Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Former Member — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 08:05:52 GMT

After reading the NY Times article that I posted above, I read the comments section. Someone mentioned neuroscientist Rod MacKinnon, who is also an endurance athlete. He started researching cramps after experiencing them himself. He has developed a product that will be released in 2016 that is designed to prevent muscle cramps in athletes. He has a web site that explains more, and if you scroll all the way down, you can enter your email address and download a short paper: http://itsthenerve.com/ From www.aan.com/.../1341 "...The treatment is based on research showing that cramps are caused by excessive firing of neurons in the spinal cord that control muscle contraction. The treatment is designed to stop the firing of the neurons by stimulating the transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels... When participants received the treatment, which was taken by mouth, their cramps were three times less intense than when they received the placebo. The treatment took effect within minutes and lasted up to six to eight hours. 'These results support our belief that this treatment has significant potential as a solution for people suffering from muscle cramping and possibly spasms from a broad range of neuromuscular disorders, nighttime leg cramps, multiple sclerosis, spinal spasticity and cervical dystonia. Cramps can impact even the world’s fittest athletes at critical times,' said MacKinnon. The study was supported by Flex Pharma. To learn more, please visit www.aan.com."

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Former Member — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 07:02:02 GMT

From the New York Times: Preventing Cramps During Exercise well.blogs.nytimes.com/.../ "Many of us who exercise have heard that sweating and dehydration cause cramps. But the latest science suggests otherwise.... There is, however, growing evidence that cramps during exercise could be a result of overexcited nerve endings, probably as a result of fatigue..."

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

The Fortress — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 12:21:13 GMT

Anyways, I don't have cramps because I train specifically for 50's How does this exempt you from cramps exactly? I train for 50s, but get cramps. Like Unruh, I've had them going off the blocks when I wasn't even fatigued. I also have low red blood cell magnesium levels. Lack of magnesium is related to cramping, and magnesium deficiency is fairly common. When I took measures to correct this problem, I had less cramping.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

__steve__ — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 04:01:23 GMT

How does this exempt you from cramps exactly? I don't get cramps much anymore swimming sets with longer rests, shorter repeats, even done at higher outputs. Endurance swimming, I'm terrible at, rarely do, and associate with lower leg cramps:cane: but I'm not sure if it was related to Mg+or not

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Bobinator — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 11:40:33 GMT

I've noticed that people who use fins the whole workout tend to get cramps frequently. I don't know if you use them or not but my advice is to do the majority of the swim on your own volition and REALLY get into shape instead of becoming a turbo-powered swimmer.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

sunruh — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 11:33:32 GMT

how do you have fatigue if stepping onto the blocks (for the start) and on the dive your calf cramps?

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Gary P — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 06:10:17 GMT

Doesn't pickle juice have a lot of Na+ and K+? Yes, but the effect is reportedly almost immediate, well before the electrolytes could have been absorbed into the system. Nobody understands why, but conjecture is that it's almost a reflexive reaction to the acidic taste.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

__steve__ — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 04:55:47 GMT

Doesn't pickle juice have a lot of Na+ and K+? Anyways, I don't have cramps because I train specifically for 50's

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

sunruh — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 03:10:45 GMT

please read this and rethink www.racerxvt.com/.../muscle-cramps which has data taken at a later date.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

knelson — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 01:12:21 GMT

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Former Member — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:38:10 GMT

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Allen Stark — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 08:11:09 GMT

Despite what many have written, there is poor evidence suggesting cramps are a result of dehydration and/or electrolyte imbalances. Instead, fatigue appears to be the main cause of cramping, hence the occurrence in the pre-season or at the end of tough sets. At the beginning of the season, you fatigue and this alters your neuro-muscular control in the muscle and the muscle begins to cramp...owie! Simply get in better shape and work on recovery, don't waste your money. Here is an interview from my website with a leading researcher on the subject, hopefully the mods don't remove it: www.swimmingscience.net/.../friday-interview-kevin-oconnell-ph-d-candidate-discusses-genes-and-cramping.html That is a fascinating paper. No one on this thread has mentioned the pickle juice treatment. Pickle juice will stop muscle cramping that has already started.It acts too rapidly to correct any electrolyte imbalances(which shouldn't work anyway per the paper.) i don't believe there is a good explanation of it's mechanism of action.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

smiley92407 — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 12:56:05 GMT

I started to swim again back in August after being away from the pool after 30 years and the one thing I wanted to do was to stay away from injuries. I did a lot of stretching a few days before getting back into the pool, and I drink fluids before I go swimming, and I drink fluids afterwards. I did feel a cramp in one of my legs a few weeks ago and I just stopped right there and went into the whirlpool and stretched it out. I have also use the whirlpool after every workout, and I feel that it helps a lot. :)

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Jimbosback — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 11:17:57 GMT

When I have been out for a while, Once I hit about 1200 yards of hard swimming, leg muscles start to fail. If I try and push through that, I cramp. I typically drink more milk when training, but my diet is basically the same otherwise. Either it's the conditioning or the milk that clears this up after a week or two for me. I would bet it's mostly conditioning.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Former Member — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 15:08:40 GMT

When my Synthroid needs adjusting I get cramps. If the above suggestions don't help, talk to your doctor.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

knelson — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 10:46:32 GMT

I do think a lot of it is adjusting to the new stress on the muscles. I tend to only cramp up when I haven't been swimming much. When I'm in good shape I rarely get them.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Morty71 — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 07:53:14 GMT

Well, it's pretty clear what I need to do. Thanks everyone for your answers. Much appreciated.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Swimspire — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 01:16:01 GMT

As the earlier replies suggest, the cramps could be from lack of hydration or an electrolyte imbalance, but also keep in mind the fact that you are returning to the sport after three decades. Even if you see measurable progress, you still need to monitor your body's response to workouts very carefully, together with a coach, to see what the origin of the cramps may be. Do you vary the intensity of your kicking sets? Your mind might think that you are able to do more than your body is actually able to perform. You may need to re-think the type of workouts you are doing at this time and that is where both you and your coach can sit down and determine what is best for you. Good luck!

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

Gary P — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 01:10:40 GMT

I had the very same issue last year when I picked up the sport after a 27 year layoff. I tried all sorts of things for the cramps, but didn't see much improvement until I started taking a Magnesium supplement. I still get them on occasion, but not with the same frequency and intensity as before. Recently ran out of the magnesium, thought I go without for a while and see if maybe I had just trained out of the cramps. Nope, the frequency and intensity both increased within a couple weeks. Needless to say, I got back on the supplement again.

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

sunruh — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 05:48:57 GMT

cramps are a result of improper electolytes - Na, K, Mg, Ca and Cl and also hydration you need all of these steve

RE: Great to be back in pool...but cramps.

mmlr38 — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 05:28:46 GMT

I used to get cramps in my feet fairly regularly, and still do a bit, but far less often since I've started taking a calcium/magnesium supplement every day. This is the one I use: www.amazon.com/.../ Hydration could also be a factor, but if you're well hydrated and still cramping, give those a shot and see if it works for you. It definitely worked for me and several other people I've recommended it to.