Lumberjacks and muscle cramps

I don't find a thread on this. I tell ya... muscle cramps sure are tough to endure! I have been working as hard as I have in years dealing with large oaks. Lots of chainsaw work, moving limbs, hauling rounds. During the night, I have been plagued with horrific leg cramps. This time, in the thigh. Man, that is ridiculous pain! I hobble around trying to stretch but it seems it doesn't do much good. I eventually make it to the nearest water bottle and down it fast as I can. This goes on for several minutes, finally subsides.

I ordered some electrolyte pills today. I usually drink quite a bit of low sugar Gatorade or Powerade but I don't have any, it has been scarce here lately. What the heck causes this other than dehydration? Is it just overworked muscles not accustomed to such demands? Anyone found a way to fix and even better, how to prevent? I try to drink plenty water, do not drink much caffeine at all anymore. I do have the occasional couple or three adult beverages and I am sure that is not good for this!

 

I got a vicious muscle cramp last year running the saw. Lots of bending and leaning at odd angles, dehydration, and working past the point I know I should take a break. I got up getting a cramp in my oblique beneath my rib cage. The pain was terrible. I was completely out of commission for a couple days. I ended up going to the doctor and getting muscle relaxants. Took those for 3 or 4 days and I was more or less fine.

Even if you’re fit, sawing and all the associated work uses a lot of muscles that for many of us don’t get used a lot. Drink lots of water, take breaks, listen to your body.

Also, the fact that you feel the pain later sounds like it could be DOMS rather than a cramp. Delayed onset muscle soreness is basically the pain you feel after a hard workout in the gym. Usually once you’re conditioned to the work you stop getting DOMS even after a really hard training session.

 

Pickle juice. Works well. When Lou Holtz coached the South Carolina Gamecocks he swore by it.

 

Eat a banana or two each day, that helps...some people find drinking pickle juice works...my mom swears by rubbing vinegar on the cramped area...I've tried it, seemed to help, but I did not get the instant relief that she gets.
My most recent bout with leg cramps lead to me taking one of my muscle relaxers (flexeril (SP?) in the middle of the night...that was the end of it.

 

As others have said dill pickle juice & bananas.

Also a teaspoon of salt will also help but I find dill pickle juice slightly more palatable.

Drink plenty of water during the day also.

Too much Gatorade-Powerade type stuff & not enough water will throw your system out of whack & can cause more cramps. If I remember correctly 3 12oz bottles of water to 1 12 bottle of sports drink is/was what recommended.

 

I don't drink near enough water.....and will not drink the reccomended amounts (15 1/2 8oz cups a day!)

But if I don't drink any water, those muscle cramps start showing up.

Cheap fix, no?

 

Cramps that are more than dehydration are frequently tied to electrolytes.
Gatorade helps, but it doesn't have a balance of electrolytes - just sodium i believe.
Bananas add potassium.
Calcium and magnesium also get depleted and need replaced.

 

Ibuprofen

 

I know what you mean about thigh cramping Yawner. I have had both legs cramp at the same time after exertion, especially right after getting up from sitting down, or while driving which is really kind of scary when it has happened. This started happening to me around the age 50. I am trying to drink more water during the day and trying to slow down a bit, but my mind doesn’t always want to accept that.

 

Yawner, I know what you mean! A quad cramp is the worst cramp I have ever had...makes a Charlie horse or ham cramp look like a piece of cake. I haven't read all the responses, but try regular old yellow Mustard. In burn season when I'm really rolling everyday, I will eat Mustard by the big spoonful. Like 5-10 spoonfuls at a time.

A year or two ago, I was telling the dear wife about Mustard or pickle juice, and she had never heard of such. So I looked it up to explain it better. Found an article that said a research paper had been written and had become accepted. Said that the harshness of the pickle juice or mustard etc in the stomach tricked the brain and pain receptors and over rode the cramps, or something to that degree without finding it and reading again. it was pretty interesting. All I can say is I'm a believer in mustard. Of course water and maybe some gatorade too trying to stay as hydrated as possible, but I don't think it's totally a hydration issue sometimes when I get really wore down.

 

DOMS is just sore muscles after an intense workout, or using muscles that haven’t been used in awhile. DOMS isn’t directly related to cramps. Cramps is from electrolyte imbalance due to dehydration and/or muscle fatigue.

Yawner sounds like your cramps are more due to muscle fatigue from overworking your quad muscles. I highly suggest getting on a regular exercise program if you are not already, not only not only to reduce your cramps and soreness, but for your overall health. Really focus on your cardio, getting into your target heart rate for at least 20 consecutive minutes per day. Use some resistance training to work your CSS muscles. Lunges and step ups should get your quads ready, some RDL’s and hamstring curls should get your hamstrings and lower back used to all the bending and picking up splits.

I work out regularly, but still get sore sometimes after a long intense CSS day, you just can’t hit all the muscles the same in the gym as in the field! I’m sure Cash Larue cam chip in with sone advice as well, he has one heck of a home gym!

 

interesting. so thats another possible cause

 

I find that potassium, calcium & magnesium along with about a gallon of water per day keeps muscle cramps at bay. Anybody got a cure for the brain cramps I keep getting as I get older?

 

Potassium supplements help me with cramps. I am religious with my vitamins every day and potassium is critical for me for cramps. Bum foot for last 20 years and if I skip my potassium I wake up 2-3 times a night with horrible cramp in my foot.

 

I wonder why no more quinine? I had always heard how great that had worked. Benadryl does make me sleepy for sure.

 

Beer.

 

Sorry to hear that BWS. My Dad had polio as a kid. He had to walk on crutches his whole life. Made the best of it, but sometimes it was just a pain.

 

This is all some great info and I am having a little bit of a dejavu moment, as I have seen much of this before, meaning, an old thread, on this forum or another one. Could have even been posted by me in years past. But as I said, I did not find it with a search.

As for the DOMS, this thread is worth it because I actually do not recall being aware of this. And, am once again reminded of pickle juice, magnesium and potassium. And the pills Dennis posted a picture of, I tried something like this years ago, got it at Walmart, I think it was the same thing. I did not stick with that, it must not have worked for me. I have been plagued by cramps off and on for several years but have not had them in a long time. I tell ya, so severe, lots of moaning going on in the middle of the night!

I would think that this is the effect of super strenuous work, which I have been doing. Rather than dehydration. Maybe a bit of both but, sheesh, I drink water, seems plenty of it.

One other thing... I think this might be tied to restless leg syndrome and I think I got it. I must move my legs often, sitting or lying down. Last night, falling asleep, I suddenly woke and it was because I kicked my right leg like kicking a football! Bizarre! Also, I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, am waiting on a CPAP machine. Reason I mention that is that I see restless leg syndrome mentioned along with sleep apnea. This might have nothing to do with these cramps. I figure it is the super demanding work. Another factor is time demands... I am pushing, not resting as much as normal, because time is of the essence on this job, I am trying to get a ton or work done quickly due to heavy equipment being on location. Trying to stay ahead of them.

Lastly, I don't recall ever having cramps as a younger man. I'm 68. But, then again, I was more regularly active as a young man. BUT... I can't think of doing anything so demanding as lumberjacking as a young man. I've had physically demanding jobs or endeavors (grew up on a farm and cattle ranch) but dealing with big wood is as hard as I have done.

 

OK my 2 cents worth I was having severe leg cramps for a while mostly in my bad leg I have drop foot in that leg due to back problems . I also had 90 % nerve loss in that leg I went to several doctors and got the same suggestions from them as most here but one said it was circulation problem . I went on paleo diet and started taking beet powder supplement ( tastes horrible to me ) within 1 week I stopped having the pain and I have taken no pain meds since I started in may of this year . The other side benefit was I lost 90# since may .I went back to the chiropractic clinic that put me on the program and my nerves have recovered in my leg to about 50% loss now I have some feeling back in the foot I also drink a lot of water with this .
That is my input but I still work myself into the ground,push too hard ,it just seems to be our nature we still think we are 17 just remember this JB