Things that go cramp in the night

The Adult Beginner was woken in the night by a Monstrous Leg Cramp.
One of the muscles that attaches at the knee and runs upward through the inner thigh had been switched into the ON position, and was steadily, painfully, flexing away.
Couldn’t straighten the leg because of all the ferocious flexing.
Was afraid to bend it more, I mean, what if it got stuck that way, all bent? How would I get to work, let alone get dressed? It would be all passé, all the time.
Couldn’t reach the weird flexing area to massage it out, moving around hurt too much. Also, was still mostly asleep, wasn’t thinking clearly.
Finally as a last resort, just kind of talked it down. Focused all my attention on that muscle and told it in a firm but encouraging way that it was time to release.
After a bit it started to let go, I very slowly straightened out, and made a mental note to not move again until morning.
Went right back to sleep.
And when I woke up, totally fine.
Freaky.
That’s never happened before.
Would be great if it never happened again.

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About adultbeginner

Had my first ballet class Ever at the advanced age of thirty-two. Yikes.

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5 Responses to Things that go cramp in the night

Henrik from Tights and Tiaras says:

February 11, 2011 at 9:51 pm

haha, I used to get those. Haven’t had it in awhile, though (knocking on the table, or is that under? I never remember).

- adultbeginner says:
  
  February 11, 2011 at 11:09 pm
  
  Hee, I think you mean Knock On Wood. Under The Table means Drunk.
  
  - Henrik from Tights and Tiaras says:
    
    February 13, 2011 at 5:49 pm
    
    oh yes, on wood it was we say knock on the table over here, or was it under? I guess I’ve been there too often lately
    
odile says:

February 12, 2011 at 12:36 pm

Try a glass of milk before bedtime, especially if this happened on a night after class. Can’t remember if it’s the calcium or the magnesium that helps prevent cramping, but one of them does. If you can’t stand milk, put some ovaltine in it. If you can’t stand that, try some yogurt or some cheese.e

It happened because you either did not rehydrate sufficiently with something other than just plain water, or you did not stretch the hamstring on that leg adequately. Add a brief stretch session when you get home after class, in addition to whatever stretching you did while you were in class. It shouldn’t be as aggressive a stretch as stretching during class because your muscles have cooled somewhat.

If it happens again, you can wake up Mr. Adult Beginner and have him apply counterpressure back against your knee, and then once you get your leg straightened out, flex your ankle and have him apply counterpressure against your foot. Those without anyone else around can sit up, manually massage the cramped muscle, and then get up and do an achilles stretch.

- adultbeginner says:
  
  February 14, 2011 at 4:55 am
  
  Funny, I was taking care to not wake Mr. Adult Beginner, which is silly because what are husbands for if not being woken in the middle of the night to perform tasks?
  Think you’re right-on about the stretching post class. Often times I have lamented the studio’s lack of post-class stretch-out area, but the floor at home is better than nothing if it prevents waking up with crazylegs.