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JulieDonnelly
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Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 20
Location: Houston, TX
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 Posted: 09/14/07 - 19:37 Post subject: Stopping a cramp fast and without injury to the muscle
I've just found this forum thanks to someone sending me some 3YO messages and I wanted to share something important with you.
When people are running and they get a Charlie horse/cramp they automatically try to stretch it right away. This will cause the muscle to tear and you'll end up limping for the rest of the run and possibly for a few days later.
When a muscle starts to cramp it is following a phenomenon called the "all or nothing" response. This mean that when a muscle starts to contract it will either go all the way, or it won't go at all. In other words, a cramp is when all of the muscle fibers in your calf (for example) are contracting violently and quickly. They aren't going to stop the contraction in the middle so if you start to stretch it, the muscle is being pulled in two opposite directions, and it may tear.
I teach people to sit on the ground and put one hand behind your knee and the other hand just above the Achilles tendon, then push your hands together as hard as you can. This will really hurt, but for only 5 or 6 seconds instead of the 30 seconds that a cramp normally takes to complete. Hold the push for about a minute, waiting for your breath to return to normal again. Then let go for a few seconds and then repeat the push. The second time won't hurt, you're just making sure that all of the fibers have completed their contraction.
Next you grab the calf muscle just below your knee joint and start to squeeze it and roll it, just like you were kneading bread dough. Work from the back of your knee to your ankle, all the while with the intention of lengthening the muscle toward your foot. This will feel wonderful so keep it up for a few minutes. You are forcing out the lactic acid that was just formed during the cramp and you are drawing in blood to the muscle fibers. The blood will nourish and heal the muscle.
After you finish this you can stretch the muscles. Be sure to do both the normal gastrocnemius stretch that everyone knows, and the soleus stretch where you bend your back knee while keeping your heel on the ground.
You'll be able to get back to running again after just a few minutes, and you won't be limping so you'll make up the lost time.
Wishing you well,
Julie Donnelly
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