Muscle Cramps When Swimming
Muscle cramps always seem to come at the worst time. Usually when you’re swimming well, at a good pace and then “Smack”, you’re struggling to float, let alone swim.
Although there are a lot of reasons why you could be experiencing a cramp, there is still some mystery around the actual cause of muscle cramps. We have to remember that muscle cramps are difficult to research as they tend to be difficult to replicate and unpredictable when they occur.
The term muscle cramps is a basic way of explaining a sudden or involuntary contraction of one or more muscles which then remains contracted causing pain to be experienced until the muscle is stretched out again, massaged or somehow uncontracted. Although there is some mystery behind them the two main theories behind the cause of muscle cramps are dehydration or muscle fatigue.
With regards dehydration as a cause, it mainly refers to specific electrolyte deficiencies that may be experienced as a result of dehydration in the form of low magnesium or sodium levels. You may be sweating more than the next person, which affects how the muscles contract, so ways to help prevent muscle cramps resulting from dehydration is to consume salt the day before a race or big swim, ensure your sports drink contains sodium or take a magnesium supplement.
The second theory behind the cause of muscle cramps is that your muscles are not strong enough or flexible enough. Tips to ensure you are as race ready as possible make sure you are including a long swim into your training week, you include some strength training with plyometrics or body weight and when it comes to racing, make sure you pace properly and don't start out too fast. Funnily enough, dehydration can also lead to muscle fatigue, so make sure you are drinking plenty of water before during and after your swim.
It is also important to make sure that you are warming up properly before a swim. This may include some dynamic stretching or gentle swimming across a number of different strokes and try to leave static stretches to the end of your swim workout.
Cramping in Cold Water
Swimming in cold water will add a new dimension to our discussion of muscle cramps. When you are in cold water, even if you are swimming with a wetsuit, it may not be keeping you warm enough and your body will attempt to create heat by shivering which in turn will increase muscle fatigue. So if you are swimming in cold water and you find yourself starting to tremble, you may need to look at upgrading your wetsuit or cut your swim short to avoid muscle cramps.
Lastly, you will need to keep in mind that if you not putting in any physical exertion or stress and you are experiencing muscle cramps, or even if you have any doubt about your health, make sure you see a professional for medical advice.
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