Cramps

Cramps: What are they?

We all have experienced a cramp at least once in our life. Whether he attacked us during or after a workout, in an intimacy situation or in sleep, we will hardly forget the pain felt in that situation.

The cramp is defined in clinical language as a spasm, an involuntary, violent and sudden contraction of the striated musculature.

More simply, cramp can be considered as an involuntary contraction of voluntary musculature.

Causes

The onset of cramps is not linked to a single cause, but to a set of predisposing factors not yet fully clarified.

Among these a decisive role seems to be covered by intense physical activity practiced in warm, humid environments. In such conditions, prolonged exercise causes an imbalance between hydration level and electrolyte concentration. The appearance of cramps is all the more likely the lower the physical form of the athlete and the acclimatization period he is subjected to.

Stop with the Cramps!

The cramps can be avoided, or however attenuated, following some simple rules:

The responsible number one of the occurrence of cramps is fatigue: progressively increase the intensity and duration of the exercise, avoid overdoing it if you do not have the means and the ability to do so.
Practice stretching regularly, both at the beginning and - above all - at the end of physical activity; these exercises must be of interest especially to those muscles directly involved in the training (eg the legs for a cyclist).
Always perform some general warm-up exercises before starting the workout.
Follow a healthy and balanced diet, which provides enough nutrients for the physical exercise you are doing. Assume foods rich in mineral salts (especially potassium and magnesium), antioxidants, calcium and group B vitamins. To take more potassium you can use specific supplements, or simply eat more fruit (especially bananas); to consume more calcium you can consume more milk and derivatives. Almonds, walnuts, soya, apples, peaches, figs, fish and corn are particularly rich in magnesium. See also: Vitamin and mineral content of foods.
Don't demonize cooking salt and sodium-rich waters; especially in the summer periods when sweating is greater, salt is essential to maintain the body's water balance.
Avoid taking diuretics or alcohol before training so as not to increase fluid loss and consequently promote dehydration.
Do not eat in the 2-3 hours prior to training and avoid eating too many meals before physical activity. In this way you will reduce the risk of being affected by cramps.
Keep yourself well hydrated before, after and during physical activity (see: Hydration and sports).
Use appropriate clothing that lets the skin breathe. Choose light colors and avoid raincoats and slimming suits. Choose comfortable footwear and use breathable and comfortable cotton socks.
In case you were struck by cramps the only solution is to immediately stretch the affected muscle.
The stretching in fact counteracts the involuntary contraction and if the cramp is not too intense it can give relief in a few seconds. Also the massage of the affected area can be useful. For the same reason, if possible try to contract the antagonist muscle.

Heat cramps

Cramps, defined at the beginning of the article as involuntary muscle contractions, occur more easily during the summer months. The warm environment and high humidity rates favor hydrosaline leaks exposing the body to a great stress. If the lost electrolytes are not readily replenished the risk of cramping becomes very high.

A research, carried out on a high-level tennis player who complained of recurrent cramps, showed that the problem was related to the conspicuous sweating that significantly lowered the plasma sodium concentration. The recurrent cramps were defeated by simply increasing the amount of salt in the diet, which went from 5-10 to 15-20 g / day.

This small parenthesis has been opened to re-evaluate the role of salt and salt supplements in sports. Often this mineral is considered an enemy of the line (see sodium-poor waters) when in reality, especially during the summer months, it is essential to maximize athletic performance and prevent the appearance of cramps.