I swim regularly. I swim a lot. In general, I rarely get calf cramps. (Or any cramps.)
But this past weekend I did my first open water swim (2.4 miles) and well before the first mile I started getting cramps. First in one calf, then in the other. I did pretty well to concentrate on relaxing and keeping them from knotting up too bad, but it hampered my ability to swim as hard as I would have liked. (When I gave it a shot and tried picking up the pace, the cramps started getting worse, so I just kept the best pace I could and finished it out.)
The OW swim was less than the distance I swim daily, so I can't attribute it to the distance.
But the water was colder than I am used to. (I usually swim in a pool that has temps between 82-85.) Water temp was 72. My sister suggests that this was the cause.
My wife thinks it's because I am used to swimming in a pool, and every 25 yards I get to stretch my calves on every push off.
Another participant here in PM suggested I increase my potassium intake (bananas) but I am a regular (daily) banana consumer. (Maybe I need to eat even more?) I also take calcium supplements (and multivitamin and other things.)
Without question, I am a weak kicker. I suppose I could work on strengthening my legs with more kicking workouts... Someone has suggested that I do calf raises on the edge of a step to strengthen my calves.
I'm looking for ideas about what might have caused the cramps, and what I might do to prevent them in a future event like this.
(PS: Would this have been more appropriate to post on the Open Water board?)
Parents
Former Member
I have myatonia(sp). It is a side effect from taking prednisone for so long. My calve muscles constantly twitch. I feels really wild. Sometimes, the twitching is really terrible. Then I have to go to ER to get potassium IVs. Hurts like hell -burning and itching. Also I generally have a potassium problem. I take potassium and eat lots of bananas and yogurt. Some people I know need to take either calcium or magnesium for the same problem. If I understand right, cramps happen because there is either too much waste material in the muscle cell that can't escape into the artery to be excluded from the body or the muscle can'te tak in nutrients through the cell walls.
I've had EMG's, they are really odd because the noise made. Once I had a Dr. at Jewish in St. Louis give me one. He had the worst bedside manner of any doctor I've ever come across. As the electrical impulse was being shot through my leg, he had his back to me and would moan. He never looked at me. His resident did all of the measuring and putting the electrodes into my legs. The doctor would yell at him. The student got so nervous he was shaking and started to cry. They went out to the hallway. When they came back, theystudent looked like he had been hit.
Making sure that I am really well hydrated is the mst important thing I can do.
I have myatonia(sp). It is a side effect from taking prednisone for so long. My calve muscles constantly twitch. I feels really wild. Sometimes, the twitching is really terrible. Then I have to go to ER to get potassium IVs. Hurts like hell -burning and itching. Also I generally have a potassium problem. I take potassium and eat lots of bananas and yogurt. Some people I know need to take either calcium or magnesium for the same problem. If I understand right, cramps happen because there is either too much waste material in the muscle cell that can't escape into the artery to be excluded from the body or the muscle can'te tak in nutrients through the cell walls.
I've had EMG's, they are really odd because the noise made. Once I had a Dr. at Jewish in St. Louis give me one. He had the worst bedside manner of any doctor I've ever come across. As the electrical impulse was being shot through my leg, he had his back to me and would moan. He never looked at me. His resident did all of the measuring and putting the electrodes into my legs. The doctor would yell at him. The student got so nervous he was shaking and started to cry. They went out to the hallway. When they came back, theystudent looked like he had been hit.
Making sure that I am really well hydrated is the mst important thing I can do.
