[*Ker*]

I woke this morning with horrible hamstring cramps. Nothing I've done has shifted them - I've had them all day. I haven't been doing any strenuous exercise...not overnight or yesterday, anyway.

My sister mentioned lack of salt is a cause. I don't add salt to anything - I really can't stand the taste. It's been extremely hot here last week, which means extra sweating and I suppose the salt in my body got depleted so it's possible.

Years ago, I tried taking salt tablets and they were beyond foul. I've been drinking gatorade today, which isn't crash hot (preferable to salt tablets), but so far it's not working.

Any tips for easing them and what's caused them?

[cbmum]

Magnesium I think bioceuticals do a ultra muscle ease. Will do the trick

[whale-woman]

Leg cramps can be caused by problems with your salt levels, which is especially common in hot weather or when you are exercising lots. I had leg cramps with that 40+ degree weather recently.

Eat salty food. Chips, salted nuts, salt on your fish, whatever. I find I actually crave salts foods at times when I get cramps. Salt tablets are unnecessary if you just eat something a bit salty. Meat too has a good amount of salt in it if you really can't stand salty tastes.

I've been into the salt and vinegar chips

ETA
mmmmm... a margarita with salt on the rim would just hit the spot right now.. if only I weren't pg.

This post has been edited by whale-woman: 09/01/2013, 03:43 PM

[Old Grey Mare]

You beat me to it cbmum ! Magnesium would be my reccomendation.

[mad madam mim]

DH cramps a lot in summer, he tries to drink as much as he can so he doesn't get dehydrated, we usually end up buying him magnesium tablets which help.

[heatherbell89]

To relieve them drink milk also, I can't remember the facts of it but Google it and will give you all the info, but its something along the lines of we need calcium sodium and something else...maybe potassium (they are electrolytes im pretty sure) ??

I found if I starting craving milk, but didnt act on the craving I would get cramps, when pregnant, I had a really bad cramp in my calf that kept cramping in like a rolling cramp, it would just ease then start again. I looked up how to remedy it... chugged about 500ml of milk and it began to settle. Now it may have been ending (after cramping for about five min continuously) or it may have been the milk. Everytime i crave milk i drink at least two cups of it, if I do happen to have a leg cramp, I would drink milk as quickly as I can and it does stop it and also seems to help the after pain the next day too.

Hope that helps

[*Ker*]

I don't drink plain milk, but i do drink quite a lot of Ice coffee, and I had 600ml this morning when I woke with them. It didn't help.

Gatorade has potassium and other crap in it - just tastes pretty blurg. The cramp is still there...it's gone up to my butt on the left and still in my hamstring in the right. I think I'll need to go get magnesium tablets. Hopefully they'll work. They're really uncomfortable!

margarita sounds the best lol...but nooo tequila here

[Bodacious Prime]

Yep, magnesium. The supplements can take a few days to kick in though.

[heatherbell89]

Wonder if the caffiene effected it? Caffiene is a diuretic (sp?) so would take further fluid from you too

[Kalota]

Leg cramps can be caused by all sorts of things; I get really awful calf cramps during certain periods.

I've heard that eating more potassium-rich foods can help, but not sure if that works or not!

One thing that will really help is stretching the affected area before you go to sleep at night, and when you wake up in the morning. I stretch my calves before I hop into bed and then do the same when I wake up in the morning and it's greatly reduced the amount of cramps I get. You could do the same but with your hamstrings