Is anybody else having leg / foot / toe cramps?

[Running_girl]

I am on week 4 and after I run and on my rest days I have started to have cramps in my calfs, feet and toes. Has anyone else experienced this and any advise on how to avoid it? Thanks

[Hidden]

Bananas are good as they have potassium. Are you doing stretches? I do them on the days I don't run.

[paul2014 Graduate]

It may be down to a number of things but see the link below which may give you a few things to consider. Hope you manage to get it sorted.

buzzle.com/articles/foot-cr...

[Hidden in reply to paul2014]

Very useful article, thank you for sharing. Best wishes.

[paul2014 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

You're welcome, Fitmo

[kickibro Graduate]

I second bananas too. They are the runners' friend.

Ae you doing the cool down walk? Are you stretching afterwards? Can't recommend that enough!

[Hidden]

I've not had cramps with running, but in the past used have horrid ones in my calves and even more so in my feet in bed and also when driving (not good!). What works for me is Osteocare, which contains calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin D. Apparently, many people who get cramps are deficient in magnesium and calcium. I don't take it all the time, however I take a dose or two at the first twinge of cramp. I've been doing this for a couple of years now and am more or less free of cramps.

[misswobble Graduate]

I think it's the new exercise syndrome. Your body telling you that something has changed and is possibly rebelling. You get dehydrated when you run so you have to replace the lost minerals back into your body. I agree with banana! I have one every day whether I run or not. I got electric legs too! Jerky, fizzy legs, when in bed, which kept waking me up. Wierd! A sign of change though, for the better I'm pleased to say. It soon cleared up though

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Your 'electric legs' sounds like restless leg syndrome

[Running_girl Graduate]

Thanks everyone. I'll try eating bananas and making sure I stretch properly, if that doesn't help I'll look into the osteocare. Thanks for the advice. X

[agedsnailspace Graduate]

Check your trainers are not too tight as well. I like having tight shoes and I found I had to consiously slacken off the toe end of the laces in my trainers. Your feet will swell noticably while you are running and having them too cramped can lead to a lot of problems.

[juniperlake Graduate]

I'm no doctor, but look into magnesium for cramps. You could check out high mag foods or try a supplement of mag citrate/molate. Just a thought. It has worked for me.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

You could try eating a bag of salted crisps washed down with a Tonic Water (make sure it has quinine in it). Bananas are good too. The salt is lost through perspiration and the quinine is an old remedy used during the war to help ease stomach cramps for soldiers suffering from dysentery etc. And before anyone asks "No I was not there fighting in the trenches, I'm older but not that old" The crisps and tonic were recommended to us when our youngest son went through a huge growth spurt and ached and had cramps after exercise while in his teens, this was doctor's orders and it helped a great deal.