šš½āāļøWith the Games around the corner, chances are we will see a couple of top athletes getting cramps soon. But why is that?
š¤Do you tend to cramp a lot during exercise?ā£
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šš¼Learn about the main reasons in our new post on exercise-associated muscle cramping.ā£
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Main take-aways:ā£
1. Sodium blood levels and hydration do not matter.ā£
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2. Race speed and duration, as well as a history of cramps are the most reliable predictors of future cramps.ā£
š”So, in other words: the longer and harder an event, the more likely it is to cause cramps. Nothing else besides overall fatigue (and susceptibility to cramps) really seems to correlate with the occurrence of cramps.
šļø Therefore, pacing and avoiding to go all out too early is key for athletes to avoid cramps during long and intense challenges. In contrast, maintaining circulating sodium levels doesn't seem to matter too much.
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Reference:ā£
Br J Sports Med. 2011 Jun;45(8):650-6.
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#crossfit #fitness #cramp #cramps #weightlifting #powerlifting #games #open #nutrition #diet #sodium #data #science
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