A Real Pain in the . . . Foot

Last week I swam before yoga.  We started class in extended child's pose.  If you're unfamiliar with yoga you basically kneel with you knees wide and then go forward with your forehead on the mat.  I had just settled in when it struck me - it was like my right foot was in a vice.  I kept having to straighten my foot out to keep the arch from cramping.  Arrgh!  It's hard to get your zen on when you have to keep readjusting and coming out of the pose.

Later that week I was talking to a TFI athlete and he mentioned that he keeps getting foot cramps as well.  Most of us have heard the old standard - eat bananas and drink more.   I decided there must be more scientific advice.  So I started digging into the latest cramp research.  Turns out there really isn't any more scientific advice.  This is what I found.

Causes of Cramps
According to the American Academy of Osteopaedic Surgeons the exact cause of cramps is idiopathic.  That's fancy doctor talk for "we don't have a clue" why it occurs.  I recognize it because I'm married to a doctor.  They note that endurance athletes are susceptible to getting muscle cramps, particularly at the beginning of the season when the body isn't conditioned for the stresses of training.  Hey, that sounds like me - endurance athlete, deconditioned, starting back up.  Factors that contribute to the onset of cramps:

• Muscle fatigue
• Lack of stretching
• Dehydration
• Electrolyte Depletion

Maybe there is something to that drink more and eat bananas advice.

Treatment
The good doctors at the Mayo Clinic recommend stretching and massage to alleviate cramps.  Apply heat to tense muscles and cold to sore/tender muscles.

Cramps can be the result of serious medical conditions so if you experience severe or persistent cramps you should see your physician.

In the interim, drink more and eat bananas.  Sometimes I guess "they" are right.