Foot cramps during excercise

[Odyne]

Yesterday, for the first during my spinning session, I started getting foot cramps. And I get them all the time when I go swimming, especially when flutter kicking and it's really painful. I know how to get rid of it momentarily through stretching when it happens, but I always have to interrupt my cycling or swimming session to do that and it's not helping me get the level of performance/work out I want/can get. Is there a permanent solution to it? What do you guys suggest I do or pay attention to?


Advice please.

 

[Kgal]

I thought it was caused due to a need for potassium? Mine go away when I take a potassium supplement.

 

[MindYourHead]

I thought it was caused due to a need for potassium? Mine go away when I take a potassium supplement.

Same here.
Fruits high in potassium such as Bananas are great in warding off those cramps.

 

[Billy]

Do you take a woman's multivitamin? You can also get a protein powder like whey that is low calorie and low carb but full of protein, potassium and other vitamins. Might help.

 

[SealHammer]

Make sure you're hydrated, get plenty of calcium in your body and potassium as the others have said. I don't know if you're stretching before you exercise, but if you're not, that's generally a really good idea.

For swimming, make sure you let your body temperature adjust to the water temperature before you go at it. Muscles tense up in cold but relax as they adjust to the temp.

 

[Odyne]

Yeah, I don't know if it's lack of potassium. I used to get those white dashes on my finger nails from time to time when I was kid and my parents would always say it's lack of potassium or magnesium in my diet. I don't know if that's true, I never looked it up. I was very picky with food as a child. And I did get foot cramps back then too. Not often though. I think if I put pressure on it too much, I get it. It usually feels like my 2nd and 3rd toes are about to flip around one another and switch places.

Do you take a woman's multivitamin? You can also get a protein powder like whey that is low calorie and low carb but full of protein, potassium and other vitamins. Might help.

I take nothing. I try to have meals high in protein on the days I exercise. I am kind of skeptical of stuff like that, although I considered it. Are there any health downsides to protein powders and multivitamins? If I can replace that stuff with food in my diet, I would prefer it.

Something else I noticed the other day are electrolyte drinks. What do you think about those?

Make sure you're hydrated, get plenty of calcium in your body and potassium as the others have said. I don't know if you're stretching before you exercise, but if you're not, that's generally a really good idea.

For swimming, make sure you let your body temperature adjust to the water temperature before you go at it. Muscles tense up in cold but relax as they adjust to the temp.

Thanks, that's a good point. I've also been wondering if it's a case of muscle support and if there is anything out there that I put on to help. I don't know if that's a solution at all.

 

[barbad0s]

I have the same problem >_< charleyhorses all over my feet and calves, sometimes even in my fingers!

 

[youhemmein]

I get them a lot too, and potassium does help. Also, being that it's in the foot, you might need a good arch support. Hopefully between the two you won't have a problem with this anymore.

 

[tfg345i4u5lw]

Zinc, potassium, iron. Throw a little tap water into your diet for some minerals. Just electrolytes in general. I used to have a similar problem with leg cramps. It might be a digestion problem. You can be eating all the vitamins in the world but if you aren't digesting them properly you will still have problems. Maybe go to a doctor to check if you have any subtle food allergies affecting digestion. Also reduce stress any way possible. Stress will mess everything up.

 

[sprinkles]

Try papaya if you can obtain it. It's got mega doses of vitamins, especially C, A, and potassium. It's even more packed full of stuff than oranges and bananas.

Other good choices for potassium are cantaloupe and mango. Kiwi is also good, about on the same level as oranges. These choices have a bit less, but still very good amounts.