cramps

[STIFFLER]

Howdy all

I want to know what causes inner upper leg cramping.

I,m riding a mtb, have no probs with calfs,hams or quads just those damm inners.

Is my seating incorrect, not standing enough, stretching ?

Please somebody,help

[jannosmit]

USN cramp block works very well, post, during and after. R49 for 30caps @ Dischem

[crankbrother]

The muscle that cramps is your sartorius muscle.

Its the longest muscle in the body. It assists in flexion, abduction and lateral rotation of hip, and flexion of knee, all movements associated with cycling. It gets overworked and tired quicker than the other muscles you use during cycling i.e quad, hamstring. It could also be that the way you' cycle puts more stress on your sartorius. Mine also cramps @ times. The more you cycle the less it will cramp. Exercise to strenghten the muscle: do the movement to similate checking under your shoe (in front of the other leg) to see if you stepped in poo.

hope it helps

[DMD 1]

Exercise to strenghten the muscle: do the movement to similate checking under your shoe (in front of the other leg) to see if you stepped in poo.

hope it helps

 

This is a real crappy answer :lol:

 

Is the simple answer rather not to spend more time in the saddle or ride at a slower pace as not to tire the muscle to early on.

 

When you cramp, should you stop or just reduce your pace and ride through it?

[Belhammel]

1. Get your setup checked.

 

2. There is no scientific proof as to why we cramp or what can prevent it.

 

During hard riding it happens easier. Thus most likely overuse. Train more and it should dissapear.

[trekpostal]

I recently experienced the same after two rides - I got myself some slowmag and problem solved - the body must have been low on mag as I have not used it in years. I believe that it is the way that your body tells you want it needs

[rouxtjie]

I cramp in the exact same spot for what it's worth...always carry a rennie or two and it works great for

 

1.Cramps

2.Heartburn from the pepper steak pie I had for breakfast

 

Use it...dont use it, do longer LSD rides to get muscles used to hammering

[Caerus]

What I did find interesting was that the Doctor on Supercycling on Monday said that none of the cramp medication or anything else works, except for one thing(cant remember the name) but that one thing is not available over the counter.

 

Did anyone else see this?

[Black Widdow]

Always love reading about cramps

 

I had my fair share of cramp, tried all pills & potions, drinks "quick fixes" etc.. NONE worked for me.

 

The only thing that stopped my cramps was training, lots of training. Obviously yes, your bike setup must be correct & drink enough potassium & electrolytes, if so, start putting on miles. If you cramp, your muscles are not used to that intensity and/or distance. How to stop cramping - make them use to that distance and/intensity

[Coiser]

During training you might ride at say a 29 ave but come race day you average goes up to 35+ which means you put more strain on your muscles. As your muscles are not use to this intensity you tend to cramp. Rennies seem to work. Last season I started training with a cadence meter where I force myself to keep the cadence on 85-90 rpm's.By doing this you put constant strain on your various leg muscles which means your muscles now become use to a more intense training session than before the cadence meter.It works for me. Cramping is a lot less and the intensity of the cramp is also less. Two years ago I had to sit for an hour on suikerbossie because of intense cramping. Wasnt fun at all.

[Caerus]

During training you might ride at say a 29 ave but come race day you average goes up to 35+ which means you put more strain on your muscles. As your muscles are not use to this intensity you tend to cramp. Rennies seem to work. Last season I started training with a cadence meter where I force myself to keep the cadence on 85-90 rpm's.By doing this you put constant strain on your various leg muscles which means your muscles now become use to a more intense training session than before the cadence meter.It works for me. Cramping is a lot less and the intensity of the cramp is also less. Two years ago I had to sit for an hour on suikerbossie because of intense cramping. Wasnt fun at all.

 

 

I got cramp so bad, I cramped into the foetal position, stuck in a puddle on a rock for about half an hr. The pddle was red from my blood as I had fallen off the bike as well. I had to get pulled/ stretched apart by my arms & legs.

 

This taught me a valueable lesson in that training is the only way to beat the cramps, cause no matter what I took or tried did nothing.

[KnobbyMech]

Had cramp problems but since I stated drinking "Re-hydrate" before and during the race my problems stopped. Also great alternative in between that sweet sips from the energy drinks.

[Woofie]

Cramping is most of the time from not being used to the intensity and distance.

 

Cramp block, rennies etc etc etc are all in your mind.

 

Trust me, been there many times too.

 

The only thing that helped me was upping time in saddle and intensity.

[HSW]

I had a lot of cramps on day 1 of the Grape Escape. Took USN Cramp Block and Slo Mag during day 2 and 3 along with eating more regularly during the race and had no more cramps on day 2 and 3.

[MyGT]

does the style riding (always seated) cause this muscle to cramp?

i used to suffer as well and until recently when i changed my style of riding. i used initially ride pushing heavier gears and low cadence, alternating between seated and standing riding, no problems. then changed the riding to be more seated high cadence, then bam, cramp is there. so i now i have incorporated both riding styles when i ride, and the cramps come very much later.

[Woofie]

does the style riding (always seated) cause this muscle to cramp?

i used to suffer as well and until recently when i changed my style of riding. i used initially ride pushing heavier gears and low cadence, alternating between seated and standing riding, no problems. then changed the riding to be more seated high cadence, then bam, cramp is there. so i now i have incorporated both riding styles when i ride, and the cramps come very much later.

 

There is some merit in that.

 

I read some writeup of Dr Jeroen Swart somewhere where he describes how each time your muscle works it gets little impulses through the nerves and hense it contracts etc.

Now one of the things that they have found is that when your muscles cramp, it is as if they are receiving an "over" excited series of signals which will make them lock up.

If they could relax (or control) these signals going to the muscles, they could potentially stop cramping all together, but then the payoff would be permanent muscle damage.

Your body cramps for a reason.

As soon as it has gone past what it is capabile of doing it will "over excite" the signals causing you to lock up and forcing you to stop.

 

He also mentioned in the writings that if you are feeling like you are going to cramp, it would actually be better to relax on the spinning and rather go slower and use a harder gear.

Having less signals going into the muscle will cause it last longer before cramping, but that also goes hand in hand with less effort.

So if you are cramping on suikerbossie, dont shift into a bigger gear and go slower, because your total effort is still going to be through the roof.

You will then need to get off and walk or keep in your lowest gear, shift your weight differently in your saddle to work other leg muscles and help your cramping leg with your hand. It even helps to push (massage) your finger hard into the muscle that wants to cramp as you are riding and that will also help to keep it from locking.