Causes and Treatment of Muscle Cramps During Outdoor Activities
Among sports injuries, the most common phenomenon—muscle cramps. During the support of various levels of marathon races by the Track and Field Association, there has been a record of treating over 1,000 cases of muscle cramps, which shows just how common they are in the sports world.
So what exactly is a muscle cramp? A muscle cramp is actually a muscle spasm, referring to the involuntary and forceful contraction of muscles in a certain part of the body, and the inability to relax quickly. The most common areas for cramps are the back of the lower leg, the back of the thigh, and the front of the thigh. In addition, cramps can also occur in the feet, fingers, arms, abdomen, and even the small muscles between the ribs.
When a cramp occurs, the entire muscle becomes stiff, and sometimes you can even see the muscle twitching under the skin. The duration of a muscle spasm may disappear after a few seconds, or it may last for more than 15 minutes. If not treated promptly or if the original activity is not stopped, it may recur repeatedly in a short period of time.
The true cause of muscle cramps during exercise is still not conclusively determined, but it is generally believed to be the result of the interaction of many factors.
Phenomena and causes of muscle cramps:
1. Lack of sufficient stretching before exercise;
2. Muscle fatigue due to overuse;
3. Exercising in excessively hot weather;
4. Sudden changes in environmental temperature;
5. Excessive loss of fluids;
6. Electrolyte imbalance;
7. Incorrect exercise posture;
8. Excessive emotional stress;
9. Unbalanced diet, side effects of medications, etc.
Treatment of muscle cramps:
1. Immediately stop the current activity;
2. Move to a cool, ventilated area and replenish fluids, with sports drinks being particularly effective;
3. Slowly stretch the cramped muscle, and you can also gently massage the affected area;
4. During treatment, heat therapy or cold therapy can be used as supplementary measures. Both sports sprays and hot/cold compress packs can be quite effective.
Preventing muscle cramps
Before exercising<>and<>during the activity, emphasize stretching exercises.
During exercise, while replenishing fluids, also take in sodium (salt) and electrolytes to maintain a balance of potassium and sodium in the body. Drinking sports drinks such as Pocari Sweat can replenish both sodium and electrolytes, while also allowing the gastrointestinal tract to quickly absorb fluids, reducing the burden on the stomach and intestines. (Eating fruit with a bit of salt not only enhances flavor but also helps balance potassium levels.)
Engage in moderate and progressive exercise. Muscle cramps are the body’s way of warning us that the current level of activity exceeds our capacity. In other words, our regular amount of exercise is insufficient, and we need to train more. When cramps occur during cycling, in addition to the aforementioned emergency treatments, it’s important to apply heat and massage the affected areas at home for several days afterward to disperse and dilute the lactic acid; otherwise, cramps are likely to recur.
Special causes of muscle cramps in cycling
Gear ratio: Gear ratio<>is also one of the causes of muscle cramps. You can try using a lighter gear ratio (according to UCI regulations, the gear ratios for juniors are lighter than those for adults, precisely to protect the development of minors). Therefore, using a lighter gear ratio and practicing higher cadence is definitely the right approach. When climbing steep or bumpy sections, opting for a slightly lighter gear ratio offers unexpected advantages.However, a gear ratio that is<>might sometimes make you feel impatient, but as long as you’re not in a rush, you’ll gradually come to appreciate the benefits of a<>gear ratio.
Improper cycling posture: A saddle that is too low, too far forward, or too far back can create uneven strain on the knees or muscles. There have even been cases of cruciate ligament tears in the knee due to this. For cycling posture, please pay attention to correcting it using the "three-point adjustment method."
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