Tips to deal with Post-Marathon Cramps

A marathon is a great event in an athletes’ life who wants to pursue running as a career but these marathons are usually very taxing on the muscles and can lead to sore muscles and cramps. We have often heard how athletes complain about their fitness problems. This article will give an insight about what are post-marathon problems faced by the athletes and how to overcome them.

What causes muscle cramps?

Altered neuromuscular control Dehydration Electrolyte depletion Poor conditioning Muscle fatigue Doing a new activity

In order to avoid post marathon soreness of muscles athletes must follow these precautionary measures:

1. Stay hydrated and balance your mineral intake:

We all are quite acquainted to the advantages of staying hydrated; water plays a vital role in an athlete’s life as well. Most of the athletes complain about having muscle cramps after marathon. To avoid cramps resulting from dehydration athletes are advised to keep their bodies hydrated as the muscles rely on water to operate efficiently. Athletes must start taking the recommended intake of water up to the day of the race. National Institutes of Health recommend 2.7 liters of water for women and 3.7 for men.

It is also advisable to take plenty of water after they have crossed the finish line. One of the most important essentiality is of mineral intake. A body should have an adequate amount of minerals so as to avoid post marathon cramps in an athlete’s body. Water loss during marathon can also affect the mineral levels of the body which also leads to cramps. Three minerals that are particularly affected are potassium, magnesium and calcium. Mineral imbalances can be reduced by introducing mineral rich foods/drinks in the daily diet like sports drinks, coconut water, bananas for potassium and dairy products for Calcium and oat bran for magnesium.

2. Start at a slower pace.

Most of the athletes may over look the importance of starting the marathon at a slower pace. Most of the athletes do not pay attention to these little things and may end up suffering from the muscle cramps after marathon. Another possible cause of muscle cramping at the end of long runs or races is that you simply went out too fast. Run your first mile slower than the final one. If you start at a

faster and more aggressive pace chances are that you will fatigue your muscles which would give cramps later on.

3. Stretching.

Stretching does wonders for post marathon cramps. It relaxes the arteries and soothes the muscles. It is a must before taking a shower to avoid soreness of body the next day. Stretch the calf muscle, hamstrings and quadriceps especially after a marathon. Going for a sports massage is a good way to treat soreness that often develops as a result of muscle cramps. Regular massages also help keep your muscles in optimal shape, greatly reducing your chances of muscle cramping during runs.

In short, these tips must be revised and considered by the athletes so as to avoid post-marathon muscle cramps.

Meta: A marathon requires a highly intensive use of muscles and can ultimately result in post marathon cramps. Provided that an athlete has to regularly engage himself in such high intensive activities it is imperative that they take various precautionary measures in order to avoid the adverse effects of having to run long distances.

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