What Are Muscle Cramps?
Muscle cramps are abnormal, painful contractions that don’t relax on their own. They’re usually visible and sometimes come with spasms. Cramps often strike in the muscles being used during activity — for example, runners may cramp anywhere from the hips down. They can also appear in underused muscles, which may indicate a whole-body issue. Cramps impact performance when they happen mid-activity and recovery when they strike hours later.
Two key things to know:
1. Cramping is often preventable.
2. Once it starts, it can usually be stopped with simple techniques.
Why Do We Cramp?
The causes of cramping are complex — sometimes just one factor, sometimes many working together. Common triggers include:
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High-intensity exercise – Can create electrolyte imbalances in muscles, leading to abnormal contractions.
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Prolonged exercise – Hours or even days of effort may deplete electrolytes and increase risk.
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Stress (emotional or physical) – Emotional stress raises heart rate, breathing, and sweating, lowering the cramping threshold. Physical stress drains recovery systems, making cramps more likely.
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Nutrition – Electrolytes and macronutrients are essential for performance. Deficiencies from restricted diets, GI illness, or malabsorption increase risk.
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Training mismatch – If your training doesn’t match the intensity or demands of your event, cramping may occur during or after.
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Medications and supplements – Certain drugs and performance enhancers (like caffeine) can affect heart rate, blood flow, and cramping thresholds.
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Environment – Heat, humidity, and wind all influence risk.
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Genetics – Some individuals may be more prone to cramping.
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Injury – Recently injured muscles, especially those heavily used in competition, are more likely to cramp.
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Illness – Recent sickness, especially with vomiting or diarrhea, can deplete electrolytes and increase risk.
Preparation is key. Your training should mimic the stress, nutrition, and endurance demands of your event — not just the physical movements. Train your gut as well as your muscles by practicing with the foods, fluids, and supplements you’ll use on game day. Here are some key tips:
1. If you hyperventilate from the excitement of a big game but you don’t hyperventilate in a practice, you may cramp in that game.
2. Your nutritional support for your event should be trained as well. Practice the timing and types of nutrition you’ll use pre-game, so that your gut is trained too!
3. If you plan to eat 60 grams of carbs/hour during your event, be sure you can handle that by practicing that intake.
4. Practice the intake of supplements that you’ll have during your event, for example caffeine.
5. If you plan to have a super-triple-latte for your event, be sure you practice that intake first.
Every person’s fluid and electrolyte needs are different for a variety of reasons. One interesting finding is the incredible diversity of salt content of sweat. If you are a ‘salty sweater’ you’ll want to account for that with your electrolyte intake.
Sodium is the most important electrolyte to consider.
Add salt to foods in the 2-3 days prior to your event and add 1 teaspoon of salt to a beverage 2-3 hours before the event. Himalayan pink salt, celtic sea salt or Redmond's real salt are great options with a higher mineral content. If your event requires you to be as light as possible, or there’s even a weigh-in, avoid salt for the 2-3 days prior to the event and ONLY add salt 2-3 hours before the event and during the event.
For moderate exercise for 1–2 hours in a temperate climate, plan on consuming 300–600 mg/hour of sodium
For strenuous exercise for 2-4+ hours in a hot/humid climate, you’ll need 600-1500 mg/hour of sodium. On the higher side for “salty sweaters”
Potassium is the forgotten electrolyte, but so important.
Many drinks and supplements do not have this electrolyte, so it’s important to consider it. Consider these on the day of your event: pickle juice, avocado, bananas, pumpkin seeds, spinach, salmon, coconut water. Add 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar to a beverage to add this electrolyte.
For moderate exercise for 1–2 hours in a temperate climate, plan on consuming 150-300 mg/hour of potassium during the event
For strenuous exercise for 2-4+ hours in a hot/humid climate, you’ll need 200-400 mg/hour of potassium during the event.
Drink regularly throughout the event (make sure you are peeing regularly and the urine stream is the color of light lemonade). 2-3 hours before the event drink about 16-20 oz of fluid (if it's hot or you tend to cramp I'd recommend a sports drink, coconut water, using an electrolyte solution, or adding salt to your water/food at your first meal).
About an hour before the event drink about 8 oz of fluid - typically a sports drink at this time to provide fuel + fluid + electrolytes
During the event take 2-3 gulps of sports drink/water every 10-20 minutes (if it's hot or you sweat a lot be sure you have a sports drink and not just water)
The more you sweat the more you need to drink and add electrolytes in! The saltier your sweat, the more electrolytes you’ll need.
- Stretch the cramping muscle or activate its opposite muscle (e.g., contract quads to release hamstring).
- Keep moving lightly to restore blood flow and flush electrolytes.
- Calm your nervous system — slow your breathing and heart rate.
- Massage the area to ease tightness and recovery.
- Refuel with electrolytes if your stomach can tolerate it.
Muscle cramps aren’t random — they’re signals from your body. With the right training, nutrition, and hydration, you can lower your risk, recover faster, and keep your performance on track.
References:
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Cause of Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC)—altered neuromuscular control, dehydration or electrolyte depletion? BrJSportsMed 2009; 43: 401–408
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Prevalence, Clinical Characteristics, and Self-Reported Treatment of Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramping Differ Between 21.1- and 56-Km Running Race Entrants—SAFER XXII. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 32(4):p 415-421, July 2022
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Factors Associated With a Self-Reported History of Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps in Ironman Triathletes: A Case–Control Study. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 21(3):p 204-210, May 2011
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Lau WY, Kato H, Nosaka K. Water intake after dehydration makes muscles more susceptible to cramp but electrolytes reverse that effect. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2019 Mar 5;5(1):e000478