Leg Cramp Advice?

[John C. Ratliff]

Thank you, Tridacna, found this quick answer on our Web site. I like to add more to our Force Fin site here on SB, But for now. The Foot Tells All - Force FinView attachment 727047

SlugMug,

Just so you'll know, Bob Evans is the original developer of the Force Fins and owner of the corporation, and they indeed may help you out. As can be seen in this photo, the emphasis is on the down-kick, and on the up-kick the fins flex and don't cause dead areas to push against.

I have always done a lot of bicycling, and that really helps develop the leg muscles. So if getting to a pool or lake to swim is a problem, try 10 or so miles of bicycling.

One other thing, someone mentioned back kicking, and I thought they were talking about turning over and kicking on your back, rather than traveling backwards. I was mistaken, as cave divers use this term to mean being in the supine position, and then kicking in such a manner as to travel backwards. That's not what I mean. I mean to be on the surface, and actually turn over on you back and kick the flutter kick on your back. The disadvantage is that you cannot see where you are going, but the advantage is that it will take some of the strain off your legs, and may help prevent cramps of the calf muscle.

SeaRat

 

[SlugLife]

Just so you'll know, Bob Evans is the original developer of the Force Fins and owner of the corporation, and they indeed may help you out. As can be seen in this photo, the emphasis is on the down-kick, and on the up-kick the fins flex and don't cause dead areas to push against.

I started looking at Force-Fins about 1-year ago. They're rather pricey, even used, and have a mix of glowing reviews and underwhelming reviews. I personally have no experience or opinion on the matter. If I had an opportunity to try or rent FF, count me in. (I'm in central-TX and size-10.5 shoe.) And if they're as amazing as some people say, I'm sure they're worth the full price.

One other thing, someone mentioned back kicking, and I thought they were talking about turning over and kicking on your back, rather than traveling backwards. I was mistaken, as cave divers use this term to mean being in the supine position, and then kicking in such a manner as to travel backwards. That's not what I mean. I mean to be on the surface, and actually turn over on you back and kick the flutter kick on your back.

That's how I took your post; frog-kick, while on the surface, swimming with your back down.

Reverse-kick (traveling backwards) is something else I need to master skill-wise, but perhaps another topic, for another time.

The disadvantage is that you cannot see where you are going, but the advantage is that it will take some of the strain off your legs, and may help prevent cramps of the calf muscle.

That gives me an idea, I could bring my wrist-mirror when doing this practice.

I do think mastering frog-kick would make a major difference in cramps though, it works completely different mussels. Right now my plan is to do a once-per-week trip to a swimmable lake (free entry!); it's 30-minute trip each way. Inconvenient, but not terrible. And yes, practicing frog-kick on my back is on my TODO list.

 

[Bob Evans]

Great post, Thanks, but I do make several other models other than the Original Force Fins. Like the Hockey fin made for a special friend. Underwater Hockey Force Fin - Force Fin or the EXCELLERATING FORCE FIN - Force Fin designed for Captain Billy Deans 25 years ago. And several other models that do not kick so easily. Like the Military SD-1. Fun photo after my first

dive 1982

Wish my Force fins could be made cheaper, but when you use the best materials it's hard to cut costs. It's the snapping action you forking out cash for.

 

[RDF in CA]

BTW, magnesium can be absorbed through the skin via lotion, thus avoiding gut issues. Products available on Amazon.

 

[PirateFoxy]

I took a potassium pill for years until one Dr. said that may not be a good idea. Basically had no cramps during that time, but quite often when diving before taking the pills. Now I'm 68 and don't do dives that require a lot of heavy finning so cramping is very rare. Check with your Dr. about Potassium. It is my belief that though all the advice about eating well, exercising, hydrating may be very good, cramping IMO may mostly be a result of heredity. My mom was very athletic and in shape and was always plagued with cramps, whereas not so for my dad.

I think there’s a lot of variation in what is the ’right amount’ of certain electrolytes between people, and presumably also sensitivity to factors like dehydration. But my mom had heart issues if her magnesium was what most labs call “low normal” very consistently, so obviously her body needed more for whatever reason. (If I remember right magnesium is also hard to measure in the body accurately as what we can measure is the amount in the blood, not the amount taken up by muscle cells. And it’s the amount in the muscles that makes the difference with cramps and so on, but there’s not a simple relationship between amount in the blood and amount in the muscles, or something along those lines.)

I feel like I read something fairly recently that indicated there may be some generic component to post-exercise muscle pain/stiffness, too, though I can’t remember where. But it suggested that there could be variation on how people’s muscles respond to exertion - maybe in how much inflammation there is in response to the micro-damage that occurs with use? It would seem like that could be an element in stuff like tendency to cramp also. There’s obviously differences in how easily people build muscle and retain muscle, so more subtle variations seem completely reasonable.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I think there’s a lot of variation in what is the ’right amount’ of certain electrolytes between people, and presumably also sensitivity to factors like dehydration. But my mom had heart issues if her magnesium was what most labs call “low normal” very consistently, so obviously her body needed more for whatever reason. (If I remember right magnesium is also hard to measure in the body accurately as what we can measure is the amount in the blood, not the amount taken up by muscle cells. And it’s the amount in the muscles that makes the difference with cramps and so on, but there’s not a simple relationship between amount in the blood and amount in the muscles, or something along those lines.)

I feel like I read something fairly recently that indicated there may be some generic component to post-exercise muscle pain/stiffness, too, though I can’t remember where. But it suggested that there could be variation on how people’s muscles respond to exertion - maybe in how much inflammation there is in response to the micro-damage that occurs with use? It would seem like that could be an element in stuff like tendency to cramp also. There’s obviously differences in how easily people build muscle and retain muscle, so more subtle variations seem completely reasonable.

I have found, at age 76, that there is an age component too.

SeaRat