Swimming Muscle Cramps

Last Updated on May 9, 2024 by admin

**Swimming muscle cramp pain can persist for a few seconds to several minutes**

In this article, we’ll provide advice, hacks and tips on the causes, prevention and treatment of swimming muscle cramps.

What are muscle cramps?

Muscle cramps occur when one or more muscles involuntarily contract and do not relax.

This can cause the swimmer and varying degrees of pain.
This can range from mild discomfort to occasionally causing enough pain for some swimmers to stop swimming.
The pain can persist for a few seconds to several minutes.
It can reoccur until it is treated.
The most common swimming muscle cramps are those that occur in the calves, feet or toes.
Muscle cramps in the hamstrings, arms and stomach can occasionally occur.
Most swimmers experience muscle cramps in their lifetime.

Symptoms of muscle cramps

The main symptoms of muscle cramps are,

Stiff and tight muscles.
The muscles concerned are often painful.
It can often restrict their range of movement.

Causes & prevention of muscle cramps

Undigested food

Swimmers should therefore ensure that their food is well digested before entering the water — **Swimmers should therefore ensure that their food is well-digested before entering the water**

Swimming before a swimmer has fully digested their food is a common cause of muscle cramps.

When digesting food, the body diverts some of its blood flow away from the muscles to the stomach.
Swimming when digesting food can inhibit the blood flow to the stomach, which can result in muscle cramps.
Swimmers should therefore ensure that their food is well-digested before entering the water.

Lack of fitness

A lack of fitness and conditioning is another common cause of muscle cramps.

Swimmers should therefore ensure that they gradually increase the volume and intensity of their training.

Fatigue and overuse

Fatigue and overuse are other causes of muscle cramps.

This can be especially the case when undertaking kicking sets with swim fins for an extended period.
Swimmers should ensure that they gradually increase the volume and intensity of their training.
They should also ensure that they recover correctly during and after training and competition.

Training with Swim Fins

Some swimmers experience muscle cramps in their calves or feet when training with swim fins. There are usually two main causes

The swimmer’s calf muscles are required to cope with the increased resistance caused by the larger surface of the swim fins
Swim fins need to be tight-fitting otherwise, they could fall off when training at a high intensity. Therefore, the swimmer’s feet are often wedged into tight-fitting swim fins restricting the blood flow.

Ankle and feet tension

**Swimmers should practice regular dryland ankle flexibility exercises to help prevent the risk of muscle cramps**

Some swimmers swim with too much tension in their feet and ankles.

This often leads to tight calf muscles, which can result in muscle cramps.
The swimmer should practice regular dryland ankle flexibility exercises to help prevent this.

Age

As swimmers get older, they lose the strength and elasticity in their muscles.

This can make older swimmers more susceptible to muscle cramps.
Therefore, they should ensure that they warm up and cool down correctly before and after each swim.

Swimming in cold water

Swimming in cool water increases the risk of the swimmer’s muscles contracting, which can result in muscle cramps.

This can occur not only in open water but also in pools, which can often vary in temperature.
Swimmers need to ensure that when swimming in cold water they take time to acclimatise their bodies to the water temperature by conducting a proper warm-up.

Warm-Up and cooldown

**A proper poolside/deck and pool warm-up can significantly reduce the risk of muscle cramps**

A proper poolside/deck and pool warm-up should be undertaken before every training and competitive session.

This can significantly reduce the risk of muscle cramps.
The swimmer should ensure that they perform specific lower limb poolside/deck warm-up exercises such as ankle rotations and leg swings.

A proper cooldown is an often-overlooked aspect of a swimmer’s recovery and injury prevention routine.

The swimmer should ensure that they perform specific lower limb cooldown exercises such as calf, hamstring and quad stretches.

Dehydration

**Swimmers should ensure that they remain fully hydrated to reduce the risk of muscle cramps**

Another common cause of muscle cramps is dehydration.

Although most of the swimmers’ training is conducted in the water, they still lose a great deal of body fluid through physical exertion.
Therefore, swimmers should ensure that they remain fully hydrated.
Swimmers should regularly drink during swimming to fuel their bodies and replace lost electrolytes.
Electrolytes can be found in many sports drinks which often contain minerals, such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium.
These can keep the swimmer’s body balance of fluids at the proper level, which can be lost through sweat.
However, swimmers should be aware that these tend to have a high sugar content so should be limited to training and competition.

Vitamin deficiency

**Bananas are a great source of potassium, magnesium and other minerals**

Another cause is that the swimmer can have low blood levels of calcium, magnesium, or potassium.

This can especially be the case after an illness or injury.
Many swimmers consume sports drinks which often contain minerals, such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium, to fuel their bodies and replace lost electrolytes.
Some swimmers find that eating a banana each day, which is a great source of potassium, magnesium and other minerals, is an effective way of preventing muscle cramps.
A mineral supplement from any health food store or pharmacy may also remedy any vitamin deficiency.
Your local chemist should be able to provide the correct advice.

Medication

Swimmers should be aware that some medications can make them more susceptible to muscle cramps.

These include medication for high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and diabetes.
For further advice, the swimmer should contact their healthcare professional.

Treatment of muscle cramps

Some swimmers may seek help and advice from a sports physiotherapist to help cure their muscle cramps — **Some swimmers may seek help and advice from a sports physiotherapist.**

Most forms of mild muscle cramps usually resolve themselves with a little stretch and a massage, to help get the blood flowing.

If the swimmer begins to suffer from severe muscle cramps, the swimmer should exit the water as soon as possible.
- For muscle cramps in the legs or feet, many swimmers stretch themselves out in the water, on the pool wall with their arms fully extended.
The application of heat or cold can help to alleviate muscle cramp pain.
- Some swimmers apply heat or ice packs to help alleviate the pain.
- These are usually applied for periods of 15 to 20 minutes.
Many swimmers find a warm shower on the affected parts an effective remedy.
- Others find a warm bath useful.
Some find that a short walk can also help to get the blood flowing to the affected muscles.
Swimmers should not re-enter the water until the muscle cramp pain has completely subsided.
If muscle cramps continually occur then the swimmer should speak to their coach, for help and advice.
- Some swimmers may seek help and advice from a sports physiotherapist.
- However, if muscle cramps continually occur the swimmers should seek further advice from their medical professional.