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Thread: Cramps

  1. #1
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    Cramps

    Whenever I get out of my hammock I seem to have a 50/50 chance of getting terrible cramps in my calves that last around three to five minutes. Anyone have ideas what this is and or how to prevent it


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    Senior Member LuvmyBonnet's Avatar
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    Eat a banana before bed. Potassium helps alleviate cramps.
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    Cramps

    I was wondering about that... I sometimes have the same thing happen to me, though they last 15 seconds or so. I was thinking it was a circulation thing from lying in the hammock. For me, bananas are not an option for backpacking or canoe camping. Anyone have another option that works?
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    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TrailBlaser View Post
    I was wondering about that... I sometimes have the same thing happen to me, though they last 15 seconds or so. I was thinking it was a circulation thing from lying in the hammock. For me, bananas are not an option for backpacking or canoe camping. Anyone have another option that works?
    Potassium pills...https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/na...a509fc1a495e75
    Dried banana chips is another option.
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    I suffer from the same problem - although potassium helps magnesium is probably a better supplement or at least it was for me because a lot of my problems stems from dehydration.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Shug View Post
    Potassium pills...https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/na...a509fc1a495e75
    Dried banana chips is another option.
    Shug
    Thanks Shug, good ideas. It is a strange thing though, I never get cramps other than getting out of the hammock. I drink lots of water when in the backcountry, so I don't think it is dehydration.

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    Senior Member gargoyle's Avatar
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    Take 5 or 10 minutes to do some stretching.
    A long drive or hike will/can cause lactic build up.
    Loosen up those muscles.
    Stay hydrated.
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    ObdewlaX's Avatar
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    Dehydration can cause cramps & is exactly what I experienced my last outing. Woke up in the middle of the night with my thigh cramping & realized I didn't drink enough agua on the trail that day. Like others have said, stay hydrated!

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    I've had this same problem the few times I've hammock camped so far and just like you, this doesn't happen at home in my bed. These hammock camping instances were all motorcycle/car camping so I don't think it's from dehydration. My current theory is that it has to do with knee hyper-extension so next time I'm going to bring a small pillow to put under my knees while I'm in the hammock to see if that makes any difference.

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    Senior Member Deadwood's Avatar
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    There is no doubt dehydration and muscle fatigue will cause cramps but I think, as with any thing, there will be almost as many reasons for cramps as there are responses. I have leg and foot cramps occasionally when sleeping in my bed but I have leg and foot cramps EVERY TIME I sleep in my hammocks. Some times I don't hike or do anything strenuous, just sleep in my hammock out on the deck on a weekend and I will have cramps. Sometime during the night they wake me and sometimes it's just when I get out of the hammock like the OP but I have them at some point every time I use my hammock. I have tried supplements, bananas and other fruits, pickle juice, etc. and I sleep with a pillow under my knees and none seem to have any effect on whatever causes my cramps. The type of hammock doesn't seem to matter either. I have both gathered end and bridge hammocks and I have these issues with them all. I don't know if it's just wishing for an answer but I have found only two things that I can attribute my cramps, right or wrong. One is cold weather. Even though it doesn't get COLD here in Georgia, if it gets to 32 deg and I am out in the cold for more than a few hours, when I get in my hammock I can count on my feet and legs cramping as they warm up. The other thing with a hammock is sleeping on my back. I cannot sleep on my back in my bed. I can sleep on my back in my hammocks, though not soundly, but that and the fact I move in my bed but typically don't move much in my hammock may have something to do with it. It will be interesting to see how others are affected and remedies you might have. Even the pickle juice isn't as bad as trying to escape from a TQ and zipped bug net with my leg tied in a square knot from cramping.

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