How can you prevent charlie horses from happening

Is this a “charley horse?” Why is this happening??

http://www.livestrong.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=600747

i highly recommend Coconut water for your hydration – get the kind w/no added sugar O.N.E . is one brand and Amy & Brian’s is another. Coconut water is higher in potassium than a banana and also has magnesium, but less carbs, no high fr…

What causes a “Charlie Horse” (calf cramp) and why do t…?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080610124545AAKqqaE

What are nighttime leg cramps? Nighttime (or nocturnal) leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf. But the muscle cramps can sometimes happen in the thigh or the foot. They often occur just as you are fall…

Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

I just got my first charlie horse…do you know how to prevent one from happening?

Q: I just got a charlie horse yesterday and quite frankly, I didn’t know what they were until yesterday. I’m a dancer and I danced for 4 hours yesterday. I got it about an hour after I danced. Now, my muscle is still tense and I was wondering if there is anyway to prevent a charlie horse from occurring again.Thanks for your help!

A: Proper stretching and adequate amounts of calcium and potassium.Stretch for 5-10 minutes before any exercise.Drink plenty of milki and dairy products.Eat a banana, or avocado, or really anything with strong amounts of potassium.NEVER EVER TAKE A POTASSIUM SUPPLEMENT UNLESS PRESCRIBED BY YOUR DOCTOR!A multivitamin will help.

How can i get rid of or prevent charlie horses? please read details.?

Q: I can’t figure it out….i have been eating bananas and drinking lots of water but i have been getting up to 4 charlie horses a night. not every night but sometimes. And once it happened in the day at school [=p it was awful.]but neways it all started one night in both legs and it wasss soooo bad i woke up crying and it took me a while to figure out why. since then it has alternated legs and they don’t hurt as bad nemore but its enough for me to be sore is there anything besides dehydration and potassium defficiancy that triggers this…p.s. sorry if i spelled a bunch of stuff wrong lolthank both of you :] on another account i have i tried to ask this question and noone said anything helpful. i will try these things for sure. i don’t know which one of you should get the best answer but its for sure between the two of you.

A: Sorry to hear about your discomfort. I know what you`re going through. I have the same problem. It started about seven years ago. I take TWO 400 iu pills of vitamin E every day. My leg cramps have all but went away. If I miss taking the vitamin E, I can feel them start coming back. Try it, you`ve nothing to lose. Hope this helps you. I couldn`t live without it….

What’s the best way to prevent Charlie Horses?

Q: I’m only 14 & I get at least one every month. Isn’t this supposed to happen only to older people? It only happened to my right leg once & all other times on my left leg. What’s up with that?

A: First of all, when you get a cramp, flex your foot towards you and massage the cramp until it releases. Don’t point your foot, it’ll make it worse. Cramps are usually caused due to one of two reasons. The first is dehydration. You need to make sure you are drinking enough water. If you exercise, a sports drink, like gatorade, will also help keep your electrolytes in balance. The second is low potassium. Oranges, Orange juice, bananas and yogurt all are good sources of potassium. Always be sure to stretch your muscles prior to exercise and again to cool them down afterwords. Hope that helps.