Do You Experience Muscle Cramps?

Can you Actually PREVENT a Muscle Cramp?

Have you ever been playing a hockey game when all of a sudden you felt a cramp come on? Or have you had your leg cramp up so bad in summer training that you couldn’t finish your workout? How about being in a deep sleep when all of a sudden your calf cramps up and wakes you up feeling like you’ve been shot in the leg? No matter when a cramp presents itself it is never enjoyable!

When it comes to our body there are certain things that we can control and others that we can’t. I strongly believe that we need to limit the number of variables that may prevent us from reaching our goals. A cramp is one of those variables! A cramp may not seem like a big deal to some people, but athletes know the significance of a cramp and the negative effects it can have. I will be sharing some simple everyday things you can do to make sure a cramp never slows you down or prevents you from making that big play during the playoffs to win the game.

Encyclopedia.com states that “Muscle cramps are one of the most common clinical problems suffered by athletes in endurance events” But that doesn’t mean athletes who perform shorter, higher intensity sports like ice hockey aren’t prone to experiencing muscle cramps.

What exactly is a muscle cramp, and how does it hinder sports performance?

A muscle cramp happens when the muscle has an involuntary and powerful contraction that will not relax on its own. This occurrence can be very painful and can impede any type of movement in the affected muscle. In most cases, the athlete is unable to continue and has to remove themselves from training or even worse, a competition.

So how do we prevent muscle cramps from happening?

Well, we can’t. That probably isn’t what you wanted to hear, but don’t worry there is still something you can do to delay the onset of the cramp so it doesn’t actually affect your performance. Since there is not enough definitive research out there on how to fully prevent muscle cramps, the best thing we can do is delay them from happening. Many people think that exercising in hot or cold weather can have an impact on muscle cramps. The truth is the only proven indicator of what causes cramps is fatigue. (Cramping in Sports: Beyond Dehydration). Below are a few tips of what you can do to hopefully never experience a muscle cramp again.

• Consume a carbohydrate and electrolyte beverage before and during exercise
• Add a little extra salt to your diet
• Proper training
• Drink the recommended amount of water daily
• Stretch your muscles

With more research being done each day, maybe soon we’ll be able to exactly know not only how to delay the onset of a cramp but how to prevent it altogether. Until that happens, the best you can do is follow the tips above. To elaborate, you want to make sure you are not dehydrated and have enough electrolytes in your system, especially sodium. Adequate training for your specific sport is also very important. If you can train your muscles to be prepared for the task at hand, then this will help prevent muscle fatigue thus slowing down the onset of any type of cramp. Stretching is also a great preventative measure as it keeps the muscles healthy and firing properly, ultimately delaying or avoiding the onset of a muscle cramp.