Cramps??

[ShadowAlpha]

In my experience legs cramps is often not enough hydration. I did a hike up a mntn came back. Ate & sat by the fire till I crawled in hammock a few hrs later both legs got cramps. A buddy who was with me handed me 3 16oz bottles of water. By the time I sipped thru 1.5 bottles cramps eased up. When my soldiers are standing all day & complain about legs cramps 9 out of 10 times they have not hydrated

Funny someone said cold packs help. When at home if I wake up with leg or foot cramps I run hot water in tub and stick my leg in there. :-)

[Acer]

the wife raised horses for 25 yrs, and her family uses DSMO that Cannibal turned me on to,,for leg cramps..always has,,she swears it gets rid of them,,even in horses. I tried jumping in my hot tub for leg cramps,,heat on my leg cramps just made them worse,,its finally when I tried ice or cold packs,,and that works for me when I am at home..now if I use DSMO,,its a warming sensation when you first put that on,,so I am going to try it next time, and will be carrying the stuff with me where ever I go from now on. Just be careful using it.

ShadowAlpha,,great idea,,will try that too,,

[tncamper]

I had to Google it to make sure I wasn't remembering wrong, but my old track coach told me to add "a little" more salt than normal when I would cramp up. I always assumed it had something to do with water retention, and just now found out I was right. I'm by no means saying to give yourself a heart attack by adding salt. I always use it sparingly and for me adding some would still be less than the average persons intake. So, that's my 2 cents for the day.

[L.D. Cakes]

I had to Google it to make sure I wasn't remembering wrong, but my old track coach told me to add "a little" more salt than normal when I would cramp up. I always assumed it had something to do with water retention, and just now found out I was right. I'm by no means saying to give yourself a heart attack by adding salt. I always use it sparingly and for me adding some would still be less than the average persons intake. So, that's my 2 cents for the day.

Yep, One of my secrets to hydrating is to eat a small bag of pretzels and drink a whole bottle of water after I get off the river from kayaking. I drink a bottle on the way and one while on the river too. I loose the salt through sweat so I replenish it with my snack so the water will hold in my cells.

[Shnick]

Yarp, I remember some SSgt guy in a goofy blue hat screamin' bout hydrating and told us to put a tablespoon salt in our waters during chow... always hated him... I'm a year away from retirement and still can't stand the taste of salt... Yall can keep it LOL

Shnick

[millergear]

Do you stretch when you first wake up? Is that when it does it? I do automatically as I'm waking up, even in my bed. Most people stretch with their toes pointed, and that's what I was doing too, causing an awful cramp. I've learned now to pull my feet upward before stretching my legs and that stops it from happening.

No, I get them when I pull up my knees, getting out of the hammock, or turning over. I started getting them 20 years ago, on and off. Aging hasn't really made any difference, 62 or 72, it's the same.

Stretching, pad under knees, and potassium, all things I'll try. But I really think a batch of your world famous Rum cookies would do the trick, or at least I'd feel no pain!!

[L.D. Cakes]

No, I get them when I pull up my knees, getting out of the hammock, or turning over. I started getting them 20 years ago, on and off. Aging hasn't really made any difference, 62 or 72, it's the same.

Stretching, pad under knees, and potassium, all things I'll try. But I really think a batch of your world famous Rum cookies would do the trick, or at least I'd feel no pain!!

The bourbon ones are even better!

[Shnick]

The bourbon ones are even better!

Barefoot Moscato does the trick....

Shnick

[L.D. Cakes]

Barefoot Moscato does the trick....

Shnick

But the sulfites are a killer. I'm allergic!

[BillyBob58]

I heard about the knee thing but wasn't sure if it was to be under both knees, or between the knees. Tried it under both ways and it wasn't at all comfortable. Tried it between the knees, and got a bad cramp.

I'll give the potassium idea a try, seems to have considerable merit.

And don't forget salt if you have been exercising a lot and sweating. I have had quads cramp up on uphill slogs on the 1st day out. Eating a bunch of potato cips at next break cured that on the spot.