Home Add to Favorite Contact Submit  
             29 March, 2024
 

    
Category:  Articles » Recreation & Sports » Running

 

Muscle Cramps in Runners

Popularity:
         Views: 2582
2008-07-24 07:07:10     
Article by John M. Martinez, M.D.

Introduction

Muscle cramping is probably an inevitable experience for most runners and other endurance athletes and has to be one of the more common questions asked by patients in our sports medicine clinic. I'll cover the basics about the causes of the typical type of muscle cramps, as well review some of the medical literature regarding current concepts in treatment and prevention and try to explain some of the myths and misinformation about cramps.

What is a muscle cramp?

Muscle cramps or cramping is a condition that most runners have experienced. It is usually defined as a spontaneous and painful contraction or spasm of a muscle or a muscle group such as the calf muscles or hamstrings.

Are there different types of muscle cramps?

Yes, and also a number of different causes of muscle cramps. Muscle cramps occur in the well-trained athlete, the elderly and is also more common in women during pregnancy. Severe electrolyte or chemical deficiencies or imbalances may also cause muscle cramping, in addition to underlying neuromuscular disorders. The wide variety of people whom experience muscle cramps suggest that there are multiple or different factors or triggers for cramps.

The most common type of muscle cramp seen in athletes is exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC). Surveys of marathon runners and Ironman triathletes have reported a prevalence of muscle cramps of 30-50% and 67% respectively (Schewellnus).

What are the causes of muscle cramps?

Schwellnus and others have suggested that EAMC is actually a result of muscle fatigue and not due to other causes such as dehydration or electrolyte imbalance. Their current concept for the source or etiology of EAMC is that an altered or abnormal spinal reflex activity produces muscle cramping. As the muscle fatigues, the amount of relaxation time in between muscle contractions lengthens. If the relaxation time is too long, or a high rate of muscle contraction is required, such as during running, then muscle cramping may result. Cramping may also be a protective mechanism to prevent further injury to fatiguing or damaged muscle tissue.

What about sodium and other electrolytes?

Sodium and other electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium have been mentioned in the past as possibly causing exercise-induced muscle cramps, although there is little evidence to support electrolyte imbalance as a cause. The original work looked at miners and other workers exposed to high-heat environment. Two more recent studies by Nicol and Maughan have looked specifically at endurance athletes and were not able to identify an association between muscle cramps and changes in the blood levels of specific electrolytes. However, in some cases, runners and other athletes that have an excessively high sodium sweat rate combined with a low-sodium intake may suffer from cramps due to low sodium levels.

Who is more likely to cramp?

Which athletes are more at risk for EAMC? Manjra studied over 1300 marathon runners and found the following risk factors for EAMC among the runners:

* Older age of the athlete
* Longer running history
* Higher Body-Mass Index (BMI)
* Less time spent stretching, or irregular stretching habits
* Family history of muscle cramps

Manjra also found that the marathon runners were able to identify certain conditions that either appeared to aggravate or precipitate EAMC. These conditions included:

* Duration (or distance) of running
* Increased intensity of running
* Running hills
* Subjective feelings of muscle fatigue or poor race performance.

What are effective treatments for muscle cramps?

Treatment for exercise-induced muscle cramps primarily focuses upon passive stretching of the affected muscle groups, as well as correcting any identifiable muscle imbalances and weaknesses. Proper nutrition and hydration during competition and training are also important by preventing early fatigue and susceptibility to muscle cramping.

References
Bentley S, Exercise-induced muscle cramp. Proposed mechanisms and management. Sports Med 1996 Jun;21(6):409-20
Manjra SI, Muscle cramps in athletes, Sports Medicine thesis, University of Cape Town
Maughan RJ, Exercised-induced muscle cramp: A prospective biochemical study in marathon runners, Journal of Sports Sciences, 4 , 31-34
Schewellnus MP, Derman EW, Noakes TD, Aetiology of skeletal muscle 'cramps' during exercise: A novel hypothesis. Journ Sports Sci, 1997, 15, 277-285

Dr. John Martinez is a primary care sports medicine physician and medical director of Coastal Sports & Wellness Medical Center, a sports injury clinic in San Diego, CA.

Visit us at http://www.coastalsportsmedicine.com

Specialized in: Sports Injury - Sports Massage - Sport Medicine - Chiropractor San Diego
URL: http://www.coastalsportsmedicine.com
Print article      Bookmark this page
Related Articles 
5 Ways to Compensate For Bad Weather When Working Out (Popularity: ): What do you do when you have an outdoor workout scheduled for a day when the weather is less than ideal? Do you go outside and do your workout no matter what, do you adjust the workout to match conditions, or do you take the weather as a good excuse to skip heading out the door in the first place?Perhaps you want to do a track workout, but it is ...
The Barefoot Jogger (Popularity: ): Recently I have been trying a spot of barefoot jogging or to give it it's correct title "Natural Running". Which in its "natural" state is jogging without footwear (no, not without clothes, though I'm sure they're doing that somewhere in the world!). I actually read about it in a magazine article and I am one of those people who when they like the idea of something they have to try ...
Marathon Training Guide - Why You Must Buy a Good One? (Popularity: ): People set out to run their first marathon for all kinds of reasons. Maybe they are doing to reach a goal or maybe they are doing it because they simply want to. However, whatever the reason, you should treat running a marathon with the right amount of respect. Many who have attempted to run one before you failed because they did not do so. One of the best things you ...
Marathon Training Shoe Decisions (Popularity: ): What's more exciting than finishing a marathon? Nothing really beats the thrill of knowing that you are one of the few that have the strength to run 26.2 miles and cross the finish line as a hero. Training for such an event will take a lot of time, patience, discipline, strength, and, of course, a lot of running. Getting and staying motivated until the end will strengthen your character and ...
The Perfect Running Shoe (Popularity: ): Although you may think that it is a myth made up by marketers to force you to spend more money than necessary, the truth is that the perfect running shoe really does exist. There are two important points that I want to make about running shoes. The first point is that it really does matter what kind of running shoes you buy. The second point is about how you can ...


Related Business 
Mgbody Magnesium (Popularity: ): Mgbody sell 100% Australian organic magnesium liquid. Magnesium assists with the relief of cramps, muscle soreness, headaches, anxiety, sleep problems
Primal Muscle Sports Supplements (Popularity: ): Primal Muscle, Build Muscle Fast With The Worlds Best Bodybuilding Supplements, Steroid Alternatives, Legal Anabolics, and Muscle Builders! Primal Muscle™ created the proprietary and exclusive PMXFIT™ Fitness System… just for you… to make it easy.
Muscle Worship (Popularity: ): MuscleKingdom.com features the world's hottest muscle men, male bodybuilders, and explicit male muscle videos and photos from the best muscle sites on the web. It is our quest to find and bring you only the hottest, biggest and most amazing muscle men from across the globe.
Falmouth Road Runners (Popularity: ): Small but sociable club which caters for runners of all abilities from finely honed racing snakes to first time recreational runners.
Runners' Guide to Road Races in South Africa (Popularity: ): Comprehensive fixtures, races training advice and results. It allows runners to enter online and is a place for fellow runners to meet.
Muscle Mass Building Tips For Muscle Builders (Popularity: ): In this website, you will find a wealth of resources and tips on muscle building. You will also get to view the videos gallery on videos relating to muscle building. In addition, the articles written here will also give you good information on how to build your muscles effectively.
The Original Runner Co. (Popularity: ): The Original Runner Co. of New York offers unique aisle runners for any event. Our most popular runners include: wedding aisle runners and personalized aisle runners.
Electrical Muscle Stimulators (Popularity: ): Improve the performance of your body muscles with electrical muscle stimulator (EMS). We offer high quality electronic muscle stimulator, tens machines, cloth electrodes and muscle stimulation devices. We take great pride in our company, our commitment to customer service and in the products we sell. Our online store is designed to provide you with a safe and secure environment to browse our product catalog.
Cheap Used Classic Muscle Cars (Popularity: ): ClassicCarsAZ.com is a site where you will find plenty of muscle cars for sale. Buying classic muscle cars isn't as easy as going in to the market and buying it out right. There is some research involved; you need to examine different things such as the exterior paint and its history. There are also people who are buying with some financial limitations. It is essential to have some mechanical skills ...
Jointex ™ - EMS for Muscular and Joint Pain Relief (Popularity: ): Jointex is a portable device which uses electromyostimulation technique to provide relief in various muscle pains muscle relaxant along with it Jointex EMS also help in muscle strengthening.