Muscle cramps are a common problem for athletes. Whether you’re experiencing muscle cramps post-race or run into this problem during your training, muscle pains can be a literal pain to deal with, but luckily they are typically easy to treat!
How do you know you’re having a muscle cramp? When your muscle feels like it’s contracting or getting tight and you can’t relax it, that’s a muscle cramp. There are several parts of your body where you’re most likely to get muscle cramps including arms, feet, hamstrings, side abdomen, hands, quads, and back of your calves.
So, what can you do if you’re experiencing muscle cramp pain? There are a few simple ways to treat muscle cramps from home.
Check out these helpful tips for relieving muscle cramps:
1. Stretch
When you begin feeling a muscle cramp, you should immediately stop what’s causing the cramp and stretch the area feeling pain. You can stretch the cramping muscle by gently rubbing and massaging it with your hands to help it relax. Continue to gently stretch a massage the area until it feels like the cramp pain is gone.
Tip – Remember, even if you’re not experiencing muscle cramps, it’s important to stretch before and after you exercise.
2. Apply Heat/Cold
Applying heat soon after cramping starts can help soothe the pain that comes with muscle cramps since it helps the muscle loosen up. You can do this by taking a warm bath or shower and letting the hot water run on the area feeling the tightness. A heating pad or a warm towel can also help if you’re unable to hop in the shower/tub.
After the pain subsides after heat application, it’s helpful to apply cold to the area where it was tight. This helps reduce pain and swelling. You can do this with an ice pack or a bag of ice.
3. Take OTC Pain Relief
If you’ve tried to stretch/massage the area and apply heat and cold with no relief, you can take an over-the-counter painkiller such as ibuprofen.
Remember, it’s always important to listen to your body. Rest if you need to. If you’ve given your body time to recover and done the recommended tips above to relieve your muscle cramps and still don’t feel better, it may be time to call your doctor. If you’re having recurring muscle pain or pain for an extended period of time, you should consult your doctor as well.
A great way to prevent muscle cramps from happening is ensuring you’re stretching enough before and after your workouts and making sure you’re staying hydrated and replenishing with a drink containing sodium and potassium, as they are also known to help with muscle issues. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Looking for more tips for staying safe and pain-free during your training? Contact me today!
Train Right, Tri Right!
Coach MJ
