Hamstring cramps, the cause could be surprising.

[Dug]

Thought I would share something that I experienced that might help prevent it from happening to someone else. The last few years I had been experiencing hamstring cramps (the left more than the right) usually at night after a full day of digging. I wrote it off to not having been able to keep up with fluid intake during the dig. Even started eating bannanas like crazy and taking potasium supplements as it was suggested that was the cause. Potasium/banannas and lots of fluids did not help.

Last June I was out on a particularly humid day. I drank 32 oz of water on the way to the site. Got out on the site around 7 and took in three 12 oz bottles of water in the five hours I was there as I was sweating like a lawn sprinkler. Got back to my truck and drank a 32 oz gatorade and a 12 oz bottle of water for good measure. Got home took a shower, and was relaxing on the couch watching tv, got up after about an hour to filter out some water and gatorade and was immediatley overcome with the worst hamstring cramps in both legs, that I have ever had. Had to crawl to a bedroom in agony where I had a heating pad to get heat on the ham strings. After I got it under control I was left with a burning in my left thigh that got progressively worse and over the course of the next week had patches on my left thigh where I had no feeling at all. After many doctor visits, xrays, and two MRIs it was determined I had bulging discs in my L2-L5. The discs were in place and not slipped, but bulging enough to aggrivate branch nerves in that area. The left thigh issues gradually went away over a two month period of taking it easy and watching my posture and light lifting only. Bunging jumping was out. I have since lost 30 pounds with a target of 20 more as a large gut is stressful on the lower back. I also do what I call Lumbar Lamazz exercises every other day to strengthen my core muscles. This Sunday I will be going back out to dig for the first time since last June. I will no longer be able to bend over at the waist to dig out the targets like I used to. No doubt, that and my gut were the cause of my lumbar problems. I will now have to kneel maintaining a proper arch to my lower back if I wish to continue the hobby I love so much. Research it and you will see that there is a corelation between hamstring cramps and lumbar problems.

Bottom line, don't write hamstring cramps off to dehydration or potasium deficiency, likely it's your body warning you about your lumbar.

 

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[Peyton Manning]

wow! title made me look, and glad I did, thanks for the info

 

[augoldminer]

fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome. small fiber polyneuropathy. all can also cause hamstring cramps.

People that give medical advice without medical training are no help and some people are just being nice when they don't start telling them where to stuff it.

 

[BertC]

I too have had back problems for many years. My best suggestion is to suggest a nerve block. I haven't had pain since. I have had the same symptoms you describe.
http://www.cdirad.com/Default.aspx?tabid=194

 

[Number9]

fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome. small fiber polyneuropathy. all can also cause hamstring cramps.

People that give medical advice without medical training are no help and some people are just being nice when they don't start telling them where to stuff it.

It's best to tell about your own first-hand experience.. this may or may not help others?

 

[doc-d]

Excellent post………your point is well stated…..as mentioned above, there are many causes so never assume……
Your loosing weight, exercising core muscles is an excellent idea……..
Vaya con Dios

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Great post! I also have lower back issues. They stem from sport activity.
Never, ever visit a chiropractor until a true MD examines the problem. Always get an MRI! Unless pain is endless, don't take narcotics. Once addicted to painkillers it's hard to rebound!
Good luck.
Peace

 

[BertC]

Great post! I also have lower back issues. They stem from sport activity. Never, ever visit a chiropractor until a true MD examines the problem. Always get an MRI! Unless pain is endless, don't take narcotics. Once addicted to painkillers it's hard to rebound! Good luck. Peace

Cincinnati kid, I totally agree. Painkillers will take you under real fast. I've had my struggles with them when I had pain.
To anybody currently using them - be careful.

 

[Unclebuck257]

Dug,

Thanks for the info. Every little bit helps, no matter what someone else may think.

 

[Roger Mn.]

Hi Dug
Maybe I can help you since I think Dr's don't really know and they are just guessing most of the time.
A year and three months ago I raked a couple of yards and had some back pain . By spring time I was back to mowing 3 yards and I got cramps in both legs while in bed at night. I ate bananas and drank a little more water.
By June my right foot was numb and I walked funny but I keep up mowing and climbing the hills detecting.
I went to the Dr and had an MRI and not much showed up and she ordered blood test. She said I was diabetic and started me on Metformin . My weight was 158 and I normally weighted 195 but I detect a lot and figured the loss was from that but it was from being diabetic . I went back a month later and both legs were numb. It's called foot drop and was more than likely caused from being diabetic. Now I take Metformin and Glipi-Zide and after a month now I gained 12 lbs. bananas was one thing I was told to stay away from because it's high in sugar and high carbs . I've seen two different DR's about the MRI and both think my foot drop and weight loss was caused by diabetes mellitus type 2. If you look up foot drop you will see there are 10 things even crossing legs while setting will cause it even pinched nerve in the back.
Dug if you haven't been tested for diabetes you better get it done. I know one person who went blind and another who lost both legs from it. roger

 

[Dug]

Hi Dug
Dug if you haven't been tested for diabetes you better get it done. I know one person who went blind and another who lost both legs from it. roger

Thanks RD and comments from everyone else as well.

My blood sugar is tested once a year as well as all series of blood tests and I'm good there. My summer escapades involved only the left leg and not below the knee. No loss of motion or drag. At it's worst I felt like I had a screwdriver buried in the front of the thigh and numbness on both sides which thankfully have resolved for the most part. No fear of becoming addicted to pain killers as I go to a military medical facility (I'm retired) and they don't dispense narcotics freely, in fact you pretty much have to have a sucking chest wound to get anything with a punch to it. With the recent VA in the news episode over narcotics I'm sure now that got ratched up even tighter.

Got out yesterday for about six hours in beauftiful weather in a plowed field and found some oyster shell and black glass. Very isolated area but dug about six round balls and my first Police cuff button. Had a great time and no leg cramps. Did some precautionary hot shower and stretching afterward that probably helped too.