An intense sport that requires stamina, coordination and power, cycling brings with it the promise of a heart-pounding cardiovascular workout and painful, grimace-inducing muscle cramps. Whether you cycle competitively, to cut down on your carbon footprint or just to keep in shape, knowing the facts about cycling and muscle cramps can help you prevent and treat this potentially painful condition.
Identification
A muscle cramp develops when a muscle in your body painfully contracts or spasms on its own, often for several minutes at a time. Muscle cramping that occurs during bicycling may involve the large muscles in your legs, including the quads, hamstrings and calves, as well as various muscles in the feet and hands. Muscle cramping may affect cyclists for a variety of reasons, including fluid imbalances in your body, sudden temperature changes in the air, low blood sugar, excessive fatigue and lack of adequate muscle conditioning or flexibility.
Symptoms
Extreme muscle pain is a hallmark symptom of muscle cramping. This pain could occur during or immediately after a bicycle ride, and its arrival is typically sudden and unexpected. In many instances, this stabbing pain may be your only sign of cycling muscle cramps, but you might also notice a lump of hardened muscle tissue marking the location of the cramping. In most cases, these cramps don't warrant medical attention, but the severe pain could distract you, which may lead to an accident if the cramping occurs while you're in the middle of cycling.
Treatment
Treatment of muscle cramps arising while cycling vary, depending upon severity. In many cases, halting your bike ride and gently massaging the affected muscle provides adequate relief and encourages the muscle to relax. Slowly stretching the affected muscle may also bring relief, especially if you use this method in conjunction with a muscle massage. If neither of these methods provides relief, consider applying a hot or cold pack directly to the affected muscle, suggests Robert Gregor, coauthor of the book "Road Cycling."
Considerations
Preparing your body adequately for bicycling can play a key role in minimizing or preventing potential muscle cramps. If you plan to participate in cross-country cycling or another form of intense or long-term cycling, make sure you give your body adequate time for training so you can properly condition your muscles. Keep your body hydrated with an electrolyte sports drink throughout your ride. Not only will it give your body extra calories for energy, but the electrolytes will help keep your fluid levels properly balanced, thus minimizing your chances of suffering from painful muscle spasms in the middle of a ride, says Ben Hewitt, author of "Mountain Biking Skills." As a rule, be prepared to consume carbohydrate-rich energy bars during the ride if you plan on cycling for more than two hours at a time.
References
- "Road Cycling"; Robert Gregor and Francesco Conconi; 2000
- MayoClinic.com: Muscle Cramp Symptoms
- "Mountain Biking Skills"; Ben Hewitt; 2005
