Cramps in upper legs, calves, and feet.

[droopy0021]

Some more Calcium info:

-Body absorbs calcium much better when combined with magnesium
-Vitamin D also helps absorption
The product I listed (label) in earlier post has both of these. I was told this is the best we can get. I sweat a lot and am looking forward to taking this before workouts in the summer (hoops in non-airconditioned gym).

Some bad forms:
-oyster shell calcium
-carbonate calcium (often found at chain drug stores, recommended by doctors)--it can bloat & constipate people

[kazana]

[ QUOTE ]
This might be a revealing read. There are several points related to calf/ankle flexibility.

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Wow. Great article, and the descriptions fit me almost perfectly. Thanks a heap, bookmarked.

[kazana]

[ QUOTE ]
Some more Calcium info:

-Body absorbs calcium much better when combined with magnesium
-Vitamin D also helps absorption
The product I listed (label) in earlier post has both of these. I was told this is the best we can get. I sweat a lot and am looking forward to taking this before workouts in the summer (hoops in non-airconditioned gym).

Some bad forms:
-oyster shell calcium
-carbonate calcium (often found at chain drug stores, recommended by doctors)--it can bloat & constipate people

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks for this. I'll switch to corals magnsium/calcium. The supplements I currently use are carbonate based, but I haven't had any problems with bloating or constipation.
I'm getting enough Vitamin D (part of cod liver oil supplements), so that should be fine, I guess.

[Grasshopp3r]

How long should I wait to resume running after calf cramps? How do I tell the difference between cramps and a calf pull? What benchmarks should I use before resuming running? 100 calf raises? Jogging?

[kyleb]

Calcium is absorbed much better when combined with Magnesium, but Magnesium is rendered effectively useless since it competes for receptor sites. A good idea might be to take Calcium/Magnesium supplements during the day and ZMA at night.

Cramps are caused due to sodium/potassium imbalances, and it's usually due to not having enough potassium or water in your system to transport it. Make sure you're getting enough potassium and water during your long distance running days. I'd say make sure you get enough salt, but most people get plenty (though serious runners [10-12 mi] need to look into it) through their regular diet.

EDIT: Also, if you're on certain types of thermogenics, you might need to supplement Taurine to avoid cramps, specifically in your legs.

[Grasshopp3r]

I currently take the combo calcium/magnesium tablets. I will try the ZMA, too.

After I have cramps or a muscle pull, what is the recovery benchmark that I can use to determine when to go back out on a run? I hate to go out and reinjure or have to hobble/walk back. I thought that I was healed when I did 25 minutes on an elyptical and my calves felt fine, but they cramped up on my run yesterday.