

and calcium. I get calf cramps really bad when I don't have enough calcium....and I would suggest using a supplement instead of trying to get it through eating, coz you're probably losing more potassium and calcium than you can replace with just food.

[TsPoet]

and calcium. I get calf cramps really bad when I don't have enough calcium....and I would suggest using a supplement instead of trying to get it through eating, coz you're probably losing more potassium and calcium than you can replace with just food.

I'm with CorsairMac - calcium suppliment (not Tums or anything else, a true suppliment) with a full glass of water. I like Citrical, but I'm sure any well-absorbed calcium suppliment would work, at least 400 mg.

[SandyGirl]

Oh great. I ran out of my bananas Monday! Sure hope I don't cramp up tonight....

[Running Mommy]

Sounds like magnesium to me.. Have you tried supplementing mag? Slo mag works the best. I have a HUGE problem w/ this. It sounds like your salt is in line, but potasium and mag may need to be supplemented. Try the mag first tho. I have a non athletic friend who wakes up at night with HORRIBLE leg cramps if she doesn't supplement magnesium. But don't take potasium and magnesium at the same time if you try both... Just a heads up.

[CorsairMac]

Sounds like magnesium to me.. Have you tried supplementing mag? Slo mag works the best. I have a HUGE problem w/ this. It sounds like your salt is in line, but potasium and mag may need to be supplemented. Try the mag first tho. I have a non athletic friend who wakes up at night with HORRIBLE leg cramps if she doesn't supplement magnesium. But don't take potasium and magnesium at the same time if you try both... Just a heads up.

yup - but do take Mag and Cal at the same time as they help each other with your bodys absorption.

[newfsmith]

I have severe leg cramps almost nightly, even if I take 3 or4 days off riding. I have tried all of the above mentioned supplements, switched to a waist mounted camelbak to be sure I was well hydrated, experimented with quinine, all to no avail. I get up and stretch only to have a different set of muscles cramp. Often it is not even the opposing set of muscles. Sometimes I suspect it is triggered by lying on my side too long; but we have a Tempurpedic mattress, so I don't really think that is the case. I have spoken to my primary care doc, she has no more suggestions. I'm currently managing them by a quick stretch to get out of the screaming stage, then walk to the bathroom (stepping over large dog) and back. That short walk seems to work better than more stretching. When I get back in bed I try to get into bed with the non-affected leg as relaxed as I can keep it. And my husband wonders why I have trouble getting up in the morning.

[ridebikeme]

Well, I agree with everything that all of you have mentioned... what I have found that works for me is to stretch daily and AFTER a ride. It has all but eliminated my cramps during the night, and I feel much better on the bike the next day. In the European countries, they use hot water/cold water several times after a workout or simply after a day at work.... hope this helps!:)

[RoadRaven]

Potassium. Bananas.

Mmmmm... my partner gets cramp whenever he has supplements that are loaded with potassium.... but potassium seems to help me. Mebbe a male/female difference?

Calcium is very important like Corsair says - despite it being associated with bone strength, calcium really helps my recovery (roll on chocolate milk!!!)

[maillotpois]

I am so glad to see this thread!! In the last few months I have been having wake-me-up at night calf and occasionally thigh cramps. Not necessarily right after a ride, and I think some of it has to do with dehydration (got the worst one ever yesterday morning after being on a red-eye home from the east coast - and I know I wasn't drinking enough such that my feet swelled up!).

I eat a lot of salt anyway, and generally hydrate well on riding and non-riding days. I can't take a calcuim supplement at night because that would interfere with my thyroid stuff, but I generally take one in the a.m. and drink plenty of fortified soy milk. Anyway, I will try the vinegar and see if that helps.