What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 10:21:19 GMT

My friend suffered from a similar condition. Have a look at these articles they will be really very useful to you www.everydayhealth.com/.../what-causes-leg-cramps-and-how-can-you-stop-them.aspx www.everydayhealth.com/.../

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:26:19 GMT

Thanks for the tip Cheryl. I always avoided the Gatorade and similar drinks because of all that sugar and sodium, but I never thought of cutting with water. It's the same thing I did with my kids apple juice. I will definitely give it a try.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:18:18 GMT

Can I get my energy drink needs from the swim up bar in Mexico. Which drink would be best - Margarita, Pinacolata, Coca Cola or Caroana. The Carona is cheaper then Gatoraid. I will be there next Sunday.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:07:16 GMT

I drink water most of the day, but I make sure I get sodium and potassium. I also drink Fluid after my workout, which has sodium and potassium in it to replenish the lost electrolytes. It's important not to flush that stuff out; hyponatremia can kill you.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

moodyrichardson — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:16:16 GMT

In my nutrition class we learned that if you drink nothing but water all day long, you are actually flushing your system of needed nutrients and vitamins. You are tanking your electrolytes, especially sodium and magnesium (which helps the body to absorb the nutrients faster), and potassium levels. When you exercise, you all know these are depleted. These help conduct electrical signals from the brain to the muscles. When these are low, the messages get scrambled causing cramps. I still drink water all day, but an hour before I swim, I drink half of a Gatorade or sports drink diluted with half water to cut the sugar and salt. This has ended my leg cramps.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:22:15 GMT

Yeah, I figured there was some reason other than "bananas have potassium". Bananas have a little more than 1/8 of the recommended daily value of potassium, so eating one is not going to do anything but help you normally.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:19:39 GMT

There are several reasons why he suggests this to me. I am diabetic bananas, oranges, apples, throw off my sugar levels so he suggests only half of one of these is what I should consume. But he also mentioned that I should be careful with bananas because of potasium. there are other items in our diets that have hi levels of potasium also so I watch what I eat. I have no problem with my kidney but they monitor the potasium levels and I do not want problems.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:54:30 GMT

I'm not really sure what your doctor is talking about. Unless all your meals are just high-potassium foods or you have kidney problems, a banana is not going to hurt you. I eat 1-2 a day and have been for a long time. The recommended daily value of potassium is 3,500mg regardless of caloric intake. A banana only has 422mg of potassium, so I'm not sure where he's getting the idea that a banana is going to send you into some sort of ventricular fibrillation. Of course, I'm not telling you to ignore your doctor (not that you would or should listen to some random guy on the internet anyway). Obviously, he knows your medical history and probably has a reason other than "bananas cause heart arrhythmias" because for most healthy people, it isn't true.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:39:32 GMT

I was told by my doctor not to consume more than half a banana a day. Too little or too much potassium (K) can have effects on the heart in so much as the cardiac rhythm. There is a safe range and some acceptable low and high tolerances, but if they are extreme then it can be dangerous.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Speedo — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:25:49 GMT

Oh OK, I just saw your new post about being diabetic- maybe multivitamins would not be appropriate. Maybe something more targeted (potassium/magnesium)? But I'd definitely hydrate. Pete V

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Speedo — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:22:38 GMT

This is my first post here- just been lurking for a while but this is a topic I'm familiar with. I just started swimming again after 16 years out of the pool. I swam competetively from age 7 through college so I used to have some skills. I never ran into cramp issues then, but I have them now. This is likely due to the fact that I have the same stroke but do no longer have the muscles to support it (yet!). I frequently get hamstring, calf, and foot cramps, typicallly near the end of practice- doesn't matter if it is a kick set or not. What is starting to help is a few suggestions from the coach. Since I do 445am practices exclusively he suggested drinking a moderate, fixed quantity of water before bed, and also suggested multivitamins making sure that they contain potassium and magnesium (magnesium has not been mentioned in this thread). I have noticed improvement since I started doing this, but I cannot tell if the improvement is due to drastic improvements in my fitness, or if it is due to the water and vitamins. I would think if you are at a fitness plateau they I'd maybe try the fluids and vitamins, or just fluids with electrolytes. I'm doing the multivitamins because my wife keeps telling me I'm deficient :) Glad to be here. Pete V

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:48:45 GMT

I will get cramps if I am not hydrated. I try to drink water all day long before a workout, then continue to load up while in the pool. If I don't get enough water in me during the day my feet will cramp up, especially with long kicking sets. I have tried stretching and rubbing, but this usually does little to help. I just keep going and force more water. Usually it will pass. I have had a calf cramp one time that nearly sent me to the bottom of the pool on a turn! When I was a kid I never got cramps and I swam all the time. My dad had a little bar in the house and I used to sneak all of his tonic water because my parents wouldn't let us have soda. Maybe there is truth to that tonic solution after all! :wine:

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:40:12 GMT

I haven't gotten a cramp while swimming yet, but I've only been at it for a month or so. It wouldn't hurt to try getting out right away. If it doesn't work, it's not like you've lost anything.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:33:44 GMT

At this point, I'm ready to amputate my feet so I wish you very much good luck!!! Water, stretching, bananas, all great ideas. My favorite stretch is to stand on the edge of the pool or a stair with your balls of the feet on the edge and hang your heels off and push down so that it stretches your arch. Great prevention and for getting rid of cramps when you have them. If it persists, not to completely worry you, but you might want to get it checked out. I was having cramps persistently and it turned out to be plantar fascitiis and (yep, and) tarsal tunnel and I've been in physical therapy for like 3 weeks. Stretching and water usually works though. GOOD LUCK!!!

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:56:49 GMT

Thanks. I got out of the pool after having tried bending and stretching my toes and arch for quite a while. I started getting the cramps during backstroking (which I guess is easier to cause foot cramps than other strokes?). Maybe I should do the bending and strentching outside the pool as mjgold's coach suggested, then go back in the pool after recovering, but it was quite late yesterday so I simply quitted. I wonder if there are people who never get cramps during swimming?

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:21:57 GMT

Reasons for foot cramps - #1 You are not in condition. #2 You are forcing your toes to point. #3 You kick to hard after pulling. Many other reasons probably not any thing to do with potasium or calcium.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:08:34 GMT

Ugh this has been an all-too-often-problem for me lately. I do a pulling set and then foot cramp time, they're more in my toe area. The cramps used to be brief and I could return to swimming after massaging my foot. Now once I get one during practice it can go away for a few minutes after massaging it, but as soon as I start swimming it's horrible cramps and it cycles like that. They've cut my last three practices short. :(

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:56:09 GMT

My coach told me that as soon as you get a cramp, you should get out of the pool and rub it down. He said that the cold will keep the muscle tight and make hit hard to get rid of it quickly. I don't know how true that is, but one of the girls on our team had a bad foot cramp last week. She got out right away and was back in the pool after a few minutes or so.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:12:21 GMT

A friend wih MS has told me drinking Tonic Water (yes as in Gin and Tonic) helps with the cramps. If you're struggling with cramps regularly maybe trying a glass of Tonic Water pre practice may help, or just including it in your diet.:wine:

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:03:20 GMT

One thing I've realized in the past months is that if my calves and hamstrings are not stretched beforehand, cramps in the foot are much more likely to happen. JIM

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:47:55 GMT

My feet are much more likely to cramp when I don't get enough sleep. I remember getting an awful calf cramp in HS swimming when I'd stayed up late writing a paper and I'd only gotten 2 hours of sleep.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:54:17 GMT

It may not just be a potasium problem. I suggest you read here. www.medicinenet.com/.../art.asp

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:42:28 GMT

I have always consumed bananas and water. I have heard about bananas due to its potasium content, but always thought it's purely theoretical. I would be interested if there is a real-life proof of this. Did you notice any difference by just eating more bananas before swimming? If it really helps, we could also take a potasium supplement pill :)

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

knelson — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:41:43 GMT

Foot cramps I swim through. They are annoying, but not bad enough to stop swimming for. With calf cramps I usually need to stop and wait for it to ease before starting to swim again. There are times that the cramp comes back as soon as I start swimming. Typically this occurs at the very end of practice for me, so it's no big deal. Those calf cramps are terrible. If I get a bad one my leg will be sore for a few days afterward.

RE: What to do when getting cramps on your feet?

jim thornton — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:35:45 GMT

I, too, used to get them all the time, maybe a little more in cold weather. They seem to come and go. You can kick through them by making your feet go at right angles to your legs. It does slow you down, though. At meets, I make sure to take something to keep my feet warm, and I sometimes put my feet in hot water before a race. Don't know if there is any real raionale for this, but no cramps yet during a race, knock on wood...