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What causes calf cramps when swimming? How to prevent them effectively!
The phenomenon of calf cramps when swimming causes pain that makes the swimmer stop suddenly. Or it is dangerous when swimming if you are in deep water or far from shore. Or more dangerously, it can cause dangerous drowning. So what are the causes of this condition? What is the solution to ensure avoiding bad incidents that may arise?
What is a cramp?
Cramps are sudden muscle contractions that cause severe pain in the muscles and make movement more difficult. Cramps often occur in the knees, ankles, or can occur in the hips, thighs, hands, legs, abdominal muscles, etc.
Cramps affect swimming
Cramps can occur at any age. However, the most common subjects to experience this phenomenon are those who play sports regularly and the elderly.
Having cramps while swimming is very dangerous, reducing swimming ability, and in the most serious cases leading to dangerous drowning. Therefore, to avoid unwanted incidents that may occur, you need to know how to prevent and limit cramps.
Calf Cramps While Swimming - Causes and Remedies
Provide water and electrolytes
The first culprit that causes calf cramps when swimming is insufficient water and electrolytes. Because when swimming, your body moves in water and you still sweat, leading to dehydration. Therefore, if you do not provide enough water and electrolytes, it can lead to calf cramps.
Solution in this case: Make it a habit to drink enough water during exercise, even if you don't feel thirsty.
In addition, cramps can occur due to electrolyte imbalance. This is a deficiency of calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and bicarbonate in the body. To balance electrolytes, you should supplement dairy products and potassium from fruits such as bananas, etc.
Calf cramps while swimming due to lack of water and electrolytes
Muscle condition
In addition to the phenomenon of cramps due to lack of water and electrolytes, muscle condition is one of the factors that cause this phenomenon. With weak muscles, poor endurance will not be enough to meet the increasing intensity of exercise. When swimming, high-intensity exercise leads to muscle damage, lack of oxygen affecting activity. This is the factor that causes cramps.
Besides, swimming is a moderate exercise sport so many people often skip or rarely practice muscle training exercises.
To overcome calf cramps when swimming in this case: Practice muscle strengthening exercises: weight training or aerobic exercises added to your daily exercise routine will help improve your fitness effectively. In addition, determine the intensity and duration of each swimming session to best suit your needs, avoiding overtraining. In addition, you should warm up with careful movements on the shore before entering the water.
Weak muscles are a factor in causing calf cramps.
Swimming with fins
Swimming with fins is also one of the factors that cause calf cramps when swimming . Because when performing swimming movements with fins, the muscles stretch to be able to coordinate smoothly. This can cause the muscles to stretch, and can lead to calf cramps. Therefore, you should swim barefoot or if you want to swim with fins, you should choose a short leg form.
Through the above analysis, you have clearly understood the causes and effects of calf cramps when swimming . In addition, with simple methods to help you overcome and avoid cramps that affect the swimming process, cause unsafety, and can lead to dangerous drowning.
