Muscle Seizures/Spasms/Cramps - suggestions?

[mittagongmtb]

Cramps: have had 3 really bad episodes - 1 at last years scott - both R&L quads - ended up on back as got off my bike too a step backwards and couldn't walk, fell backwards with legs rigid, rehydrated and fine in 10mins. 2nd: river crossing after super D downhill at Buller - mid stream same thing - trying to hold my bike over my head and keeping myself form going under wasn't easy, 3rd serious cramp was about 2 hrs after a race (100km), after driving home, stepped inside and immediate cramp. This lasted about 10mins with both legs - quads and hammies. I don't have any simplistic answers. All of the above - fitness, electrolytes and lacticacidosis is my guess.

 

[Jackstack]

As someone has already said, there are plenty of threads on this subject and they all follow the same line pretty much. There is no one thing that causes cramps so it's best to cover all bases I reckon, fitness & flexibility IMO play a bigger part than a lot of people like to admit, but nutrition and hydration play a big part as well. So it's all about fitting the pieces of the puzzle together, try different things but keep ya muscles loose all the time (i.e. stretch everyday, and a massage now and then) so your not starting a race with tightness, it does help.

 

[fergo]

Hey guys - just got home after spending the weekend down at Torquay and riding in the Surf Coast race (only the 3 hour one for +1 and me!). Was fun to ride and seeing some of the pros going past was pretty amazing

Anyways the last lap for me was horrendous - I started to cramp really badly and it got to a stage where my quads were throbbing so badly I actually had to get of my bike. As soon as I did that, my left leg completely locked up (ie. straight legged) and I couldn't bend it! After panicing for about 10 seconds, I managed to bend my leg by pushing my hands against the back of my knee. I tried to stretch my quad but that just caused pain in my hamstrings. I ended up having to sit down with my knees bent for about 10 minutes just to leg my leg relax.

Just wondering if that would be defined as cramp or something else and any suggetions on avoiding it in the future? Was it hydration related or are my legs just not fit enough (happy to accept "lack of fitness" as a possibility )

I can't say that has happened to me before. We tend to only ride for perhaps 2 hours max and this happened at around the 2.5 hr mark. Am a bit of a hack when it come to hydration and nutrition - I was carrying a 2L camelbak with some nuuns stuff in it (I ended up completely emptied it at the 3:30 mark) and had consumed a few torq gels.

Any help appreciated. We are riding the Half Fling so would prefer to avoid that leg seizure again ;-)

I saw you on the edge of the road climb up to the ocean view. It looked like you were the main character in "My left Foot"! So people dont think this is just cramp whinge, the OP looked to be in serious pain and his leg dead straight and shaking did not look good.

For the first time in an event, I didn't cramp and I think it was because I over electrolyted my drinks. I put 4 scoops of Torq in 500ml water instead of 3 (97kg rider)straight after every lap. I had a gel and 500ml of water immediately before heading out on next lap. As the day wore on, there was the occasional extra 500ml of verofit electrolyte as well.

80km and no cramps is a record for me.

 

[0psi]

Might have already been said as I've only flicked over this thread, but salt sticks are great. They come pretty close to replicating what you lose through sweat. Hydralite electrolyte drinks and ice blocks are also pretty good, I don't use it while riding but after and sometimes before a ride, only available at chemists.

And like everyone else, Magnesium.

 

[Cronar]

Apart from whats been mentioned in regards to fitness and flexibility, I find Hammer Endurolytes very useful. I find about one an hour in hot weather is good. I wait until I feel the onset of the cramp (tightness). I can take one and generally the cramps will ease away within 10 mins or so. I like them because you can get your salts without woofing down large amounts of liquid.

This Man speaks the truth, Hammer Endurolytes are the only things that work for me, I can have perfect prep, with great diet/hydration and training, but still cramp like mad about 3hrs in! The first time i used Endurolytes, I finished an 8hr without even a twinge! Good thing i found them ... i was about to give up on enduro's as the cramps made them no fun at all!

 

[pistonbroke]

Cramps; my story

Ok, this post will contain no scientific data or huge breakthroughs about cramps. It is just what I have been through in the past couple of years and 2010 in particular.

Let me just start with a little background. 33 Y.O. motor mechanic and/or spare patrs guy. I have ridden moto dirt bikes for many years. I started riding xc mtb a couple of years ago for a bit of fitness and fun(I can't stand the gym). Nothing serious and never fast. I have always been able to ride for a long time. 4-6 hour rides go pretty easy. I took nearly 10 hour to finish the Otway Odyssey in 2010. This was my second ever mtb event after the 2007 OO. I always rode slow and steady and never had a problem with cramps.

In 2010 I started competing in more mtb events. Capital punishment, a few vic 6 hour rounds and a few club events. Here is where it gets interesting(maybe for some). Early in 2010 I was working a fairly easy office/delivery job with a max 40 hour week, usually less, maybe 35 hours and very little stress. I was home by 5.00 most nights and quite happy. During this time I had zero cramps at any mtb event I entered. 100km races, 6 hours were all fine(slow but fine). I was always knackered at the end but no cramps.
Half way through the year I changed jobs to one that paid quite a bit more. But it was not for nothing. All of a sudden I was in a very stressful high pressure environment for 50+ hours a week. Plus 2 hours travel time each day. I didn't have one spare minute the entire time I was there. Lunch was always late(if I got it) as there was always "just one more quick job" before lunch. I was miserable. I was never home before about 7.00pm. I was tired and stressed and felt like crap most of the time. My wife was unhappy with me as I was always late. She had just fallen pregnant at that time and found it hard to stomach food after about 6.00pm which made it hard on both of us, as I was quite often not home until 7, 8 or 9 o'clock.
And when I tried to do mtb races during this time I would blow up with severe cramps every time. At the Castlmaine 6 hour they started after 1.5 hours. At 2.5 hours I was finished with severe cramps everywhere. Thank you to the young lady who picked my bike up off the track and stopped to see if I was ok.
At first I thought that it was strange for me to cramp, but brushed it off. I thought everyone has a bad day sometimes. Maybe I did not drink enough? But it kept happening, again and again. At the time I had no idea why.
Then I quit my shitty job and got my current job. I'm back to a 40 hour week, and it's a 15 minute bike ride to work along some pleasant bike paths. My current job is great.It's stress free, great people and close to home. I'm home by 5.30 (if I don't sneak in some more riding on the way home) in time to make my wife dinner. I feel better and am much happier.
And all the races I have done since I started the new job have been cramp free.
So if you are struggling with cramps, look at your lifestyle. Are you happy? Do you get enough rest? Not just sleep, but rest also. It seems to have made all the difference in my life. Like I said at the start, I have no proof of any kind, it's just my experiences. Thanks for reading.

 

[agoer]

I would have to say that I am not a normal cramper. The first cramp I remember getting is when i had to play 2 hrs of football back when i was 17. Then once when i went on a bike ride when i was extremally crook. Then probably the last two times was when I od'ed a fair bit on caffine products before a race.
I dont drink coffe or coke, so the odd caffine tablet or V type drink really gets me zinging. So if I od a bit a seem to get spasism.
So if youve tried everything else look at your caffine intake, keeping in mind alot of GU type produces may contain caffine.

G

 

[m_g]

This Man speaks the truth, Hammer Endurolytes are the only things that work for me, I can have perfect prep, with great diet/hydration and training, but still cramp like mad about 3hrs in! The first time i used Endurolytes, I finished an 8hr without even a twinge! Good thing i found them ... i was about to give up on enduro's as the cramps made them no fun at all!

yup, they're the goods...I started cramping after only 3hrs into a 24hr recently. Started on the Endurolytes and didnt cramp again for the whole race

 

[DeBloot]

Might have already been said as I've only flicked over this thread, but salt sticks are great. They come pretty close to replicating what you lose through sweat. Hydralite electrolyte drinks and ice blocks are also pretty good, I don't use it while riding but after and sometimes before a ride, only available at chemists.

And like everyone else, Magnesium.

Right on the money with those 3

I get my salt sticks (they're actually capsules) from some Aussie triathlete website
I reckon these things helped stop me from cramping when we ran out of water in 40+ heat on some silly death ride
I was sore and had a hint of cramp, but didn't seize up like I usually can and put it down to these
I also had plenty of Metagenics magnesium as well - but it doesn't seem to work for me on it's own.

 

[Shep_DOG]

Some great stories.....and sounds like some good tried and tested methods.

Don’t forget your body needs volume (water) as well as electrolytes, too many electrolytes and not enough volume can have nasty side effects and high volume of water with little replacement in electrolytes can have catastrophic effect beyond cramps (hyponatremia or lack of sodium), a healthy balance between the two is the key.

Plenty of interesting info out there regarding it.