Leg Cramps

[Jo-n-NY]

My cramping is in my toes. This has gone on for years and it is getting pretty annoying. Yes, it is after almost every ride I had this year. I do not sweat much and at this time of year I barely sweat at all. I take the 1200mil of calcium pills at day and drink at least 66oz of water by the time I go for my ride after work. My ride after work is only 12 miles. Needless to say, not much exertion there.

The article was very informative. Maybe in my case the problem is my position on the bike according to the article. I will address this this weekend.

~ JoAnn

[Eden]

Oh yeah! consistant cramping in one leg only can be a leg length discrepancy - getting a bike fit and some shims in your shoe/s can help.

[RoadRaven]

My partner used to get wicked calf and thigh cramps
He tried loads of different things - salt, extra water, more milk
Then he read one article, and thought ok... it worked for this guy, I'll give it a go.

He cut as much processed sugar out of his diet as possible... within a week, no cramps! he still has honey, fruits, milk - all with "natural" sugars.
He adds sugar to nothing and only occasionally has biscuits/cakes etc.

Good luck

[han-grrl]

...can be caused by

not enough water
too much water
not enough sodium, calcium, potassium or magnesium
too much sodium, calcium, potassium or magnesium
too much exertion

its such a fine balance...

I found that when i drank ONLY E-Load i was cramping like crazy. So i have one bottle each of eload and water on rides.

[li10up]

Thanks everyone...although I'm still not sure what the problem is. Lisa, in addition to the Rolaids I also take a multi-vitamin every day so I think now I'm getting enough vitamins and minerals. My guess is it's a combination of not enough water and increased exertion. It's only happening on my really hard rides. Looks like I just need to keep working on staying hydrated.