Why You’re Cramping — And What the Evidence Actually Says to Do About It
You’re 70 minutes into a game or a long run and then it hits; that sudden, vice-like seize in your hamstring or calf that stops you dead. You hobble to the sideline, someone hands you a banana and tells you to drink more water, and you spend the next ten minutes wondering if your race or match is done. Sound familiar? For anyone who has played sport in the Sutherland Shire summer heat, muscle cramps are an unwelcome but very common companion.
The frustrating part is that most of the advice you hear — drink more, eat more salt, load up on electrolytes — is only part of the picture. The science on exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC) has actually shifted considerably over the last decade, and it’s worth understanding what’s really going on.Read More
