How to stop a charley horse?

Question

Ok, i have been running xc for 3 years now. my mile is 5:19, im going to be a freshman. before a race i stretch. especualy my thys. i do about 3 types of streches for them and hold for 15 sec. I also stretch at the end of a race. although when i get done with the race and...say an hour later i will get a charely horse cramp in one sometimes both legs at the same time....i dont know what to do?

Answer 1

My wife swears that acupressure applied by squeezing the upper lip stops hers immediately.  The action is exactly as you would pinch your nose shut if you were jumping into water feet first.  Or if you wanted to clear your ears by blowing against a blocked nose.  But of course, you squeeze your upper lip instead of your nose.

I should tell you, I seldom have the problem but when I do the acupressure trick doesn't do me a bit of good.

A proper diet that includes bananas and a good source of depleted electrolytes will help as well.  Do try the trick though and squeeze pretty hard.  If it works great and if it doesn't it hasn't cost you a dime.

BTW, 5:19 in XC ain't too shabby.  Keep working on it.  You know as well as anyone you can do better, just push yourself.  BTW, I wouldn't be much competition for you.  On my best day of XC running I was at 5:30 or so and that was 45 years ago...

Answer 2

ice after! and talk to your coach about it

also, it helps to walk around and stay loose after the race! DO NOT SIT DOWN! you'll get cramps and other horrible things like charley horses!

Answer 3

this happens to me a lot after hard workouts and they kill. Sometimes you can run them off if you get them on your cool down post-race. If you stretch out your leg and point and flex your foot it can help them to go away quicker but hurts alot as you do it. These things hardly ever mean you have a real injury so waiting it out and the stuff above has been my best solution.

Your going to be good in high school if you can run a 5:19 in middle school=]

Answer 4

eat pottasium (Banannas) and drink Gatorade (it does work). after you get a charlie horse (and can stop and do something about it) kneed where it is like you would a thing of dough. Just go in little circles with the thumbs over it until it feels alittle better.