cramp in foot

Sometimes I get a cramp near my toes about 3/4 way through a sesh. So, I have to stop and try to stretch it out. Does anyone have any tips on how to reduce getting a foot cramp?
Cheers,
snapperfish.

Magnesium tablets daily

Several years ago there was a story in the press about two researchers who were also fanatical kayakers. Their problem was frequent cramping while paddling. They experimented with all sorts of popular stuff that didn't work: salt pills, pickle juice, vitamins.......

What finally worked was hot sauce. Yes...they learned that the cramps result more from issues in the nerve signals than the muscles. The hot sauce somehow interrupts the cramping signals. Take a spoonful of hot sauce when you feel cramps coming on. YMMV

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sboardcrazy said..
Magnesium tablets daily

Or just eat some vegetables. It took me a couple of years of over exercising to get my Mg depleted to the point of cramps. The pills got me through the acute problem, but upping the spinach is the long term solution.

This is the best description, it may read like a bit of a sales pitch for their product but I know company and the guys who own it and they really know there stuff. You could get it in aus but I'm not sure the aus distributor is still going.

6 years as a pro cyclist and this is was the best product I found.

Here's a study from 1969 about vitamin E helping with leg cramps: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1503587/
This particular study was not very well designed (not blinded, no control group). Not all other studies reproduced the effects, but some did. Here's a double-blind study that showed a 3-fold reduction in leg cramps: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1457907/

For foot cramps, you may be able to fix the problem by adjusting the straps or strap position to get a more balanced stance.

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snapperfish said..
Sometimes I get a cramp near my toes about 3/4 way through a sesh. So, I have to stop and try to stretch it out. Does anyone have any tips on how to reduce getting a foot cramp?
Cheers,
snapperfish.

Hydrate. Be careful with supplements. Questionable if they do anything, and Mg in particular can cause rather serious problems if you are susceptible or on some medications. Have a banana and some nuts instead, one hour before sailing!

I get leg cramps after a day of physical stuff. Best answer was a magnesium capsule. No side affects.

Thanks for all these tips! I'm on an LT and I'm a beginner so I was gripping with my toes a lot to stay on board! The cramp happened in my right foot only, if I remember correctly. I windsurfed for about 2 hours before I noticed the foot cramp, so still had plenty of fun. I did have a banana and water with me, but next time I'll be sure to have them a little earlier in the sesh.

Thanks again,
snapperfish.

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Ben1973 said..

GasHazard said..

Ben1973 said..
This is the best description, it may read like a bit of a sales pitch for their product but I know company and the guys who own it and they really know there stuff. You could get it in aus but I'm not sure the aus distributor is still going.

6 years as a pro cyclist and this is was the best product I found.

What product?

Opp forgot the link
torqusa.com/articles/the-cramp-paradox/

Newbie to the Forums here but saw this thread and thought I'd comment as I used to suffer extremely bad cramps. Usually these were after exercise like mealtimes or sleeping but I would get them everyday. Would have to get up every night and walk around like a zombie for 10 minutes to get rid of them, sometimes multiple times a night. Fairly active but not excessive: riding 50Km day (commute to work) and same again for mountain biking on weekends plus some longish (15km) walks plus some running etc. I have always had a large vegy intake and would say my diet is well balanced, religiously have a banana a day and some nuts, take Mg tablets and drink lots of water. (plus piles of chilli too) None of this did anything to help the cramps. Rehydration drinks like Endura etc seemed to lesson the symptoms but didn't stop them (and are expensive). Coincidentally I found the cure (for me) the same time I started windsurfing at the same place I was inspired to get into the sport and that was Albany WA.

The story of how it came about maybe of interest. Every year, my better half and kids go to a music camp at Camp Quaranup. Its a government run place and at the time of this discovery the food was worse than awful. Everything frozen, meat and vegetables, dehydrated mashed potato etc. The breakfast choice was cereal or toast. Being lactose intolerant (first clue) I didn't take the cereal but ate the only other thing on offer toast...and this was white and cheap. I like a large breakfast so I would eat at least 10-12 slices with just margarine. Lunch would consist of more bread but at least some fresh salad. Since I didn't partake in the music part of the camp I would head off all day mountain biking, hiking, running etc.and maintain same basic level of exercise. Nowdays the biking is replaced by windsurfing if there is wind. It took a number of years for me to notice, mainly because I was complaining about how bad the food was and having to pay for it, that I never got cramps whilst on this camp, not even a twinge. Shortly (within a day) after back from the camp they would come back.

The only thing I could think of that was causing this was a) much poorer diet and b) much higher white bread intake. I did some basic research on the white bread they were giving us (I think it was some Tiptop number) and turns out it is fairly high in Calcium..50mg per slice. (some versions also contain vitamin E). Not wanting to maintain 10+ slices of bread per day I got some generic Calcium pills from Woolies and almost instantly (within an hour) the cramps disappeared. Never tried vitamin E as the Calcium did the trick. I suspect because I eat a few Almonds everyday I am getting enough vitamin E so no need for supplements there.

Being lactose intolerant probably made me more susceptible to calcium deficiency than most so obviously may not be the magic cure for everyone. I still maintain all the other basic stuff like high veg. load, Mg, bananas etc. The only time I have had cramps since taking Calcium have been of large endurance days and taking another Calcium tablet stops them dead in their tracks.

Interestingly the link that Ben1973 posted, "the cramp paradox" states in the first 3 paragraphs that low calcium levels have a lot to do with cramps.

Anyway, I'm no expert but if you are still getting cramps after trying other stuff, try upping your calcium intake as it worked brilliantly for me and no need to take expensive sports drinks.