Charlie Horse - Cause? Treatment?

[stlrick]

54 year old on the 2nd week of the squat/bench/deadlift swapping alternating squat/standing/olympic lift program. (about 5 weeks into the program)

The morning before my Tuesday lift - I had a horrible Charlie Horse in my lower left calf.

Is there a cause for Charlie Horses?

I went ahead and lifted later in the day. I could feel the soreness but did not have a re-occurrence.

Is there something I should be doing to treat the problem.

(In a quasi related note, my mom/sister said to pushing down (on the bed frame) helps ease the pain. I seem to have them occasionally - in bed - as a result of a stretch. Damn, they hurt!)

Rick

[Jonathon Sullivan]

"Charilie Horse" is not a medical term, as you are no doubt aware, and in common parlance seems to mean "pain in this muscle belly." So the differential is pretty broad--tears, sprains, strains, spasm, etc, etc.

If, as seems to be the case reading your note, it went away and did not recur, move on. Life and training being what they are, another issue will arise to take its place presently. The training lifestyle is full of transient aches and pains. You begin to get a feel for which ones are unimportant and which warrant a freak-out. At first blush, this sounds like the former.

Not your doctor, infotainment and ejumacational porpoises only, the usual disclaimers, yadda yadda.

[Paulbfast]

(In a quasi related note, my mom/sister said to pushing down (on the bed frame) helps ease the pain. I seem to have them occasionally - in bed - as a result of a stretch. Damn, they hurt!)

Rick

Nothing gets me out of bed quicker! I just walk on it and it goes away. The problem with more muscle is these hurt like crazy! When you wake up - DON"T stretch your legs in bed! I should add, mine is always the right calf.

I blame lack of hydration, magnesium, calcium or other assorted deficiencies. Or maybe too much sugar! I wish I knew.

[I_iz_a_fatass]

The training lifestyle is full of transient aches and pains. You begin to get a feel for which ones are unimportant and which warrant a freak-out. At first blush, this sounds like the former.

Hell, life is full of transient aches and pains, it's just with training the recovery from them seems quicker and the 'damage' they do is less.

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Hell, life is full of transient aches and pains, it's just with training the recovery from them seems quicker and the 'damage' they do is less.

Yup. And again, training teaches us about our aches and pains. They become less...catastrophic.

[Paulbfast]

Hell, life is full of transient aches and pains

It is like I say about minor surgery. That is surgery that some one else gets. When that calf muscle is so contracted that I think it will pop out of the skin I am thankful it is transient. Sometimes it stays sore for a day but never interferes with training.

[Paulbfast]

Perhaps this will help?

Number 42

Gauging Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms – Dr. Carolyn Dean MD ND

Popeye was right about spinach!