Legs cramping during/after hard running...how to stop?

[1C5]

I am kind of out of ideas here.

My quads and calves often cramp when doing hard fitness or playing soccer.

Basically from lots of running/sprinting.

So why is this? Am I just out of shape or am I lacking water and/or salt or what?

I am in good shape though so that kind of rules out the out of shape part. Can run a mile in just over 5 minutes.

Any ideas??

[Mrs. Utah]

Probably dehydration-water or better yet electrolyte drink-and stretch out before and after.

[Boris]

Yo dude, you need more Potassium.

[DrPublo]

I used to have this problem a lot in my right calf and it would really prevent me from running longer than about a mile. I tried v. thorough stretching, drinking lots of water...nothing helped. So I did two things.

First, I went to one of those fancy running stores and had one of their people analyze my stride and suggest an appropriate shoe. Yeah, you pay a little more, but if the store is worth its salt at all the new shoes will be worth it. Turns out my arch was flattening as a ran and it caused stress on the calf. I got a stiffer soled shoe and it fixed most of the problem.

Second, I started a workout program that also involved calf exercises (standing and seated calf raises). Strengthening the muscle also helps avoid cramps.

Good luck.

The Doc

[asdf11]

Stretch before. Keep hydrated. Get calcium and magnesium through supplements. Get potassium through fruits and vegetables.

[guids]

Bannanas.

[alebron]

Barefoot running cured me of all my calf/shin problems. I started very very gradually, like a quarter mile of jogging on a grass field per week, and over the course of 6 months got up to 2 mi of tempo running on grass twice per week (but still no more than 5% of my total weekly mileage). YMMV, but it's worth trying.

[Mermade]

I play ultimate frisbee. The night before the second day of a two day tournament a bunch of the college-age players on our team elevate their legs above their head for 15-20 minutes. They say that this drains the lactic acid which has built up in their extremities and moves it towards the core of the body. They say this prevents that day after burn that some of us are very familiar with when you play and run very hard. Honestly to me this sounds like complete B.S. I think they are wasting their time and looking ridiculous besides. But then they were also the ones to introduce to me the concept of dynamic stretching (which I also thought was pretty stupid) so who knows? Anyone else hear of this?

[guids]

[ QUOTE ]
I play ultimate frisbee. The night before the second day of a two day tournament a bunch of the college-age players on our team elevate their legs above their head for 15-20 minutes. They say that this drains the lactic acid which has built up in their extremities and moves it towards the core of the body. They say this prevents that day after burn that some of us are very familiar with when you play and run very hard. Honestly to me this sounds like complete B.S. I think they are wasting their time and looking ridiculous besides. But then they were also the ones to introduce to me the concept of dynamic stretching (which I also thought was pretty stupid) so who knows? Anyone else hear of this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Ultimate frissbee huh? Youre stoned, they are just trying to [censored] with your head.

[aheravi]

I'm really surprised no one has suggested "stop running" yet.