I have done a search of the forum regarding cramps and have found some interesting info but I was wondering do any of you get calf muscle cramp during the night when you are asleep? I never get it when riding only during my sleeping hours. As you know it can be really crippling and ruins your nights sleep. I seem to remember an ex GF saying something about eating bananas?? Although I drink quite a lot of coffee I also drink a lot of water too. Had a recent check up at the docs and blood pressure, cholesterol, blood are all fine. I wonder if being a smoker has any bearing on it?

trying to remember my GCSE PE stuff.

crap is just a buildup of lactic acid eh? sooo. it means you arnt getting enough oxygen to your legs... so could be something to do with smoking.

the potassium in the bananas might help, seem to remember hearing about that before.

laying off the coffee would also help with sleep no?

I sometimes get it just as i tuck myself into bed.
But it never lasts that long, just have to wait it out to get some sleep.

probably from pointing your toes while pulling yourself off before bed

I was thinking the same but didn't want to be the first one saying it.

You seem to know a lot about this.

Cramp tends to be low salts / dehydration. Bananas contain alot of potassium, hence help with the low salts bit. We tend to get plenty of sodium from our diets it's the magnesium and potassium that tend to run low on if we have become dehydrated during the day even if water been drunk the salts are not replaced.

Yeah, someone I know said he had a mate that heard it could happen

I have found that, on occasion, a bit of calf cramp intensifies climax.

Was anyone else thinking that but didn't want to be the first?

I can't express how pleased I am to be present at the birth of a whole new fetish.

I guess the key to it would be staving off the bananas.

A banana might help though... ;)

O or A?

dancing james it's one thing to be into blood but getting turned on by a particular type is way kinky in my book.

I got it after doing 94miles in some very hot weather. That was down to lack of water, ran out and was a distance from somewhere i could get some more.
I read somewhere that eating salted nuts is good, and remembering to keep drinking is good.
Wasnt bad cramp i got though, it was just when i pulling my left leg up that it cramped up, but went when i pushed down. Cramped up more when i had got home though.
Add salt to your drink you take when on a long ride, that will help. Probably taste bad but i'm sure it will do you good.

Booya! REP

Potassium, magnesium and calcium are all salts and need to be balanced within your body. When people say "eat salt" blah they should be mentioning the fact that this isn't just table salt (sodium).. you need other salts/electrolytes. Sports drink and enough of it during intense exercise or hot weather helps.
Bananas are high in potassium I believe (and probably other minerals) so these are a good thing to eat during or post ride.
Stretching post ride will also help.
Coffee has no effect if you are a regular drinker. Your body adjusts its fluid balance around your normal diuretic intake. If you don't normally drink coffee and slam down a few espressos you might have to drink more to make up for the subsequent fluid loss.

Get it all the time - about once a month. So painful I wake up shouting, and wake my GF up too. Brilliant feeling when the pain wears off, though.

Grab your toes and pull them towards you to stretch it out. It works, trust me, I'm a psycho.

Thanks for the tip. I gave the cat a real fright last time I got it - he nearly jumped out the window.

I am a major Cramp sufferor - Bananas sort it out for me, plus a bit of extra salt in my drinks (or those expensive Lucazade drinks) - if you get it regulalrly and especially at night, it can be a sign of bad circulation - get it checked out at the Docs. If you get it really bad and then prescribed Quinine will help sort it out.

http://www.essortment.com/all/potassiumfoodh_rkyn.htm - gives you an idea of the right food to eat.

try tonic water

I get it every morning the moment I wake in my left calf

My ex was a physio, thats where I heard about the bananas.

Cheers for all your tips, will give them a go.

You love a banana or 2 Pimp! My gf recommended them for cramp too, so must be some truth in it dude. Oh and HTFU ;)

this is why they invented Gatorade. it restores your electrolytes. drink it, it is good.

if you're really electrolyte deficient, you could try mixing some of the gastro powder (not sure of brandname, gastrolyte??) that you can get from pharmacies for when you suffer diarrhoea. you mix it with water and it's designed to quickly fix dehydration and electrolyte loss.

Cheers Duncan, I wondered how long it would be before someone told me to HTFU, you coming tonight?