I'm just about one year into swimming since stopping after college thirty years ago. I always retained great leg strength though biking but seven years ago I developed very bad sciatica at disc L5-S1, and pain down my left leg was excruciating. Three years ago I had a 2nd surgery and finally began recovery. The problem that remains is a tendency (actually more of a certainty) of getting bad cramps in my left calf and both arches in my feet. The chiropractors we get at big swim meets all say any nerve damage would be healed by now and I simply need to strengthen my calf muscle. Using fins will guarantee a cramp in seconds and actually so will a pull-buoy.
Anybody else every had this dilemma?
Parents
Former Member
I have had lots of calf and especiall foot cramping over the years. I have had lots of hip trouble over the years that also really affects my calf and achilles. What tends to happen is the hips block lots of the blood flow and nerves that extend to the lower limb. This has caused problems for my calf in the past and they really tighten up.
To overcome this I stretch and massage my hips LOTS! One of the best stretches I have found is:
Lie on your back and raise 1 leg in the air so that it is pointing to the cieling. Wrap a theroband or skipping rope around the foot and the with your hands pull it across your body. Try to keep your shoulder AND hips on the ground. Hold this for 30sec and then do on the other side.
In terms of massage I do this constantly. I get a baseball and put it into my glutes and hips as I lie on it and gently roll around on it. Or I lean up against a wall and push my glutes and hips into the ball. This can be painful but boy do I love it. It frees everything up and amazingly it actually helps my lower legs as well as my back and hips.
Not sure if this will help you but it has really helped me so may be worth a go. Good luck with it all.
I have had lots of calf and especiall foot cramping over the years. I have had lots of hip trouble over the years that also really affects my calf and achilles. What tends to happen is the hips block lots of the blood flow and nerves that extend to the lower limb. This has caused problems for my calf in the past and they really tighten up.
To overcome this I stretch and massage my hips LOTS! One of the best stretches I have found is:
Lie on your back and raise 1 leg in the air so that it is pointing to the cieling. Wrap a theroband or skipping rope around the foot and the with your hands pull it across your body. Try to keep your shoulder AND hips on the ground. Hold this for 30sec and then do on the other side.
In terms of massage I do this constantly. I get a baseball and put it into my glutes and hips as I lie on it and gently roll around on it. Or I lean up against a wall and push my glutes and hips into the ball. This can be painful but boy do I love it. It frees everything up and amazingly it actually helps my lower legs as well as my back and hips.
Not sure if this will help you but it has really helped me so may be worth a go. Good luck with it all.
