Today I learned this is a common thing. I started getting these in the mornings after I started cycling a ton and really developed my calves. An excruciating reminder that I didn’t hydrate well enough the day before.
When you take a deep breath and feel your tummy rumble
Bro I just watched my calve during a cramp a few weeks ago. It was so gnarly, like legit rippling, like something else was under my skin.
Oh I hate that, but the only solution for me is to equally strongly point my foot towards my head.
YES flex that foot! Just grab it with your hands and dorsiflex it hard, and it resolves quickly.
Up your magnesium game.
Problem
It is generally understood that human beings are carbon-based organisms, fusing little carbon tubes together to form complex, mushy structures capable of thought, love, and locomotion. It is also known that these structures sometimes like to “take the edge off” by consuming ethanol, amphetamine, etc. In such cases, it is important to supplement your body with magnesium. Tired? Mag it! Down? Mag time! Liver damage? MAXIMUM MAG! Some people say magnesium doesn’t really do anything and you just need to quit. What do we tell them?
Solution
We tell them: HELL NO. You’re about to become a magnesium-based lifeform. The age of the primitive carbon-man is done. No longer must mankind rely on slow-working background radiation to take us further into our genetic destiny. This is the era of guided evolution, and magnesium is the key. You are the first of your species. The next step in human evolution. An advanced magnesium proto-man who mags it up, drinks it down, and sniffs it sideways!
Or salt.
Or potassium.
Or water.
It’s usually all of the above. Also calcium. Electrolytes are fuel for your nervous system, with various uses all over the board. Missing most any of them can produce cramps in the basic sense.
Or polonium.
Magnesium specifically is utilized for muscle relaxation. Potassium is used for muscle contraction.
Can we please not spread misinformation. Mg=relaxation and K+=contraction is simplistic. Both are needed.
Yes, but cramps can also be caused by a lack of electrolytes and dehydration.
Exactly. I’ve noticed that I don’t have cramps when I drink a lot of coconut water (excellent source of potassium). Like you said, the bottom line is that you need fluids and electrolytes.
When you are having a really big yawn and feel the bottom of your mouth tense up. Those are the absolute worst cramps. Especially when you’re with someone else who thinks you’re choking or having a seizure or something. And you can’t tell them it’s fine and it’s just a cramp, since you can’t open your mouth.
I am young, I got my first one a bit ago and I was like wtf, did I break something.
I get these weekly while doing nothing. It’s a side effect of neck radiation cancer treatment. First time was painful as hell. Now I have learned to just sit in it and chill and it passes quicker that way
The fucking worst! I find throwing my head back like I’m trying to break my own neck usually fixes the issue
Genuinely this is something you should see a doctor about. A calf cramp once in a while doesn’t say that much about underlying pathology but if your jaw is cramping to that extent you should talk to someone. There are treatments for TMJ disfunction.
The only cramps I ever get is period cramps I don’t understand random body parts cramping that seems like it shouldn’t be happening?
You’ve never gotten a charley horse? It’s not at all like a period cramp, very sudden and exquisitely painful, and quickly resolved.
Are you still in your 20s?
You probably drink an adequate amount of water
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Lift toes and feet, kick heels out as hard as you can. Hold.
Doesn’t always stop it, but can help considerably if you start before it fully fires off.
I read this tip years ago in a similar social media comment on a similar meme.
It really works, this trick basically changed my life. Highly recommend.
With all muscle cramps. Do what feels counterintuitive.
The muscle contracts/tightens. Stretching it hurts more, but it is what must be done.
For when someone reading this has a hamstring cramp… You might wanna figure out that stretch ahead of time. It’s a bit heftier than the calf muscle and puts up a better fight.
I get them regularly, no one can explain why. Both hamstrings same time, I’m 6’ 7" mostly legs. I usually get them in the middle of the night. Pain doesn’t phase me, but when I pull both hamstrings I start crying because the pain is unbelievable. I stand up as quickly as possible support my body and try to stretch my legs. My wife starts freaking out because I usually wake up with a scream. For the next 15 mins it’s the worst pain imaginable while I plead to the darkness for the pain to stop. 15 mins later I’m back to normal. Like it never happened. I hate it.
I am also 6’7"… Ish, haha. Tagged as fellow tall. There’s your explanation.
I am exactly 2m. So just shy, but more than 6’6".
I am actually mostly body, so my butts lower than yours. Idk, I’m curious if this is better or worse for my hamstring in a cramp? Idk if the back muscles it connects to affect it or not lol. Idk if it makes it worse either way though.
My go to is to Indian leg wrestle a wall when it cramps up. Like I scoot my ass past the wall and raise my cramping leg to get my heel locked onto the wall past 90° and force my knee to lock (with my hands if I need to which, for anyone reading that has never experienced this, is basically necessary. Your hamstring is stronger than most of your leg, save your groin, but it’s basically unable to affect the hamstring in a cramp. So your biceps and triceps are necessary sometimes.)
The physics make less sense to me but I actually end up getting relief putting my calf on the arm of a couch while I crunch my abs forward as hard as I can. Having a partner hold you in place here would be ideal as far as I’ve felt.
Cheers homie. Good luck. The world was designed for a max of 6’5". We have it ok. But damn. Cheers.
The world really isn’t built for people on the outside of the bell curve. I have a 4’10" mom and a 6’7" ex and they had so many things they complained about that I never even thought about because I’m 5’6", so the normalest height possible. Your solutions make sense
Have they figured out why you get cramps nowadays? I have heard many explanations but none seems to be backed scientifically.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeletal_muscle_cramp
To prevent them, like most things; eat a healthy balanced diet with lots of vegetables, and exercise.
But if that’s too much effort, drink some electrolytes.
Magnesium. (prevents, not causes)
I’ve also heard that tonic water with quinine will stop cramping pretty much right away, though I haven’t tried it personally.
Thank you. I can always use an excuse for a gin and tonic.
I saw a mosquito in my vicinity recently so I gotta do what I gotta do
It’s been months since I had a leg cramp, but recently-ish i did have a tongue (between the chin and the neck) cramp which was pretty weird.
Those don’t even really hurt, there more of just annoying for a while.
UUUUUAAAAAAAAARRGGHHHHH
Immediately get out of bed and stand up straight, works faster than trying to flex\stretch it out
Yeah I have always found that standing up stops the cramp better than anything else. I heard it was like handing over the controls to your central (or maybe peripheral?) nervous system and letting that higher authority override the cramp by deciding that maintaining your balance while standing up is a higher priority. Then you can safely stretch and get hydrated after that.
I have jumped out of bed in a panic many times and it has worked every time.
“Jumping” out of bed from lying is not too healthy as far as I know.
Neither is whatever state we are letting our bodies be in that is causing enough leg cramps to necessitate a contingency protocol.
You need more electrolytes.
It’s what plants crave
Eat more bananas
Do you have any idea how expensive that is?
It’s one banana, Micheal, how much could it cost? $10?
Fairly cheap, thanks to banana-cia.
Just be careful if you have kidney issues. Electrolytes can be VERY dangerous if their levels build up
But it’s what plants crave.
So you’re saying if I ingest enough electrolytes I won’t need to eat veggies because they will invade my intestines of their own volition to get to the electrolyte treasures hidden within?
Yea it’s called gut flora. You understand correctly.
Magnesium and stretching helped me
Calcium in the morning and Magnesium after dinner for me.
Make sure it’s magnesium biglycinate in the evening.
Mg citrate in the morning, if needed.
I also get it in my toes now.
I had it happen in my thigh not long ago… that was weird
I’ve had it happen on the bottoms of my feet and even my jaw. That was a fun one.
Uhhh…
Drink some water?
