Cramps after a long ride

[Oneway]

Anyone get leg cramps after a long ride?
I get hamstring and calf cramps 5 or so hours after long rides of 60-100 miles. I heard bananas are not that good, I do drink gatoraid. Any home remedys?

[IanHighfield]

I was going to bring bananas and a good bit of water. You already know this.

You might try keeping your legs warm and covered like dancers do. Maybe a bit of organized stretching at certain intervals after. Kind of a warm down.

Then there is always beer and ale. Anything, any reason for a pint is good. Think of it as therapy.

[Burr]

Yoga before and after helps. About 10 minutes

[chh55]

Long rides require good technique as far as using all your available muscles as efficiently as possible. Using power all the way around the stroke and increasing your cadence somewhat often helps to spread the load instead of relying only on the big muscles. Spinning is good training for this.

In the early part of the season I sometimes get cramps in the muscle on the upper inside of the thigh (not being a medical person I can't tell you which muscle that is) and they usually come in the middle of the night after a long and/or tough ride. What a way to wake up Hopping around trying to straighten up in excruciating pain!
Stretching after a ride helps. In my case I need to sit on the floor with my back straight and the soles of my feet together. Using my hands to slowly draw my feet toward my crotch and pressing my knees down as close as possible to (or on) the floor.. No jerks or fast pulls. When I get the feet as far in as possible I bend over slowly from the waist as far down as possible and the hold it motionless for 30 seconds. This stretches the exact place that I have trouble with.
I used to think that I was cramping there because my saddle was cutting off circulation, since I don't think these muscles get used that much in the pedalstroke but I've tried so many different saddles that I doubt that's the problem. Any sport therapists out there? Anyone else have the same trouble? It goes away after the first few rides of the season.

[Mootsguy]

Stretching post ride is always a good thing and as far as home prevention recipes go low-fat chocolate milk makes a most excellent recovery drink.

[jeepster93]

Electrolytes!

When you sweat...
Is there a white salt line on your clothes?

If so-
Electrolytes.

I run...

They really don't know what causes cramps, but salt tablets and trace minerals seem to help.


I use Hammer products

Enduralytes...Fancy salt tablets. This stopped cramps for me.

Also if you use gels...
Some have electrolytes, some don't.

[whyeyebike]

A buddy of mine who I train with in Systema suggested using tonic water to aid cramps. He said the "quinine" in the tonic water has some affect on cramping. I have no idea if it works, and I don't usually suffer from cramps so I have no idea if I will ever be able to test it, but I don't see it hurting to try.

[Oneway]

Originally Posted by whyeyebike

A buddy of mine who I train with in Systema suggested using tonic water to aid cramps. He said the "quinine" in the tonic water has some affect on cramping. I have no idea if it works, and I don't usually suffer from cramps so I have no idea if I will ever be able to test it, but I don't see it hurting to try.

Whyeyebike,
Why Eye oought to..... I ought to..... I ought to thank you and your friend!

I understand quinine somehow influences potassium in humans and the amount in tonic water is considered safely below the prescription only, malaria treatment dosages. So if it works or not, tonic water has a reputation to help.

Now the best way I know to drink tonic water is with a small amount of lime and a somewhat larger amount of gin.

First I told my spouse red wine was good for me and now a gin and tonic may have medical benefits.

I don't know about you but I beginning to understand whyeyebike!

[whyeyebike]

You know, come to think of it. I never did ask him if he drinks the tonic water without the gin. That could explain his remedy. Its actually the gin that keeps him from feeling the cramps any longer. Its genius and medicinal.