I seem to be getting a lot of cramp in my calves lately. Just by stretching my legs can induce it but I do not get it when riding. I recently got it on saturday and my calf is still quite painful. I take magnesium everyday as well. What could be the cause and how can I prevent it?

I'd like to know the answer to that question I get it in my feet in winter. I did think mine was the start of rhumatism may be.

My OH is really prone to cramp - he carries a film canister of salt with him on all rides to take if he gets it along with putting a pinch of salt in his water. He is a heavy salty sweater and pushes hard which seems to be a bad combination. The salt definitely helps immediately though I nag him to take electolyte replacements as there is more than sodium being lost. He takes a cal-mag supplement as well but not consistently. I bought him some Nuun tabs which you put in water and they give you an electrolyte balanced drink. I drink it and make him drink it after long hot rides and although I don't suffer with cramp as a rule it eliminates my craving for salty food (its also good to drink if a bit hungover).

Linky for Nuun:

http://www.nuun.com/

I've ordered it from the website and it is despatched from the UK. The only thing I would highlight is that they use sorbitol as a sweetener, however its not aspartame which is devil food as far as I'm concerned and I've not had any problems with it. I do react a bit to too much sorbitol but I've had a litre of drink made up with these with no ill effects.

I get the same thing - never get it when riding.
Usually get it in the middle of the night, and end up waking up shouting. Things that seem to cause it are hard exercise, followed by booze, and then if I sleep somewhere cold then that makes it worse. Have woken up a few campsites with it!

Yes I get it at night as well - I usually have to get the SO to hold my leg straight up in the air until it dies down.

Tonic water is good for it, the quinnine (sp?) apparently. We used it every day in spain recently cos hubbie suffers bad after a ride or any other hard exercise, after 1st day not a thing and we rode 6 long days. Try it, it's also cheap :-)

My sister used to dance loads and loads and got terrible leg cramps. The GP put her onto tonic water and she swears by it.

Ah, but is it the tonic water or the gin that really eases the pain..? ;-)

Tonic eh? I'll give it a go.

My sister was about 8 or 9 when the GP first prescribed tonic water. Pretty sure that she had it neat !

It tastes disgusting though, doesn't it !

Word of warning that quinnine is addictive, so not only do you get used to the taste but you start craving it too!

I find that cramp is aggrivated by dehydration, perhaps just drinking more may help

why is everything nice (I actually quite like the taste) have to be addictive !!!

I used to get it in my first year at uni.

Usually Saturday mornings, after a heavy Friday night, when I stretched in the morning.

Tesco Value Lemonade used to sort it, because it was usually the nearest thing to hand.