Shocked to find out after long cardio I need epsom salts

[DragonBits]

I take a lot of magnesium supplements during the day, at least 500-800 mg elemental magnesium and boron.

That has stopped all my muscle cramping, so I thought I was good to go as far as any additional mag.

But if I do an hour or two on a bike, especially in hot weather, I drink plenty of water, but afterwards my legs quads feel very tight and sometimes my back will be a little soar. Likely from my quads pulling on my hips causing lower back pain.

I do some quad stretches by putting my foot on the bed and doing a partial squat which can really pull on the guads. BUT I was surprised to get a cramp when doing this.

So i tried an epsom salt bath with 3 cups of epsom, right after I get back from riding.

Now after my longest ride of the year, 30 miles for 2.5 hours, that day and today I hardly feel any pain / tiredness at all in my quads and lower back.

This sort of situation hadn't happened to me 10 years ago, so I had no idea one would lose so much magnesium during exercise, of course I knew about salt loss, but I get enough salt just from diet and it's not like i am running a marathon.

I would have thought I had enough circulating magnesium and mag reserves that I didn't need to do this, but it made a lot of difference in recovery.

Just an fyi for anyone that does a long bout of exercise and finds they don't recover as well as they think they should. BTW, I don't think it applies as well to weight lifting.

 

[Vince]

My wife just brought up this subject over the weekend how about taking epsom salt baths. Almost every night her legs start cramping up and there's nothing she can do to get rid of them. I'll mentioned this threat to her tonight. Thanks for posting.

 

[DragonBits]

I wasn't sure about posting, as it seems like an over the top subject.

BTW, I experimented with soaking some small towels with epsom salt/water and just putting them over my thighs, it seemed to work but it was more inconvenient that just taking a bath. (But I do use a lot less epsom salt.)

I also thought, how about DMSO? So i googled it, seems some people use mag oll or liquid mag citrate and dmso. I tried some DMSO and powered magnesium citrate in a shot glass, it doesn't dissolve in DMSO. Just call me a mad scientist

 

[Mountain Man]

I do a lot of wood chopping and splitting on weekends. Epsom salt baths are the real deal. I too thought it was an old wives tale. It’s not. I soak for 20 minutes in the hottest water I can stand. I believe the heat cause it to enter they skin faster and more thoroughly. I recommend it.

 

[Vince]

I stopped at Walmart after work today and picked up a bag of Epsom salt. 8 lb bag only $5, not a bad price. Hopefully it will help my wife and her leg cramps.

 

[DragonBits]

I stopped at Walmart after work today and picked up a bag of Epsom salt. 8 lb bag only $5, not a bad price. Hopefully it will help my wife and her leg cramps.

I stopped at Walmart after work today and picked up a bag of Epsom salt. 8 lb bag only $5, not a bad price. Hopefully it will help my wife and her leg cramps.

Good price, I happened to get an even better price, though it was luck as it was a BOGO sale at walgreens. $6.75 for 5lbs x 2.

I used 6 lbs already, 3 cups in a bath for 30 min several different days.

From what I have read, there isn't much research on how much magnesium you absorb in a bath, and there is the sulfa aspect which may or may not be important. Only 1 small study I think 6 people.

Not sure everyone realizes this, but magnesium is only 1 possible cause of leg cramps. Any electrolyte in-balance can cause it, or overworking them, or low potassium, or dehydration, and significantly if you are older ....

The most common symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the lower extremities is a painful muscle cramping in the hips, thighs or calves when walking, climbing stairs or exercising. ... If there's a blood-flow blockage due to plaque buildup, the muscles won't get enough blood during exercise to meet the needs.

I know magnesium is a problem for me, but when I was trying to figure out why I would get muscle cramps nearly anywhere, eventually taking magnesium was the only thing that helped.

 

[ReillyJ]

There is a Magnesium spray you can get on Amazon (quite a few sellers) that works really well. Be aware it can sting temporarily but i wouldn't be w/o it just in case a soak in the bath is out... https://www.amazon.com/ASUTRA-Zechs...1KCA5FhfdL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch&th=1

 

[madman]

I wasn't sure about posting, as it seems like an over the top subject.

BTW, I experimented with soaking some small towels with epsom salt/water and just putting them over my thighs, it seemed to work but it was more inconvenient that just taking a bath. (But I do use a lot less epsom salt.)

I also thought, how about DMSO? So i googled it, seems some people use mag oll or liquid mag citrate and dmso. I tried some DMSO and powered magnesium citrate in a shot glass, it doesn't dissolve in DMSO. Just call me a mad scientist

Aside from one having an electrolyte imbalance or being dehydrated.....tight hamstrings would have more to do with lower back/quad issues.....not stretching your quads!

 

[Vince]

There is a Magnesium spray you can get on Amazon (quite a few sellers) that works really well. Be aware it can sting temporarily but i wouldn't be w/o it just in case a soak in the bath is out... https://www.amazon.com/ASUTRA-Zechstein-Magnesium-Spray-Book/dp/B01CKEBF48/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1537660038&sr=8-4&keywords=magnesium+spray&dpID=41KCA5FhfdL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch&th=1

I just ordered some for my wife, she gets foot cramps at night. I'll let you know how it works for her. I ordered two bottles one for my mom, she gets a lot of pain from arthritis maybe this will help.

 

[DragonBits]

Aside from one having an electrolyte imbalance or being dehydrated.....tight hamstrings would have more to do with lower back/quad issues.....not stretching your quads!

As to lower back pain, it's kind of a dual ache after riding a lot.

I was going on this sort of information common on the internet.

Madman, don't you agree with the followning?

First, by pulling the front of the pelvis down, tight quads can lead to tight and painful lower backmuscles. Second, tight quads can contribute to weak hamstring muscles. ... Both scenarios affect your pelvic alignment, which in turn, may affect your posture and pain levels

Tight Quads Overpower Hamstrings

Tight Quads - How to Tell and What to Do

When I do weight training, I do some focus on working my hamstring muscles as my quads get plenty of work biking.

After riding I do couch quad stretches, which feel good, however once in a while after riding a couple of hours that will trigger a cramp in my hamstring, which I shouldn't get. That is when the epsom salt bath really helps.

At the gym, I do stretching like kneeling shin stretch to a double quad stretch, but I can only get back to my hands, not to my elbows and I think it's impossible for me to get to the position with my back on the floor. Maybe after a while I could get to my elbows in the double quad stretch. This also feels good.

I also do Janu Sirsasana or Head-to-Knee Forward Bend, but I can only grab my foot with both hands, that is as far as I can get on that hamstring stretch. Doesn't particularly "feel good" as I get a little pain on the hamstring /tendon attachment to the knee on this stretch. I can "touch my toes" but can't get my palms on the floor on that sort of stretch.

I also do some groin stretches and IT band stretching and those can be problem areas.

What I really should work on but don't is my lack of shoulder flexibility. I think that is the most serious lack of flexibility.

When I try a shoulder flexibility test like the as the reach test or the Apley back scratch test, I can only get my hands about 10 inches apart, good flexibility would be for my fingers to touch.

 

[madman]

Definitely.....an imbalance between quad/hamstring strength can cause issues also, many are too strong in the quads as oppose to the hamstrings.

Lunges can be a great exercise for the hamstrings.

Hip flexors are also an area that needs to be flexible.

A strong posterior chain (glutes,hamstrings,spinal erectors) are essential to a healthy back.

Look into a reverse hyper machine!

 

[DragonBits]

Definitely.....an imbalance between quad/hamstring strength can cause issues also, many are too strong in the quads as oppose to the hamstrings.

Lunges can be a great exercise for the hamstrings.

Hip flexors are also an area that needs to be flexible.

A strong posterior chain (glutes,hamstrings,spinal erectors) are essential to a healthy back.

Look into a reverse hyper machine!

Reverse hyper machine looks interesting, the gym doesn't have one. I have wanted to get an inversion table, not the same thing but I suspect it will feel good on the lower back.

Lunges are great exercises, I am avoiding them for now as i created some knee soreness tendon problems from excess use of a stair climber. Lunges really "activates" that pain. I hope for that to go away, it's quite a bit less now than it was. Biking is neutral to a slight positive for my knees.

I will work on making my hamstrings stronger, but I expect the long bike ride temporarily tightens up my quads enough to cause some problems that stronger hamstrings won't counter as they aren't getting worked at the same time.