Cramps

gospeedracergo said:

Just started up riding recently, after a bad accident with my ankle
during a soccer game i have been told i can't run on it anymore. So i've
started cycling.
Riding back from kurnell this afternoon, i was slowing down for a set of
lights when they decided to change. I applied a fair bit of pressure to
get back up to speed only to have my two calf muscles [censored] up. What are
you meant to do in this situation?
The best i could do was to drop my gears and just keep riding with no
pressure, after a half a minute it went away.
Is there a better way to relieve the strain?
Steve, Cronulla

something aint right if your cramping on a bike

not enough fluids, not enough food or poor riding position seat too high
perhaps? have seat just high enough so you can put heal on centre of
pedal with straight leg

--

It only happened when i got out of my seat to accelerate.

Steve

--

gospeedracergo said:

It only happened when i got out of my seat to accelerate.
Steve

The only thing I can suggest to relieve the cramp (other than drinking
fluids) is to stretch your calf muscle by dipping your heel. Do this
at the bottom of you pedal stoke and hold it there for a while. It
should fix it.

--

gospeedracergo said:

It only happened when i got out of my seat to accelerate.
Steve

Amongst other things, including gradually building up your fitness,
please check if you're correctly fitted to your bike, look at these
links for tips,

How to Fit a Bicycle, <http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm> or
<http://tinyurl.com/2u3wc>

How to Fit a Mountain Bike,
<http://mountainbike.about.com/library/weekly/aa100102a.htm> or
<http://tinyurl.com/2qfkg>

Bicycle Victoria - Safety & Skills, <http://www.bv.com.au/Content/Navig-
ationMenu/Cycling_Q_and_A/Safety_and_Skills/Default268.htm> or
<http://tinyurl.com/3dhjr>

Didn't quite get cramps today, but cycling up Lennox St, Richmond into a
delightful headwind made me stop & rest for a few moments.

Cheers, hopefully other people will have advice & tips too. 🙂

--

Originally posted by gospeedracergo

Quoted message said:

Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Not really. Stretching them out is about all you can do.

But, preventing them is in the FAQ:
http://www.thehippy.net/Cycling/a_b_faq.htm#Sect2.6.3

hippy

--

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by gospeedracergo

Quoted message said:

Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Not really. Stretching them out is about all you can do.

But, preventing them is in the FAQ:
http://www.thehippy.net/Cycling/a_b_faq.htm#Sect2.6.3

hippy

You can also slap the muscle which sometimes works.

Kevin

K&C Russell said:

You can also slap the muscle which sometimes works.

Kevin

Man, I'm not touching that one! :P

- Munk3y (no spanking references either please)

"gospeedracergo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just started up riding recently, after a bad accident with my ankle
during a soccer game i have been told i can't run on it anymore. So i've
started cycling.

Riding back from kurnell this afternoon, i was slowing down for a set of
lights when they decided to change. I applied a fair bit of pressure to
get back up to speed only to have my two calf muscles [censored] up. What are
you meant to do in this situation?

The best i could do was to drop my gears and just keep riding with no
pressure, after a half a minute it went away.

Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Steve, Cronulla

Cramping can be a sign you don't have enough potassium in your system.

Fraser

"gospeedracergo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Just started up riding recently, after a bad accident with my ankle
during a soccer game i have been told i can't run on it anymore. So
i've started cycling.

Riding back from kurnell this afternoon, i was slowing down for a set
of lights when they decided to change. I applied a fair bit of
pressure to get back up to speed only to have my two calf muscles
[censored] up. What are you meant to do in this situation?

The best i could do was to drop my gears and just keep riding with no
pressure, after a half a minute it went away.

Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Causes of cramps:

Dehydration - drink more water
Cold - wear tights
Inadequete magnesium - Gatorade or similar
Inadequate sodium - Gatorade or similar
Inadequate potassium -Gatorade or similar
Inadequate quinine - tonic water or prescription tablets

Or it could be simple muscle fatigue in which case you just have to butch up
and work through it until your body adapts. Since you've not been cycling
long this is the most likely.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

"DRS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

[...]

Quoted message said:

Causes of cramps:

Quoted message said:

Inadequate potassium -Gatorade or similar

Bugger it, for potassium eat a banana.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

Drs said:

"DRS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]:[email hidden]
[...]

Quoted message said:

Causes of cramps:
Inadequate potassium -Gatorade or similar

Bugger it, for potassium eat a banana.
--
A: Top-posters.
B: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

I am lead to believe that it is Magnesium and calcium deficiencies which
are the underlying causes of cramping, in addition to fluids and general
salts replaced by gatorade et al.

I have an ongoing problem, with thigh / upper leg cramps, kept at bay
with a twice daily dose of Bio-magnesium (which contains calcium).

This by the way is a recognised treatment used to help women suffering
from general cramping during pregnancy.

If the stretching and fluids thing doesn't work, as it didn't for me,
(physio included) give this a try. It's working for me.

stevedel

I ride to work, to work to ride.

--

Fraser Johnston said:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Steve, Cronulla

Cramping can be a sign you don't have enough potassium in your system.
Fraser

It's also a sign that your cleats are too far forward. If you're wearing
street shoes, its a sign that you need to get cycling shoes (they have
stiffer soles).

On balance, if you've just started riding, it's probably more to do with
bike position than nutrition. (Like I said - probably).

Ritch

--

"SteveDel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

[...]

Quoted message said:

I am lead to believe that it is Magnesium and calcium deficiencies
which are the underlying causes of cramping, in addition to fluids
and general salts replaced by gatorade et al.

Cramps have a number of causes. If it were otherwise they'd be a lot easier
to prevent or treat.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?