Why do my feet cramp when I am swimming?

Question

I used to get a TON of cramps in my arches when I first started spinning, but I loosened my shoes a little, and as my muscles in my feet got stronger for standing on the pedals for prolonged periods... they eventually stopped.

However, recently I started swimming laps - real honest to God laps with my face in the water and using the freestyle stroke, etc. Quite often, my feet will cramp when I am swimming. I feel the cramp in the arch of my foot, most often toward the heel, and it make my toes curl up.

I can usually get rid of them by just pulling my toes back and stretching the muscle for a minute... but on occasion, that won't even work and the cramp remains for 2-3 minutes before it subsides.

Once I get a cramp... they happen over and over throughout the rest of my workout.

Does anyone know why? I am not doing anything strenuous with my feet... they are just kind of hanging out behind me... my arms and legs are doing all the work.

Anyway to stop it from happening??

Answer 1

hi i swim on a swim team and i know ectially what you are going through. i have expiernced some of the weiderst cramps ever but the one you are talking about happens to me A L O T! depends on what your age is. i just went through a giant groth spirt in a short amount of time. that has caused me to cramp up like crazy. my sujustion is to streach your feet along with all the muculs in your legs arms etc. ( this might help) http://health.howstuffworks.com/how-to-c...

personially from my own expierance... i cramp less if i streach all of my body not just the mucles that cramp up. i streach befeore i go to bed. when i wake up(recamended because your muceles are warm and freash from your sleep. before and after your work out. best to streach after you work out because then your body is tence and tight and wants to grow. if you let it sit and grow while it is tight you will only become more tighter. STREACH STREACH STREACH. but if you are  like me and just grew it is your body saying it is still learning you and that you are going to cramp up no matter what. i sujust makeing your self banana milk shakes my favorite has potassium and calcium. or eating a banana with peanut butter potassium and protien. all three of these will help your cramping so try to eat as much potissium calcium and protien as possible. and mom and dad are right dark green veggies will help your body in all situitations. greens wont hurt. i hope my long responce has satisfied you but now i gota go to bed gota skl in the morning :D enjoyed anwsering a Q that relates to me. by swimmer

Answer 2

Are they too small or you might want to consider buying some comfortable kind

Answer 3

This would happen to my daughter during swimming and her coach said that she needs to drink lots of water and eat bananas and potatos...potassium, i'm guessing..ayhow it worked and she has'nt had a cramp since!

Answer 4

This used to happen to me a lot during swimming practise. The reason I used to get foot cramps was from dehydration. When kicking, our toes are pointed and we're keeping our muscles in one spot, so they can get a little tight. And if you aren't drinking anything during your workout, you can get dehydrated and your muscles can get cramped up. The bets way to stop it is stretch before going in and drinking water or gatorade or something while swimming.

Answer 5

It's a number of things. First as the other person said make sure you take in plenty of liquids and food before you start. It's partly because your feet need to get used to the shape you're putting them in and partly because you're tired and have used up all the oxygen in your red blood cells. You'll get used to it quite quickly if you do it regularly.

Answer 6

OMG, that is the worst feeling besides a charlie horse in the calf. LOL!

You need POTASSIUM. Add that and you should be fine. Are you pointing your toes while swimming??? That could also be the culprit.