Muscle cramps

How do they arise and what helps against them?

You're training for a marathon or a bike race - and suddenly you feel a sharp pain in your calf. You have a muscle cramp. Now the question is: How can you relieve the cramp as quickly as possible so that you can continue training? And what can you do to prevent this from happening again in the future? Find out here! You will also learn what happens in the body when muscle cramps occur and where they can come from.

A muscle cramp is when a single muscle or group of muscles suddenly tightens . This tension is called “contraction”. It happens involuntarily - that is, without you consciously using a muscle. The result: the muscle stiffens for several seconds or even minutes. It then feels really stiff so that you can no longer move at all. You often feel a stabbing pain at the same time.

Muscle cramps often occur in the thigh and calf . Theoretically, almost every muscle in the body can cramp - both the smooth and the striated ones.

• Smooth muscles: These are the muscles that are located around internal organs such as the intestines or urinary bladder. So you can also get a muscle cramp in your stomach.
• Striated muscles: Thanks to these muscles you can move. These include the arm, leg and core muscles .

How muscle cramps occur in the body is still not entirely clear. However, many experts assume that it is due to the nerves that control the muscles. This is also confirmed by specialist articles .

One possible explanation: Normally, the nerves send signals in the form of electrical impulses from the brain to the muscles. They tell them when and how to move. When you have a cramp, the nerves send signals out of control . The muscles don't understand this - and harden.

These are possible triggers for muscle cramps:

• Overexertion of the muscles: If you overload your body - for example in a marathon - it tires. This ensures that the muscle cells become extremely sensitive and can no longer process the brain's commands properly. This leads to cramps in the legs, feet or other parts of the body.
• Circulatory disorder : If shoes are too tight or if you put pressure on your feet on one side, less oxygen reaches the muscles via the blood vessels. As a result, the muscle cells process the nerve signals incorrectly and tense up.
• Cold : If you sleep with the window open and one leg sticking out from under the blanket, your muscles can cramp. Because when it's very cold, the muscles harden - and you wake up with a muscle cramp in your calf.
• Electrolyte deficiency: If you drink alcohol, take diuretics or sweat a lot while exercising, you lose a lot of fluid. This leads to a deficiency of magnesium ,sodium , potassium or calcium. Your body needs these electrolytes so that the nerves and muscles communicate properly.

The good news is that in most cases , muscle cramps are harmless . According to studies, this is often due to a magnesium deficiency - and this can be remedied quickly and easily. The easiest way to do this is with supplements or functional foods such as the sports tablets from Dextro Energy*.

These are dextrose tablets that rely on a sophisticated combination of vitamins and magnesium**. Since they are individually packaged, they fit in every bag. This means you always have them to hand - and in the event of a cramp you can quickly let a tablet melt on your tongue .

Do you regularly have muscle cramps - even though you take products containing magnesium, wear well-fitting shoes and avoid overexertion? Then play it safe and seek medical advice, as the cramps could be the side effect of an illness.

Muscle cramps: How to prevent them

Whether they slow down your running time or wake you up at night, muscle cramps are always uncomfortable. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to prevent them .

Tip one: Do stretching and warm-up exercises

Stretching can prevent muscle cramps - both cramps that occur at night and cramps during exercise. The reason: In everyday life and during classic strength training in the gym, you always move in the same way. This means that you only train a certain direction of movement instead of the complete, theoretically possible range of movement. In addition, your muscles can quickly be used one-sidedly or overloaded in everyday life if your training plan does not match your fitness level. Stretching, on the other hand, trains the entire range of motion of your muscles.

A simple exercise to combat muscle cramps in the calf is the lunge . It's best to do it just before training or going to bed.

And it goes like this:

• Step 1: Stand upright.
• Step 2: Step forward with your right foot so that your left foot is now behind your body.
• Step 3: Gently tilt your upper body forward and rest your arms on your right thigh. You should now feel a slight pulling sensation in your left calf.
• Step 4: Hold this position for about ten seconds. Make sure that the back leg remains straight.
• Step 5: Stand up again and change the position of your feet.
• Step 6: Repeat the exercise three times on each side.

Especially if you often have night cramps, more exercise can help you. This will help you loosen your muscles and prevent cramps. How about a short walk or a few minutes on the treadmill or exercise bike before bed? It is important that you carry out the movements slowly - otherwise you will overstrain your muscles. A small massage rounds off your evening anti-cramp ritual perfectly.

From massages to stretching exercises: In most cases, you can effectively prevent muscle cramps with simple tricks.

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Tip two: Eat a balanced diet

For you as an endurance athlete, the electrolytes magnesium, sodium, potassium and calcium play a central role. The reason: They ensure that your muscles correctly implement the brain's signals - and function smoothly. If you want to prevent muscle cramps, it is important that you eat a balanced diet.

These foods contain large amounts of electrolytes:

• Magnesium: Bananas, whole grain bread, nuts
• Sodium: Cheese, sausage, canned fish, bread
• Calcium: Fennel, kale, broccoli, leeks, berries, nuts
• Potassium: Apricots, tomatoes, kohlrabi, corn

If you include these foods in your diet regularly, your body will get all the electrolytes it needs. This means you can go full throttle while exercising – without being interrupted by an unpleasant cramp. Drink an electrolyte drink such as Iso Fast from Dextro Energy* in the Red Orange or Fruit Mix variety. During longer endurance training , the fruity drink provides you with potassium, magnesium and sodium. This helps you stay productive***.

Tip three: Drink enough

A lack of electrolytes is a common cause of muscle cramps . It occurs, among other things, when you exercise in the heat and sweat a lot. You then lose the fluid and the minerals it contains - such as magnesium, potassium and sodium. The result can be a muscle cramp.

Therefore: Drink enough to prevent muscle cramps. In everyday life, 35 milliliters of fluid per kilogram of body weight is ideal. So drink around 2.5 liters a day if you weigh 70 kilograms. If you exercise, your needs increase. During intensive training, your body needs around half a liter to one liter per hour.

Drink smaller amounts regularly - instead of a lot at once. Because your intestines can only absorb about half a liter to three quarters of a liter of water per hour. The rest is discarded unused. You can remember the following rule of thumb for your training: If you exercise for longer than half an hour, drink a small glass of water every 15 to 20 minutes .

Tip: Instead of water and unsweetened tea, try anelectrolyte drink . This compensates for your electrolyte loss even more specifically than pure water.

Tip four: Wear the right sports clothing

Make sure you have suitable equipment when exercising. Shoes that offer your feet enough space are particularly important. If you restrict your feet, your foot bones will shift slightly. Then the risk increases that you will put one-sided strain on your muscles - and this will cause them to tense up more quickly. Are you unsure whether your shoes really fit? Then get advice from an expert at a specialist store.

Compression clothing such as compression tights and socks can also be helpful if you often get muscle cramps during exercise. The reason: They stimulate blood circulation by applying gentle pressure to the muscles. Muscles that are well supplied with blood receive more oxygen. This makes them less prone to cramps.

Tip five: Increase slowly

Would you like to always give 110 percent? Excellent! But still make sure you get the right amount of training . This means: Train according to your performance and don't overtax your muscles. Improve yourself little by little. This allows your muscles to slowly get used to the increasing strain. This minimizes the risk of muscle cramps.

Also take regular rest days . Give your muscles some time to recover after training. This is especially true if you train intensively and always use the same muscle groups. You have the choice between a day's break and gentle, regenerative exercises - instead of demanding muscle work.

You can support your muscles with a Recovery Drink° in the Tropical variety . The carbohydrate-protein drink helps build and maintain your muscles thanks to the high-quality whey protein it contains. Simply add three level scoops of the powder to adrinking bottle filled with 250 milliliters of water. Stir vigorously and you have a fruity drink that you can enjoy after exercise.

Muscle cramp: These immediate measures will help you

Muscle cramps usually occur very suddenly. They surprise you in your sleep or in the middle of a workout. So that you are prepared next time , take a look at the following tips now. Then the next time you have a cramp you'll know what you have to do.

This helps with acute muscle cramps

Stretching

Stretch the cramped muscles and release the stiffness again. This is how it works for a leg cramp:

• Sit upright,
• take your foot in your hand,
• pull your toes toward your body and push your heel forward.

Then stretch your muscles slowly and carefully. This will ensure you don't hurt her.

Shake it out

Gently shake out cramped limbs - this loosens the muscles. Then carefully walk a few steps. The movement then releases the last tensions.

massage

Gently massage the tense part of the body with your hands or a foam roller. This loosens the muscles. If you want, you can use antispasmodic essential oils when massaging - such as rosemary or orange oil.

warmth

Grab a hot water bottle, make warm wraps, or take a hot bath. The warmth relaxes your hardened muscles.

An additional tip that may sound strange: Drink cucumber water - the super-sour vinegar water in which sour cucumbers swim. According to one study , water can shorten the duration of a cramp by almost half. Researchers suspect that the sour taste in the throat slows down the activity of nerve cells and has an antispasmodic effect. How much you should drink depends on your weight. Experts recommend one milliliter of cucumber water per kilogram of body weight.

Stop muscle cramps: Here's how

Muscle cramps are uncomfortable and can hold you back from exercising. Fortunately, in most cases you can prevent them. Should you still be surprised by a cramp, you can quickly get rid of it with our tips. So declare war on muscle cramps – and face your next sporting challenge full of energy!

 

*Contains carbohydrates

° Proteins contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass

** Magnesium contributes to normal energy metabolism.

***Carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions help maintain endurance performance during prolonged endurance training

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.

SOURCES

Miller, KC, Mack, GW, Knight, KL, Hopkins, JT, Draper, DO, Fields, PJ, & Hunter, I. (2010). Reflex inhibition of electrically induced muscle cramps in hypohydrated humans. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 42(5), 953–961.

Giuriato, G., Pedrinolla, A., Schena, F., & Venturelli, M. (2018). Muscle cramps: A comparison of the two-leading hypothesis. Journal of electromyography and kinesiology: official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology, 41, 89–95.

Varghese A, Lacson E Jr, Sontrop JM, Acedillo RR, Al-Jaishi AA, Anderson S, Bagga A, Bain KL, Bennett LL, Bohm C, Brown , PA, Chan, CT, Cote, B., Dev, V., Field, B., Harris, C., Kalatharan, S., Kiaii, M., Molnar, AO, Oliver, MJ, … Dialysate Magnesium (Dial -Mag) Investigators (2020). A Higher Concentration of Dialysate Magnesium to Reduce the Frequency of Muscle Cramps: A Narrative Review. Canadian journal of kidney health and disease, 7.