Hiking

[Pax]

Eleven is pretty extreme if it's not your norm. I assume you're getting enough potassium and magnesium?

[Catrin]

Eleven is pretty extreme if it's not your norm. I assume you're getting enough potassium and magnesium?

Yes? Maybe? Perhaps? I do need to look into my diet for my usual input of pot/mag. All the great supplementation in the world can't help much if I'm starting from a deficit. YES, 11 miles was a bit much, even the originally planned 10 - but I really like doing endurance things for my birthday. Sadly the weather hasn't been conducive for getting out there for long trail hikes - seems like I had a hard time getting past 6ish miles before there would be another 3 weeks of solid rain and then I wanted to start at 6 miles again and then more rain...


HERE is a link to a map I made online of the lovely trail from yesterday. There are NO good, or even ok, maps for the trails in this forest. I'm not saying this is good either, but it's nice to have.

[Catrin]

I saw my doc for another reason today and mentioned the cramps. He examined me and doesn't think it mineral related. Either my blood flow to my legs, especially the left, is a problem (which would be bad), or I've a structural problem that is the root cause - and he knows what that is.

Hopefully the latter, getting a simple test to rule out the former. If it is the latter as I hope, I will need new boots as they are forcing my legs to work too hard in an unnatural way that's causing the cramps. My only concern would be to find something that make both feet and legs happy.

Why, for once in my life, can't it be simple?

[Crankin]

Praying it is the reason that is easily fixed. When will you know?

Oh, the weather forecast has changed for Acadia. Now, we will not only have a rainy drive up there, but also, a rainy hike on Saturday.
Great, descending slippery rocks!

[Catrin]

Praying it is the reason that is easily fixed. When will you know?

Oh, the weather forecast has changed for Acadia. Now, we will not only have a rainy drive up there, but also, a rainy hike on Saturday.
Great, descending slippery rocks!

Yes, hopefully it's the exertional compartment syndrome rather than other things. Hopefully the simple ankle blood pressure test will be negative and I will just have the expensive task of finding new hiking boots. The test will, hopefully, be next week.

Slippery rucks, ugh. Hope you have fun anyway!

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[rebeccaC]

catrin....if thrombosis was mentioned you need to be really proactive and get help if a feeling of cramping continues to come up....
and yes...hoping it's the latter

saying this in a caring way!!!

[Pax]

Catrin - hope it's the simple issue. And I get "expensive", if I end up needing to replace my old boots in the spring, I'm looking at $150 easy. Miss the days of youth when I could (and did) hike in the Alps in adidas tennies since that was all we could afford (one shoe for anything remotely athletic).

[Catrin]

I may be resistant to quick shoulder or foot surgery, but anything circulatory or cardiac related is a different ballgame entirely. The cramping has recently increased, which is why I mentioned it today at my appt.

Pax, I LOVE my $200 Solomons... same model is even more spendy this year. Hopefully we won't find out that my legs need the opposite of what my feet need to be happy. I won't buy anything before we learn more but, if push comes to shove, perhaps a higher ankle version of my Keene hiking shoes will work

[Catrin]

catrin....if thrombosis was mentioned you need to be really proactive and get help if a feeling of often cramping continues to happen.
and yes...hoping it's the latter

He didn't mention his specific concern and I didn't push because I didn't want to stress myself out before the test. I did spend 5 minutes on Dr. Google-Mayo to see what sort of things that test is used for and shut the browser down quickly...

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[Pax]

He didn't mention his specific concern and I didn't push because I didn't want to stress myself out before the test. I did spend 5 minutes on Dr. Google-Mayo to see what sort of things that test is used for and shut the browser down quickly...

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Very wise move. I would really enjoy some blissful ignorance with regard to my new knee joint.

[Catrin]

Very wise move. I would really enjoy some blissful ignorance with regard to my new knee joint.

Well, I've been there before Pax, most recently with my neck and shoulders. It did not do me any good at all, what I learned in those first 5-10 minutes was really all I NEEDED to know. The rest just gives hooks for anxiety to play with. This HAS gone on, rarely, but periodically for years so I'm hoping for the simple answer. Either it's something, or it's not. Hopefully nothing that a new pair of hiking boots won't help

It was a fun hike though. Fortunately

[Sky King]

Catrin, couple suggestions to see if it helps.
drink some electrolytes before bed,
eat a banana everyday for the magnesium.
use your foam roller or a rolling stick if you have one.
massage your calves by getting on your hands and knees and then taking the knee from the opposite leg and pressing it into your calf muscle and rotating the knee as you move up and down your calf (yes, I know you are feeling the shin but this will help over all)
take a tennis ball and roll your shin area
Do hip flexor stretches (expect you are)

I hate shin cramps and find I get them most often when we've been riding in hot weather and I haven't had enough fluids.

[Catrin]

Thanks Sky King - these are my usual practices. For whatever reason, my dr doesn't think it's an electrolyte imbalance. We're both hoping it's the structural problem (and there are signs of it) - which has a simple solution. There are also signs of decreased blood flow, but hopefully not enough to be a problem. I get the little ankle test tomorrow morning and, hopefully, will pass with flying colors. Regardless of any other underlying contributor, 11 miles was a bit over-kill

[emily_in_nc]

Catrin, sounds like a gorgeous hike, and 11 miles is a lot no matter how you slice it. I would be hurting too -- though not sure if I'd be cramping, just tired and sore. I hope you can get to the bottom of it. I tend to let all my aches and pains go, since we're on the road and getting to my doctor (or any doctor) can be a non-trivial thing, and more often than not, the problem just goes away with rest, but I know that is not the case for every ailment!

Has anyone been to Natural Tunnel State Park in western VA? We are here now and did a nice hike today after setting up in our campsite -- around 4.2 miles in the lovely woods, pretty easy, just some climbing and switchbacks, but nothing too rocky or strenuous. We haven't seen the Natural Tunnel yet. That's on tap for tomorrow, our only full day here, plus a few more of the trails here.

[Catrin]

How did the hike go Emily?

So they did the ankle test yesterday - while a simple test it must be done in a hospital setting. I think it will be fine
I guess the test can tell a lot about peripheral vascular health and as I turn 57 this weekend it probably wasn't a bad idea. Hopefully I will pass the test.

Saw my chiropractor today and he says that whatever else is, or isn't going on, that shin splints are obvious. He said that shin splints can certainly cause the type of cramps I had.

I'm considering finding another doctor. I like him, but the surprising thing for a DO, he seems to always start with the more complicated, serious causes and solutions. He is certainly the first DO I've had as a PCP like that. I do prefer having a DO over an MD, and I'm going to start looking for another one.

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