Leg Cramps

[mtastic]

Hi guys,

Being a city dweller and not owning a car, I tend to walk or jog just about everywhere, I also started going on relatively long walks(3 to 4 miles) once every day or two since about late april, as a way to clear my head and keep in shape. Over the past 2 weeks however, I have begun to experience leg cramps occasionally. These cramps tend to be tightness and soreness in my shin down to my ankle, as opposed to in my thighs or calves as i would expect. It tends to only occur in my left shin, and tends to go away after a few minutes if I simply stop and rest for a minute, and tend to not come back, even if i continue walking afterward. What could be causing this, I tried doing some research into this on the internet, but couldn't find any cases with simptoms similar to mine, namely soreness in the front of the leg, as opposed to sore calves or thighs. I did read that cramps in general are caused by lack of stretching, dehydration, or even bad circulation, and fell tihs could be the case.

Has anyone else expireneced this? How did you prevent/aliveate the cramps? Any comments would be helpful

mtastic

[avman]

Sounds to me like lack of stretching. Your muscles aren't warmed up before you head out on your walk so they are complaining to you about it. Especially since you say they go away when you rest and then do not come back.

 

Try warming up a little longer and stretching them out before you head out on walks.

[sayer7]

With all your exercise you may need to eat more potassium. I know that when I was body-building and was a national level gymnast and working out 6 days a week, 8 hours a day- I would get muscle cramps all over unless I had at least 3 bananas every day.

 

You might want to supplement with StressTabs-- that have a lot of the nutrients muscles need to rebuild and stay healthy during physical stress.

 

You also might want to look into stress injuries and shin splints if your shins are hurting. I used to have shin splints all the time that made me ache from the knee down.

 

Hope this helps some....

[ladiesman69]

I understand what your going through i used to get those all the time just eat more bananas and if that dont help drink pickle juice.

[abcd1234]

Hi mtastic,

 

I am going to agree with avman on this one. I suggest that you do a thorough warm up before walking, incorporating link removed into it. Also make sure that you take on board a lot of fluids and perhaps stop and stretch every mile.

 

I hope this helps,

abcd1234

[mtastic]

Thanks guys,

Sayer7- thanks for the info on shin splints, I did a littlmore looking into it and I think thats what I'm experienceing,.

 

Avman, abcd1234- Thanks for the advice on stretching, andf the link was very helpful.

 

ladiesman69- I think i'll just stick to the banannas for now, I saw that lack of potassium was a primary cause of cramping.