Don't Let
Muscle Cramps Cut Your Run Short
You're in the middle of your
long run for the week, and you're doing just great! You feel
strong, your time is right on target, you're moving breathing
easily and you feel confident. Suddenly, your calf muscle
cramps, so suddenly that you almost fall in your tracks. Limping
to the side of the road, you collapse onto the grass, your
leg is throbbing so severely that you can't even think...you
try to stretch it out...it gets worse! What do you do now?You're
in the middle of your long run for the week, and you're doing
just great! You feel strong, your time is right on target,
you're moving breathing easily and you feel confident. Suddenly,
your calf muscle cramps, so suddenly that you almost fall
in your tracks. Limping to the side of the road, you collapse
onto the grass, your leg is throbbing so severely that you
can't even think...you try to stretch it out...it gets worse!
What do you do now?
This is a runners nightmare, and one that any serious runner
has either experienced personally, or has watched another
runner suffering.
Before we get into a self treatment for this painful situation,
let's take a look at some basics. We are assuming that you
know about keeping yourself hydrated, (and you do it, right?),
and replacing lost electrolytes. You have read about carbohydrates
& protein, and you eat properly. But what about stretching
and working out muscle spasms as they develop?
I've watched serious athletes finish up a long run, stretch
for 1-2 minutes, and leave. This is a big mistake! You need
to take the time to stretch all of the muscles of your legs,
and hips, after you finish your training run. It takes one
full minute for a muscle to have a permanent stretch. That's
60 seconds per muscle, not for the entire stretching process.
Do your stretch slowly, allowing the muscle to lengthen gradually,
and by all means, don't bounce.
There are specific self treatments you can do for all the
the muscles of your legs, however this article will address
the calf muscles. In your calf you have two muscles, the gastrocneimus
("gastroc" for short) and the soleus. Most runners
faithfully stretch the gastroc by either keeping their foot
flat and then bending their body forward and keeping their
leg straight, or by standing on the curb and dropping their
heels toward the street, while keeping their legs straight.
I always advise against this second method of stretching because
it is too severe, until after the muscle has lengthened, for
the muscle to tolerate this much of a stretch. Stretching
should be done gradually, increasing the stretch every 15
seconds until you are stretching as far as you can anatomically
bend your ankle, then hold it static for 60 full seconds.
The stretch that most athletes miss is the one for the soleus.
Both the gastroc and the soleus insert into the Achilles Tendon,
and either one can cause the tendon to tear if it is severely
contracted. To add the soleus stretch is very easy. Assume
the same flat foot position as you have for the gastroc, and
move forward (bending the ankle), but now move your body back
so you are also bending your knee. You will feel a totally
different stretch. Do the same thing, increase the stretch
every 15 seconds until your knee and ankle are bent as far
as they can anatomically go, and again hold it for 60 seconds.
By the way, I see people leaning up against cars, fences,
and trees. It isn't necessary to bend from the hips up, that
isn't doing anything for your legs. Keep your body upright,
put one leg out front with the knee bent, and the other leg
back, with the knee straight. It's the exact same leg position
as when you are leaning against something, you just move your
body straight up. It's actually a lot easier to do, and more
convenient because you don't need to find a tree!
It has been my experience, while working with hundreds of
athletes, that it is the soleus that will cause you the greatest
amount of trouble. This may happen because everyone stretches
the gastroc, and not the soleus. Stretching properly can help
you to prevent the painful experience of a cramp while you
are running...but here you are, on the side of the road, ready
to scream out in pain. What to do now!
To begin with, DO NOT try to stretch it out until you help
the muscle complete it's severe contraction. This may seem
like the exact opposite thing to do, but let's talk about
the logic of the body.
When your muscle goes into a severe cramp, sometimes called
a "charlie horse", the muscle is trying to contract
violently. Muscles will never stop a contraction in the middle,
it has an "all or nothing" system. A muscle fiber
contracts fully, or not at all. If you try to stretch it out,
while the muscle is trying to contract, you will tear fibers.
You need to assist the muscle in its contraction BEFORE you
can stretch it without injury.
When the muscle goes into this cramp, tightly grab your calf
with your hands: one hand at the top of the calf, just below
the knee; and the other hand at the bottom of the muscle,
at the top of the achilles tendon just above the ankle. Now,
help the muscle complete it's contraction by pushing your
hands together. This will be extremely painful, but only for
a few seconds. Next, just release your hands, and then replace
them in the same positions. Now, again push your hands together,
this time it won't hurt nearly as much. You are now assisting
any last fibers to finish their contraction. Take a few breathes,
get back your oxygen that was lost while you were breathing
heavily during the pain.
Now you can safely stretch the muscle. Begin by rubbing the
muscle with arnica gel and then squeezing your calf, like
you were squeezing bread dough. I always recommend to my athletes
that they have a tube of arnica gel in their pouches. Arnica
gel can be bought in any good health food store, and is a
homeopathic remedy for bruised muscles. It is amazing how
quickly arnica gel will help the muscle heal.
After you have put on the arnica gel, and quickly squeezed
the muscle (which brings blood into the area and also helps
to heal the muscle), go into the gastroc and soleus stretches.
I've had runners tell me that since they have begun using
arnica gel during, and after, the race that they have a much
faster healing process than ever before.
A muscle cramp, which is a severe spasm, can certainly stop
you in your tracks, and not treating it properly at the time
will mean you will limp for the remainder of the race, not
only having a negative impact on your time, but on your muscles
health. The few minutes you will lose in your training time,
or in the race, to do these treatments will be rewarded by
the minimal damage that has been done to the muscle fibers.
About the Author:
Julie Donnelly,
BS, LMT, is the Therapeutic Director of Julstro Muscular Therapy
Center and The Carpal Tunnel Treatment Center, in New City,
NY. She has worked with athletes for over 14 years, and specializes
in chronic joint pain. Her website: www.aboutcts.com has interesting
information about how muscles cause joint pain. She may be
contact at: julie@aboutcts.com
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