Leg cramps?

[BreckDown]

I get this on the trail and in the back yard. I think a hammock kind of stretches the muscle a little. One night I got it real bad in the back yard and in the morning my wife asked me if I got cramps cause she heard my moaning.

Any chance that those of you with leg cramps are hyper-extending your knee backwards. If your ankle is touching the hammock and your rear is but your calf and thigh are unsupported the knee could be flexing back and just slightly pulling on the back of the hamstring (I may have the wrong muscle) and on the calf causing cramping throughout the leg and foot. Sorta like laying on the couch and putting your foot up on the armrest unsupported.

[Quoddy]

I believe that Breck is thinking the same thing that I am. Try the following... make sure that you're positioned as you should be, ie. with your head slightly lower than your feet. Place a loosely rolled up piece of clothing or a loosely stuffed stuff sack under your knees to keep from hyper extending the back of them. Works for me.

[BillyBob58]

billybob, potato chips have more potassium than bananas. that is why when i am hiking, i will eat potato chips. not hiking, baked potato or sweet potato will do the trick at home!!!potato = high potassium! i learned that from my old nutritionist when i was a usaa swimmer

my $.05 worth(inflation)

YAY! I have started taking more "junk" food in recent years especially on my higher altitude journeys. Mainly because I find my appetite gets obliterated at least for the 1st few days. So I take whatever I think I have the best chance of forcing down. And that has meant more "junk food"! Including Pringles in the round tube container.

[jrophoff]

I agree with Breck. You may want to try loosening up your Ridge Line a little.

[Ewker]

Keep us posted if things are any better with her BMBH. Unlikely I guess, as it sounds like hers are not just in a hammock.

She got them the 1st night she used her bridge hammock. It could have been related to the hike in though. This was only her 3rd backpacking trip but the hardest she had done. It was basically 4 miles straight down to camp then 4 miles straight up to get back to the car. She was a trooper though and never complained

[SuperTramp]

Well I have had the same problems with every hammock with the exception of the Grizzbridge that i foolishly sold due to BB lust.I wake up with terribly sore or maybe better word strained legs.I have had a HH, GT ,Eno's and a righty BB and just got a lefty BB the other day and tried it out last night and have had sore legs all day.not sure what it is but may be sciatic (not that I know).it is the feeling as mentioned of waking up on couch with feet on coffee table only for me it goes right to the hip.I give up -from now on for me it will have to be a Bridge only or the ground.I think I have given the gathered end hammocks more than enough tries and dollars.one BB 1.0 lefty to the gear swap soon

[Yukon]

My ridgeline is always set to the way Brandon recommends, I make sure of that. I don't hyper-extend my knees at all so that's not the issue. I'm fine for hours, all it takes is for me to move a certain way and it triggers a cramp in my calf, or in my toes. It happens with my toes more often, the calf cramp has only happened once. I understand the concept of getting flat and what not, I just think the elevation of my legs and being a bit dehydrated and lacking some electrolytes is the probable culprit

[BillyBob58]

Well I have had the same problems with every hammock with the exception of the Grizzbridge that i foolishly sold due to BB lust.I wake up with terribly sore or maybe better word strained legs.I have had a HH, GT ,Eno's and a righty BB and just got a lefty BB the other day and tried it out last night and have had sore legs all day.not sure what it is but may be sciatic (not that I know).it is the feeling as mentioned of waking up on couch with feet on coffee table only for me it goes right to the hip.I give up -from now on for me it will have to be a Bridge only or the ground.I think I have given the gathered end hammocks more than enough tries and dollars.one BB 1.0 lefty to the gear swap soon

Funny that you have found that to be the case, Because, I have long been proclaiming - despite some other drawbacks compared to the best of the non-bridge hammocks, that IMO the bridge hammocks are HANDS DOWN the most comfortable hammock from waist down, most especially anything having to do with leg comfort. ( unless you count a need for full fetal as leg comfort I suppose) But there are other comfort related areas in which one of my non-bridges shine, so which hammock works best it might all depend on what particular problems a person has with hammocks, if any.

[Hassinism]

I too get the leg cramps but not always calves. The worst for me is thigh, right above the knee in the front. I can't blame the wbbb as I got the same cramps in my tttm. I'm going to try the clothing under my legs trick on my next trip out.

[Fritz]

I has really bad foot cramps, then cramps in my quads and finally
all the way up my back when I hug at the Frozen Butt hang in January. My ridge
Line was actually too loose with the trees too close to me. The next day I moved the
straps to another tree farther apart to get a tighter ridge line. Also put some
Clothing in the foot box of the WBBB for insulation. The clothing
also changed the angle of my feet which also helped. For the most part
I think the cramps were because of dehydration and lactic acid build up from
hauling in the Pulk. Next time I will drink more, take potassium and magnesium
I also am diabetic and thought this did not help as I never drink as much water as u should. Good info here

Thanks

Fritz