cramps

[trifish]

Had some brutal ones last week in a session. Paddling hard to get in position for a wave and gave a few short kicks to help catch it and both my calves instantly cramped hard. Floated in the water a few minutes trying to get them to release as the waves pushed me in. Made it home and they were super sore but didn't think much of it. A few days later they are still the same, hard to walk, and swollen where they tie in behind the knees.

I've had some cramps in my life, but nothing regular or to this extreme. Maybe I was extra dehydrated since it was the end of a few hour session. Anybody ever damage or tear something as a result from a cramp?

 

[gbg]

I would drain them. Prop your feet up as high as you can. For an hour. Then ice them. 15 mins on. 15 off. For a few hours. Then wet heat.

 

[Havoc]

Had some brutal ones last week in a session. Paddling hard to get in position for a wave and gave a few short kicks to help catch it and both my calves instantly cramped hard. Floated in the water a few minutes trying to get them to release as the waves pushed me in. Made it home and they were super sore but didn't think much of it. A few days later they are still the same, hard to walk, and swollen where they tie in behind the knees.

I've had some cramps in my life, but nothing regular or to this extreme. Maybe I was extra dehydrated since it was the end of a few hour session. Anybody ever damage or tear something as a result from a cramp?

i had that issue and it has resolved. banana before session everytime works. mid session, sip some seawater if u start cramping. try liquid iv before u surf. found a combo of those cured it.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

I have never had a cramp.

 

[VonMeister]

I've only had one calf cramp ever and it was while surfing. Until that point I never understood what the big deal was. Pretty painful event that lasts longer than you would think.

Studies tend to point to dehydration being a myth and fatigue being the real driver....so it could have been something like a tough physical few days that just caught up with you. There are also some neurological causes but I wouldn't;t work too much there unless it was a constant issue. Sometimes you just get a cramp.

 

[trifish]

Maybe it was fatigue. There was definitely a run up of hours recently in the water after being sidelined a couple of weeks due to a fin gash on my heel.

Today is the first day I'm actually able to walk some what normal and swelling is down. Its been about 4 days now but seems like its trending the right direction now. Seemed a bit extreme for cramps, but they did squeeze good for a few minutes. Had me wondering if they were ever going to release. Than had me thinking maybe they caused a small tear or something after seeing swelling and some bruising. I've been icing when possible and its helped.

The biggest downer was watching a nice lined up left run away from me as i crumbled, lol. Hopefully not a new reoccurring problem as I've had a run of injuries lately. A pre surf banana sounds like a good idea. I've been just drinking a quick coffee and bolting out the door lately on dawn patrol. Not the greatest, I know.

 

[One-Off]

I've only had one calf cramp ever and it was while surfing. Until that point I never understood what the big deal was. Pretty painful event that lasts longer than you would think.

Studies tend to point to dehydration being a myth and fatigue being the real driver....so it could have been something like a tough physical few days that just caught up with you. There are also some neurological causes but I wouldn't;t work too much there unless it was a constant issue. Sometimes you just get a cramp.

I never had a tooth ache and never understood what the big deal was. I'd hear people miss work for a toothache and I'd be like, "For a toothache? Really?" Then I got one and was practically begging for opioids. Turns out I had a resorption on the root of a tooth and had to have oral surgery. I will never minimize the pain of a toothache again.

I would get cramps in the arch of my foot, usually surfing when it was really cold. I'd have to yank my toe back for a minute or two and then it would subside. Now I wear boioties when it's cold and don't have the issues. Could it be the cold?

I have no RXs for you (OP) but would not sip sea water like Havoc says, especially if you're surfing at El Porto or Huntington after a rain ...

 

[SurfDoc]

Bananas, can't hurt. Might help/might not. Sipping sea water....big fat NO. Stretching, sure some. Taking crazy supplements, propbably not a great idea. Maybe in tiny amounts could be plausible? Booties, not a bad idea for warmth and grip. Cramps are common. Millions of people get them from time to time. Usually go away in 30 seconds to a minute or so. If you have too many try a couple different interventions until you find what works for you.

 

[GromsDad]

Knock on wood, its been years since I had a bad cramp. Seemed to happen most from my teens to early 30s. For me it was always the back of my upper leg which would pull my heel up to my ass and leave me in agony until it would release and then I would be hobbling around for a week. It mostly would happen in my sleep. Only twice did it happen in the water. Once in college while swimming laps I was left clinging for dear life to the lane lines and the lifegaurd had to jump in and help me get out of the pool......that was pretty embarrassing at the time as the pool had a glass wall in a main hallway of the sports complex so there was a nice size audience for the big rescue. The other time was surfing in the dead of winter and on a wipeout the leash pulled on my leg and triggered it in the impact zone and I clung to the board for dear life until I washed to shore.

 

[Kento]

Gotten those calf cramps many times and 99% are from trying tensing everything to resist the force dragging me back over the falls. In the water, straighten your leg out and pull your toes back towards you. That will alleviate it a lot of the times, at least enough to finish your session.

Combination of fatigue and cold seem to cause most cramping issues. Dehydration probably too, as it's mostly towards the end of a session. Drinking a quart of water with some Nuun tablets really helped a lot.

 

[john4surf]

Ran a great 6 pack marathon that ended in Jack Murphy Stadium. Planted 6 beers in zip bags as my wife drove the course early morning/dark. I hid a beer every 4 or so miles. The crew I was running with shared each beer until we couldn’t do it any longer. I dropped like a sack of rocks after crossing the finish line. Course medics scooped me up, into an ambulance and to the hospital. Ice packs around the neck and groin, potassium IV drip. The next day’s run was as if I hadn’t just finished a marathon. No stiffness, aches, etc. Only 2 down sides I can remember was the drip had to be administered slow, very slow due to the caustic level of the potassium and, my friends telling my wife I was taken to the hospital “because I couldn’t hold my beer.” She didn’t let up for days, maybe weeks…. Duh