MinnMan

Does anybody else take aspirin to ward off post-ride leg cramps?

I overextended myself on a club ride today and probably under-hydrated as well, and so was fighting bad leg cramps for the last 10 miles or so - both legs, quads, and hamstrings. At the end of the ride, I went straight to a convenience store, bought some aspirin and took two and had a long drink. Driving back home 10 minutes later, the leg cramps were so severe that I had to get off the highway and walk around. Generally speaking, that's a sign that I'm in for some terrible spasms later in the day. But, then the aspirin kicked in and 3 hours later and there's no sign of them at all.

I've done this a few times before with seeming good results. So I'm curious to hear if anybody else has tried it and their experience.

10 Wheels

Has Quinine in it..

MinnMan

Are you saying that aspirin has quinine, or are you recommending quinine as a remedy? If the former, then a quick google search does not indicate so. Have you got a reference?

RonH

I think he's recommending the drink with quinine rather than aspirin, which contains nothing but aspirin. Quinine is good for preventing cramps. Do a search.

MinnMan

Yes, I'm aware that people use quinine, thanks. But it wasn't my question.

Western Flyer 

I used enteric aspirin for years to ward off cramps. I would usually take one along with magnesium tablets, which I later changed to Hammer Endurolytes capsules, which have a big dose of mag and is available at many bike shops. My current heart meds preclude taking any aspirin. I’ve substituted green tea, 3 cups, along with the Endurolytes. On long tours I order ice tea at lunch and when I stop at convenience stores for a snack I will buy bottled tea - green if they have it. It works for me.

As mentioned quinine worked for me but it’s not that easy to find on the road. Valerian tea is guaranteed and acts very quickly but has the side effect of being a sedative and unless you are planning to go to sleep I don’t recommend it.

TimothyH

I carry Advil when I lead group rides for the same reason as the OP.

Once in a while someone gets in over their head and an Advil can take the edge off.


-Tim-

OldsCOOL

I hadnt thought of this. Usually it's chocolate milk and a banana for me unless the cramps hit sudden and severe, then I hit my stash of cold pickle juice.

digibud

I can't take more aspirin than I do but I'd like to find a cure. The other night I was at a concert in a tent with folks using folding chairs...very relaxed..when I tried to get a photo by kneeling in front of my chair. I ended up having to drop my camera and was layed out on the floor as both legs cramped up on me following a good hard ride. I may try the pickle juice that is often touted but now I'll also look at quinine...The problem is knowing when something has really worked or whether this or that ride just didn't cause cramps.

MinnMan

Now it's the morning after and I got through the entire evening and night without a hint of further cramps. Considering how I felt at the end and just after my ride, I got off surprisingly easily. I can't swear that the aspirin was the cure, but I will likely continue to experiment with it.

I've tried pickle juice, chocolate milk, etc., and they may help some, but from the state I was in yesterday, I don't think any of them would have been sufficient to rescue me.

MinnMan

I can relate to that. There are times when I have the most severe post-ride spasms. They can be excruciating and if they happen in public, they can be alarming to those around me. Almost always they come after a period of having my legs immobile, and then standing up.

CrankyNeck

I drink pickle juice before long or hard rides. Also before bed after long/hard rides and long runs. Works pretty good for me. I really like the pickles, too.

StanSeven

A large share of riders can avoid cramps with hydration, the right amount of electrolytes, and stretching. Watch trainers in pro sports like football and basketball. They did the athletes sport drinks after they stretch their muscles.

But for those where none of that works, quinine seems to work the best.

berner

If I feel the onset of leg cramps I take these. CVS Leg Cramps Pain Relief Caplets - CVS.com They work well for me and stop cramps in minutes.

John_V 

Years ago, after I got back into riding, I used to get cramps during my rides, even being well hydrated, and especially night time cramps. The cramps at night were so bad that I would scream and wake up the wife most of the time. I used to take Ibuprofen after rides when my legs had cramped but that didn't really do anything for me. Since I ride every day, I was getting the cramps more and more, especially toward the end of the ride, even though my legs felt fine at the beginning of the ride. The night cramps were also coming more often. I started taking a potassium supplement and eating a banana each morning and the cramps stopped in about three days. I haven't had a leg cramp, during or after riding, in over 4 years. Lately, I've been drinking a glass of chocolate milk after each ride, which may/may not help but tastes really good.

MinnMan

Thanks all for your various inputs. My conclusion from the contributions thus far is that some of you also have issues with leg cramps that you wish you could solve better and that many of you have various remedies or preventative measures that work well for you, but that few of you (maybe only Western Flyer?) have tried or regularly use aspirin for this purpose.

As I noted at the beginning, I do not have enough experience or knowledge to advocate to others that this is a good thing to do or whether it is more or less effective than other strategies. So far it seems to work for me, so as needed I'll continue to try it. I'm a little surprised that others haven't experimented more with this somewhat obvious pain reliever known for reducing muscle pain but so be it.

Scotti G

As others have mentioned, I've had some success with Magnesium tablets. Man those midnight cramps that wake you up are pure agony.

Up North

For cramps try high dose of calcium 1000 -1200 mg as you feel cramps coming on. In high heat I have cramping issues at the 75 -100 km point. I've tried everything to date, pickle juice, tums etc. It is not an electrolyte or hydration issue for me. My sports Dr. said try the calcium and it has worked wonders for me. I get the soft chew 600mg and take two at any sign of cramping and have not had cramps since.

TimothyH

Cyclists don't stretch enough.

Not sure if it will help with cramps but I never see anyone warm up and stretch before group rides nor cool down and stretch after. No one talks about it on the forums here.

Stretching by Bob Anderson is a great book.




-Tim-

Biker395 

Many use Tums or other calcium based pills to ward off cramps. They work pretty well for me.

I'll also say this. Years ago, I was doing a "Loopfest" ride in some pretty serious heat and humidity. I usually do pretty well in heat, but with the humidity really got to me. I bonked early and hard, and spent all day and 230+ miles trying to recover.

A friend suggested I try Alka-Seltzer (has a lot of aspirin) in ice cold water. It was like magic. Within 10 minutes or so, I felt 100% better. I've taken to throwing a package in my seat bag on hot days, just in case.

Carbonfiberboy 

After a hard ride I take a cal/mag 500/250 cap. Really helps. I don't think aspirin is effective. During, Tums is very effective, as is pickle juice, lime juice, and mustard. Tums is easiest to carry. I never take ibuprofen unless absolutely necessary for pain resulting from inflammation. Not recommended.

MinnMan

Interesting. Do you mean that you have tried aspirin and it hasn't worked for you, or that you have other information to suggest so? If the latter, I'd be curious to know the source.

I too avoid ibuprofen, though I believe that the chief risk is to the kidneys and that this is not a serious issue if taken infrequently and with plenty of water. Aspirin, of course, is safe to use on an occasional basis.

Lots of people here have posted about electrolytes of various kinds. My experience with electrolytes (my preferred form is Endurolytes, but I've done everything from Tums to pickle juice) is that it is effective to prevent cramps *before they become a problem*, but that once cramps set in, it's too late to avoid further pain simply by taking electrolytes (or by catching up on hydration. YMMV.

Carbonfiberboy 

Research and experience tells us that usually neither hydration nor electrolytes are the major issues for cramping during exercise. Tums, pickle juice, etc., work because of the taste, nothing to do with the ingredients.

No, haven't tried aspirin but see no medical reason it would do anything. I don't recommend it because of the potential for post-injury bleeding. It was once advocated for possibly reducing the risk of heart attack, but it turns out that the danger of internal bleeding cancels that out.

I don't worry about ibuprofen and kidneys or liver because one has to take a heck of a lot of it to do any damage. However it's an anti-prostaglandin, hence women take it for menstrual cramps. Thus it suppresses inflammation, and inflammation is not a bad thing: it's how your body heals. Thus it suppresses natural healing. I've had injuries get better much faster when I stopped taking the stuff than while I was, so there's also anecdotal on that.

Both Tums and pickle juice work almost instantly to relieve cramps once they have started, since as I said, it's just the taste. That taste thing is a nerve stimulant and lasts quite a while, thus taking this stuff at the bottom of a big climb will ward off cramps during, again nothing to do with the ingredients.

MinnMan

Thanks for the input. I have not found pickle juice to have appreciable effect once cramps have begun. I have not tried TUMS for this (though I've taken TUMS earlier in the process). I looked up the ingredients to TUMS. Apart from calcium carbonate, it includes "corn starch, flavor, mineral oil, sodium polyphosphate, sucrose, talc" I wonder which of these ingredients might have the vital effect?

I do welcome some medical theory behind the various curatives we do and do not ingest. But as an empiricist, I think that the evidence for or against aspirin working should be based on experience rather than a theoretical expectation. After all, the cure that you suggest (the taste of TUMS or pickle juice instantly stopping cramps) doesn't have much theory behind it either.

As to aspirin and post-injury bleeding, are you suggesting that leg cramps are injuries that would be susceptible to bleeding? If there is no other injury, then this should not be a concern.

Carbonfiberboy 

Actually, the taste theory is well established and the mechanism known. I don't have time to look it up for you right now. The effect is immediate. Getting stuff into the blood and then into the muscles takes way too long for the ingredients to have that immediate effect. That's the theory and the experience.

The aspirin thing is a result of long term studies. Like you crash and hit your head. That kind of thing. Dying vs. not dying. Nothing to do with cramps.