It was a hot, muggy summer’s day in Southwest Florida. My partner and I were playing the 3rd Pickleball match of day, winners advance to gold medal round. After winning the 2nd game, the momentum was on our side going into the 3rd. I was moving well, dictating play…and I continued the good play until 4-1 in the 3rd game. And then, after hitting an third shot drop, I felt my right leg completely seize. I hit the ground, gasping for air, trying not to scream. But the pain was too much. My teammate came rushing over to my side of the court, along with fellow players and spectators…I knew what it was though, this wasn’t the first time I had experienced this sort of pain…. was a cramp.
What might make an athlete more susceptible to muscle cramping?
Factors that have been associated with increasing the risk of muscle cramping in overload or fatigue-related muscle cramping include the following:
• Older age
• Poor stretching habits
• Insufficient conditioning
• Cramping history
• Excessive exercise intensity and duration
• Metabolic disturbances
What Can You Do?
This is a common question among athletes. Muscle cramps are involuntary, intensely painful muscle contractions that nearly every athlete has experienced at some point. Some people experience them often and simply seem to be prone to muscle cramps.
Cramps usually hit at the end of intense workouts or during endurance events because fatigued muscles are more likely to cramp. Novice athletes are more likely to have cramps as they fatigue more quickly than seasoned exercisers. If you carefully progress your workouts, you will avoid unnecessary cramps. Heat, and not being used to the heat, also increases the frequency of cramps. When the seasons change and summer arrives, ease into workouts in the heat.
Additionally, carefully plan your fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrate intake to help avoid or delay muscle cramps.
Are You Drinking Enough?
Studies on fluids and cramps have produced mixed results. Some studies find no associations, while other show that consuming fluids and electrolytes to avoid dehydration will prevent, or at least delay, muscle cramps. The benefits of avoiding dehydration are widespread, so even if it’s not 100 percent guaranteed that you won’t cramp, consuming adequate fluids during exercise will still improve performance.
How would dehydration cause muscle cramps? Fluids in the body are either inside the cell or outside of the cell. When we become dehydrated, the fluid outside of the cells decreases. Reductions in fluids cause nerve endings to be squished together, overexcited and spontaneously discharge. That spontaneous discharge is a muscle twitch, which can lead to a muscle cramp. By maintaining proper hydration, you can prevent dramatic shifts in fluids that contribute to abnormal muscle contractions.
To prevent dehydration, start by drinking fluids according to your thirst. Weigh yourself before and immediately after exercise, preferably without clothes. Any change in your weight is a change in fluid balance. Weight loss greater than 2 to 3 percent of your body weight increases your risk for muscle cramps. If drinking based on thirst prevents fluctuations in your weight during exercise, then you can rely on thirst to be your hydration guide. Otherwise, you need a hydration schedule to meet your fluid needs.
The Need for Salt
Fluids aren’t alone in the task of maintaining your body’s fluid balance. Electrolytes control the shift of fluids in and out of cells. The electrolyte of most concern during exercise is sodium. Found as sodium chloride in table salt. We lose more sodium in sweat than the other electrolytes. Both water and sodium are lost in sweat. Replacement of water without sodium can lead to dangerously low blood sodium levels, called hyponatremia. Hyponatremia will also occur if you are sweating a lot and simply losing a lot of sodium in sweat. This is most likely to occur during endurance exercise or with repeated sweating throughout the day. Muscle cramps may occur when the concentration of sodium in the blood decreases; cramps can progress to a serious medical emergency when hyponatremia is not treated.
To prevent hyponatremia and the muscle cramps it may cause, sodium should be consumed with fluids. This is particularly useful for cramp-prone individuals. High sodium sports drinks can delay muscle cramps in those who cramp often. Sodium may be consumed from salty foods (such as pretzels) or through sports products.
Don’t Be Afraid of Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate depletion will also lead to muscle cramps. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel used during exercise. There is a finite amount of carbohydrate stored as glycogen in our muscles to provide the energy to exercise. Once that store of glycogen has been exhausted, we are at high risk for muscle cramps. The muscle requires carbohydrate (or energy) to contract; it also needs energy to relax. When there isn’t adequate fuel circulating yet we continue to exercise and contract our muscles, muscle relaxation is impaired, and the cramp occurs.
It takes about 60 to 90 minutes of exercise to deplete glycogen stores. Therefore, it is appropriate to consume carbohydrate during any activity that will last longer than 60 to 90 minutes. Even very intense exercise lasting only 45 minutes may deplete glycogen stores. Be sure to eat a carbohydrate-rich meal or snack prior to endurance or intense exercise. Plus, you will need to consume carbohydrates through food or sports products during longer duration exercise. Consuming carbohydrates appropriately is well-worth it to prevent a muscle cramp.
Follow these five steps to prevent muscle cramps:
Train appropriately.
Acclimate yourself to the environment.
Consume the right amount of fluids for your body to prevent dehydration.
Choose salty foods or sodium rich sports products before, during and after exercise.
Prevent carbohydrate depletion by consuming carbohydrates before your workout and during your workout if it is longer than 60 to 90 minutes.
After collecting myself I asked my partner if he could grab my bag. In my excitment prior to the match I forgot to eat. Grabbing my bar I took a big bite then a few drinks of my electrolytes drink. I was fortunate, after re-fueling my body allowed me to contiue the match.
