| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 10/11/2006 1:19:50 AM | Anyone get painful Charlie Horse or other cramps in major muscle groups? Ever since I was a teenager I've been getting muscle cramps, mostly in my legs, that are so painful as to interrupt both sleeping and various other activities. The only way to get rid of them is, usually, to either straighten the limb out completely and/or massage the affected area. Anyone else deal with this on a regular basis?
Yeah, it happened just now, thus the thread. | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 10/11/2006 4:34:38 AM | Every now and then(I think every 2 or 3 weeks) while sleeping I get a cramp in my calf muscle on my right leg, and to get it to go away I have to fight it by straightening my leg out for a few mins, as I found if I don't keep it straight for a few mins it locks up again.
Tim
=)x | |
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cmea
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Joined: 8/3/2006
Msg: 3 | |
| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 10/11/2006 4:58:22 AM | | I used to get a lot of charlie horses when I was pregnant in the middle of the night....luckily I was pregnant in the winter and had hardwoods floors! If you get a charlie horse in your leg, put your foot on something cold and it will go away...right away. Sounds wierd, but it works! | |
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ChefNS
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Joined: 11/27/2005
Msg: 4 | |
| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 10/11/2006 6:38:02 AM | | i hear if you eat a bananna its supposed to help also, old wifes tail, never tried it so i dont know if it works. must be something with the pottisum(sp?) | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 10/11/2006 8:46:32 AM | I don't get them often.... but when I do... OOOOOH my do they hurt!!!
I've been told that it could be because of low potassium levels.
I worked out at Fleetweek a few weekends ago and when leaving to walk to the car... I got a charlie horse in my feet! It was VERY uncormfortable and I'd never had that one happen before! | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 10/11/2006 10:20:48 AM | | When my legs muscles start to cramp, a day or two of banana eating takes cure of it. Yes, potassium works well, and eating bananas is the easiest way to increase your potassium. | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 10/11/2006 12:35:21 PM | I get them from time to time, I`m standing all day at work , then when I get home I walk my about 2 miles then try to get a 5 to 7 mile bicycle ride in before it gets dark. I usually get them in my calves and yes bannas work great and my mom bakes the greatest banna loaf,mmmmm I think I`ll have a piece now.  | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 10/11/2006 7:02:10 PM | The bananas would explain why I don't get them I guess. I eat at least one banana a day and
a lot of bran. It's actually higher than bananas in potassium. A serving of potato chips has 3 times what a banana has if you want a tastier alternative. Actually, now that I check there are quite a few foods with a lot more potassium. One thing that does happen to me a lot is a cramp/spasm that happens if I curl my toes. This happens quite a bit. Anyone else? | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 10/11/2006 7:59:35 PM | Charlie Horses...
they say get up and actually stand on it will help...but I am usually too busy screaming and holding my leg to do this. It is a sign that you are lacking a certain vitamin usually. (I forget now which vitamin it is and that sucks because I can't sound intelligent)
More advise is try to have a relax time before going to bed. Stretch out for a few in a relaxing way that way the muscle doesn't tighten up usually helps me too. | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 12/2/2007 11:59:42 PM | I've had them for years until I stopped drinking coca cola
sitting for long amounts of time doesn't help either apparently | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 12/3/2007 3:02:29 AM | You didn't mention if you were active in sports. If you are, a streaching routine following an activity helps prevent cramps and adds to your well being. Also, heavy streaching before you are warmed up a bit should also be avoided. Do a light cardio to warm up your core muscles and then streach. Oh yeah, enjoy your bananas but everything in moderation.
Cheers, Keith | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 12/3/2007 1:26:36 PM | | As a teenager, there came a point when I didn't want to go to bed at night, because I knew I'd get a charlie horse in my legs... usually happened at night. After all the old ladies telling me to try different remedies, including calcium tablets... one wonderful lady solved my problem... Vitamin E. Works wonders!! | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 12/6/2007 8:52:31 PM | I get them in my leg and in my foot.
It used to happen more as a teen but it still happens from time to time and it still hurts like hell. | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 12/10/2007 11:34:57 AM | | I used to have the same problem. When it happened, I've found that straightening it and putting weight on it was the best tactic. As far as prevention goes, all I did was start drinking more water. A lot of people are chronically dehydrated and don't even really know it. Especially if you drink anything caffeinated. | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 12/11/2007 8:11:14 AM | | Power of suggestion...my friend told me about an experience with charlie horses....and then...poof!!...I got them..not in one leg, but in both!!! Had to head for a hot bath in the middle of the night. What a way to wreck a good nights sleep! I think bananas have potassium which helps prevent them..Shows I haven't been eating them lately. | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 3/22/2008 7:24:21 PM | I used to get horrific ones, wake up in the am. or night, screaming, in pain
felt like someone turned my muscle all the way around and held it there. painful
U can say that again.
means short of calcium
take calcium supplement. | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 3/23/2008 9:59:23 AM | There's likely no universal cure because there is likely no single cause. This is why cramps are idiopathic.
Most of the things mentioned are good ideas. What was missed is regular stretching and weight training.
I have, at times had every single muscle in my legs cramp simultaneously, quads, ad(ab)ductors, hamstrings, calves, that muscle on the front of the shin, feet, glutes, everything... I get very bad cramps. Imagine the pain of extreme cramps and complete lower body paralysis at the same time.
Any one person's cause could be a combination of a number of things, electrolyte definciency (calcium, potassium, sodium, etc.), dehydration (and likely an electrolyte or electrolyte transport deficiency), circulation problem (likely mine, and not easily repairable), or over exertion (which will aggravate any of the causes above). Another potential cause for chronic single muscle cramps may be a nervous system issue.
So, stretch, move, increase your activity level, do weight training, but don't over do any of that all the while drinking gatorade...
Oh, and a great thing for leg cramps is just walking. You're not willing control of the muscles, your brain stem and spinal column are handling that, all you need to do is just begin to walk. Walking often helps quite a bit. | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 3/26/2008 9:31:09 AM | | More than likely your diet is teh cause of this. I had major problems with cramping while playing junior hockey. Cramps so bad my calves would actully bruise. After lots of tests in what I ate, the type of exercises I was doing, the stretching routines I was putting myself through, it turned out that water was the cause of my cramps and not the prevention. I had to start drinking flavored water, sport juices etc. Slowly it went away to a point that I could live with it. Good luck | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 3/28/2008 6:21:53 PM | Ok now I know the forums are getting dull .. no offence but we have nothing better to talk about that muscle aches? Come on peep .. U all have to be more inventive that that! And nope.. I not !  which is why I asking all yea! | |
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| Charlie horses or muscle cramps?
Posted: 3/30/2008 11:10:50 AM | | I have noticed that I only get them if I am dehydrated.My diet is fairly well balanced but,I still take a multivitamin just to be on the safe side | |
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