Final hundred meters. Final push to see if I can get that PB.
Cramp! Cramp!
Ever got that horrible feeling during a race or a training run?
Been struck down in your prime by a cramp attack?
Well, in this video, we'll be demystifying exercise related cramps.
We'll be looking at what they are, what kind of runner is likely to get cramp.
We'll be looking at the science behind them,
asking how you can help prevent them and we'll be busting some cramp related myths.
So stay tuned for that.
Plus we'll give you our top tip for treating cramp at the end of this video,
but first help us out in what we're trying to do by clicking subscribe and
tapping on that bell icon. So you get notified when we upload new videos,
all about running, which we do every single week.
So to start off with what is exercise associated Cramp? Well,
it's been described as involuntary skeletal muscle contraction,
which is really painful and can affect athletes of all levels.
In fact, the tennis player Sabine Lisicki,
actually had to be stretchered off the court at the French open in 2011 with
exercise related muscle cramps.
It just goes to show how painful they can be and that they can affect all levels
of athlete from amateur through to elite.
The annoying thing about cramp is that it's very unpredictable making it a scary
prospect for runners. Who've experienced it in the past,
and it's very difficult to monitor,
especially in science studies and experiments.
So what do we know about muscle cramping from science? Well,
actually there's a lot of conflicting argument about what causes it and what you
can do to prevent it.
One thing science does agree on if you've had cramped before,
it's the best indicator to suggest if you're going to have it again.
There have been a lot of conflicting reasons put forward as a potential cause for cramps.
One long held theory was that it was to do with a lowering of electrolytes,
but there's actually a lack of scientific studies to back this up. And in fact,
recent studies have shown that there's no difference in electrolyte levels
between crampers and non-campers at marathon events.
Another theory refers to something called altered neuro muscular control.
But the problem with this one is that it doesn't give any cures or any suggested
preventative measures.
The basis of this theory is that when the muscles are extremely fatigued,
as they are the end of a race,
the nerves malfunction and get locked into a sort of on position,
unable to turn themselves off. Spicy drinks have even been developed,
to try and to shock those receptors into resetting and thus alleviate some of the
cramp pain.
What most of the science agrees on is that there are probably a multitude of
factors that lead to cramp and simplifying the pain to one singular cause
is not possible.
So, onto some other potential myths about exercise related cramps.
Now like a lot of very common problems, stitches, for example,
there's always going to be a lot of different views about
the best way to prevent and treat cramps. So in fact, we run a poll with you,
our Running Channel community to see what came out top when it came to
preventing and treating them.
Top of the polls across all socials was to have an electrolyte drink.
But as we've mentioned before,
it's been thought for a long time that your hydration status plays a part in
preventing crumping and whilst electrolyte drinks can help your performance
in other ways, they're no guarantee when it comes to cramps.
But a small study in 2019 looked to other nutritional elements involved in
cramping. And that study found a link between a lower level of carbohydrates,
and lack of energy,
leading to cramping in runners who were already predisposed towards it.
It's important to point out that this study was carried out on just four athletes.
So the results might not be universal,
but the study did point out that there should be more nutritional values
considered alongside cramping than just salt and electrolytes.
Eat bananas. This is another theory of how to reduce cramp.
The theory goes that if you raise the levels of magnesium and carbohydrates in
your body, you're less likely to get cramps or alleviate those you already have.
However, a study found that it takes about 60 minutes for one serving about one and a
half bananas to change your potassium levels.
So if you're using it as a way to stop cramp, when it happens,
it might not be the best route. And if you're using it as a preventative,
well then we're back to what we were talking about, salt and electrolyte levels,
not being a definite way to stop cramp.
Drink pickle juice.
Now this is obviously not what everyone wants to do when they get cramp.
And it may be a little impractical to carry pickle juice with you on every run,
just in case you get cramp.
But some people have found benefits from drinking pickle juice.
Although the why is still a mystery. It's been suggested it could be the sodium content,
or it could be the triggering of similar nerve receptor's to those mentioned in
the altered neuromuscular control theory.
Eat mustard. Luckily, this is also just a myth,
a little bit like the bananas and pickle juice.
It takes a long time for the nutrients to get into your blood.
So any short term effects or bonus is unexplained.
So now we've looked at the myths.
So what is the best way to actually prevent cramp? Well,
unfortunately the answer isn't quite as straightforward as, eat a banana,
stay hydrated and you'll be fine.
We still don't know exactly what causes cramp.
So it's hard to give a precise prevention method.
The most up-to-date research suggests there are many different causes behind
cramps, which vary between different individuals.
Therefore cramping should be treated on a case by case basis.
And you should experiment with what works best personally,
for you rather than taking blanket advice.
Some research suggests that pacing could be a contributing factor and that
runners who go off too fast in a race and then experience cramp, it's because
they've overestimated their fitness. However,
the counter argument to this is that it's actually the cramp that slows them
down and not the other way around.
Another theory for prevention,
looked to how lower body resistance exercises can lead to less cramping.
The study, looking at muscle damage and its relation to cramping, found that cramping
might be related to muscles when they're fatigued to the point of muscle damage.
48% Of the non crampers in the study did regular lower
body resistance training compared to just a quarter of the crampers.
Now this could be a complete coincidence or it could be that regular, lower body
resistance training acts as a prevention to muscle damage. And therefore,
as a prevention to cramping.
Like we said before, though, following blanket advice is never a good idea.
For example, look at the dehydration theory.
If you're not dehydrated and you take on masses and masses of water to try and
prevent cramps, then you could be over hydrated, leading to hypernatremia,
which is a far more dangerous condition than the cramps you were trying to prevent.
So, if you're prone to bad cramping and want to stop it from happening in future
runs and races,
it's best to work with a professional and create a tailored plan for you. This
way you can stop it happening and hopefully prevent further health implications.
So now we know what a cramp is and we've debunked some myths surrounding it.
What is the best way to treat a cramp if you get it while you're out on a run?
Well, the best way to alleviate the pain is simply to stop your run and try some
gentle, static stretching until the pain subsides.
If it doesn't go straight away, well,
it might be better to have a gentle walk back and stop your run to prevent
making it any worse.
Do you often suffer from cramps? Have you found anything that works for you?
Let us know in the comments below and we'll see you next time on The Running Channel.