pain in calf

[lwseymour]

Hi ladies,
I'm asking this question in hopes of helping my neighbor/friend who I walk with almost every night. She is having the really nasty cramps in the calf that wake her up in the night. I have done a search on the Cathe forum and the Firm forum and couldn't find anything regarding this.

Anybody know how to prevent these painful cramps or what causes them? Thanks for any suggestions.

Lisa

 

[Marlene123]

I remember reading somewhere that taking some calcium supplements at night might help. Get calcium citrate (absorbed more easily) with Vitamin D and magnesium added.

Worth a try anyway.

Marlene

 

[Aquajock]

Aquajock not being a doctor, she has the following suggestions for things to think about:

Check to make sure shoes are appropriate for fitness walking, for your friend's feet, and are in good condition; they may be old and worn down especially re arch support;

Do a brief calf and hamstring stretch 5 minutes into the walk, and then do an extended calf, hamstring and quad stretch at the end of it; make sure to stretch the gastrocnemius and the soleus of the calf;

Start doing some focused calf strengthening exercises (standing heel raises legs straight, standing heel raises knees slightly bent; can be done feet flush on the floor or with balls of feet on a step and heels able to hang down a bit lower than the toes off the step; can be done two-legged or one-legged; can be done with just body weight or with a weight in one or both hands);

Check to make sure walking form is correct, incorporating the entire foot in each stride (heel through ball of foot) rather than letting the front of the foot take all the weight.

Just some thoughts . . .

Annette

 

[AlisonK]

One other suggestion would be to make sure she is drinking plenty of water everyday. You can be dehydrated before you actually feel thirsty.


Alison

 

[kathryn]

There was a recent thread here about calf pain and foot pain, but I can't remember what it was called. I don't have time now to redo the recommendations I left there, but may return later!

 

[artmaker]

Leg cramps can be due to a number of reasons--one of the simplest being a need for more vitamin e. I upp'd my broccoli consumption when I had them, and it helped.

If they persist, she might want to check with a doctor, as they can be due to blockage in the arteries.

 

[kristina]

In addition to proper shoes, hydration, and stretching, another common culprit of calf cramps is potassium deficiency. A small banana and glass of water after your walk may help your friend.
If it keeps up more than a few weeks, I second the "go to the doctor" advice. I hope she feels better!