# Muscle cramps?? While playing football



## pk1601 (May 25, 2019)

Hello

Short history
Type 2 controlled by diet, no medication, regular exercise, blood levels under recommended minimum levels. I’m the fittest and strongest I’ve been for many years. 

30-40 miles a week on a Wattbike in a high gear without any problems.

I’ve been playing Vets football, light warm up including stretches etc. I can play for 60 minutes without a problem. Other times I can go 15, 30 or 45 mins and suddenly I feel like I’ve cramped up in my legs for absolutely no reason. 
I think drinking lots of water has helped but it’s still happening more often than not. 
Can it be diabetes related?
What should I be drinking or eating before or during the game that might help.
I’ve read eat bananas before and during, drink lucozade before and during.
And that’s of course it is muscle cramps but I show no physical signs of continuous muscle pulls or tears

Anyone got an advice as I feel the excerise can only be good for me but it can be quite debilitating for days afterwards.


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## trophywench (May 26, 2019)

Just a question - have you ever been tested by your doc for intermittent claudication?  I'd want to rule that out before I changed my diet, especially with bananas cos they are mega high carb so not ideal for diabetes - OTOH they do contain elements like zinc and potassium which can be helpful if we're not getting enough from other things we eat.

Is Vets football the same as walking football?


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## Eddy Edson (May 26, 2019)

As another IC sufferer, I second TW on that! 

But the "days afterwards" lingering might indicate otherwise - IC cramps/pain usually go away pretty quickly, I find.


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## Matt Cycle (May 26, 2019)

Hi pk.  Is it just the footie when these problems occur?  Or are you also doing the 30-40 miles a week on the Wattbike?  What are your blood readings like during the different types of exercise?  When I used to play 5 a side football in the past the immediacy and stress of it could cause my blood levels to rise due to the anaerobic nature and cause occasional cramping.  On the bike it's normally just long aerobic miles on my own and I don't normally have the same issues.  Keeping hydrated is important and I use electrolyte tablets in my water and something like this may help you (High 5 zero or similar).


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## pk1601 (May 26, 2019)

Hello
Thanks for the responses. 
Vets football is very different than walking football. Very physical albeit some are walking at the end of it!!! Perhaps it’s just my age (50) and the bodies way of saying stop. I’ve played a lot of sport throughout my life, rugby, football and cricket, and perhaps it’s all catching up with me now. 
Clutching at straws really. Saw a Sports Physio yesterday who said I showed no signs of muscle injury and my legs looked extremely strong with the exercise I do so no reason I should suddenly get such muscle tightness occur instantaneously during the game having played for a good length of time unless I’m lacking in something vitamin/mineral wise that is causing it. She recommended seeing my GP but also gave me some advice regarding pre match snack, and warm up, half time drink (she said plenty of water before the game but then a Lucozade Sport during half time and then the 2nd half to see if that helped) and post match drink ( water again) and warm down but said it sounded like I was doing all this but maybe it needed tweaking.


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## pk1601 (May 26, 2019)

Matt Cycle said:


> Hi pk.  Is it just the footie when these problems occur?  Or are you also doing the 30-40 miles a week on the Wattbike?  What are your blood readings like during the different types of exercise?  When I used to play 5 a side football in the past the immediacy and stress of it could cause my blood levels to rise due to the anaerobic nature and cause occasional cramping.  On the bike it's normally just long aerobic miles on my own and I don't normally have the same issues.  Keeping hydrated is important and I use electrolyte tablets in my water and something like this may help you (High 5 zero or similar).



Sorry this came thru when I was typing my previous reply.

No problem on the bike whatsoever. In fact I go on the bike after which helps loosen the legs up a bit. 
I don’t do blood readings as I was told I didn’t have to as controlled by diet and every 6 months bloods are bang on the money albeit after reading a few things perhaps the blood reading bit might be an idea I can do to try to solve the problem. 
I have started drinking far more water that has definitely got me longer into the games before the problem starts than previous. That is 100% certain and I’m not that knackered that it just sheer tiredness. It’s definitely a physical thing that happens to me. I played yesterday, going strong after 60odd minutes, stood to defend a corner, next step felt like I had been stabbed in my calf. Carried on thru it but was definitely hindered by it for the rest of the game. It doesn’t feel like a pull or tear, it’s just very sore afterwards and my recovery time definitely isn’t what it used to be after a game of footie


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## Matt Cycle (May 26, 2019)

pk1601 said:


> Sorry this came thru when I was typing my previous reply.
> 
> No problem on the bike whatsoever. In fact I go on the bike after which helps loosen the legs up a bit.
> I don’t do blood readings as I was told I didn’t have to as controlled by diet and every 6 months bloods are bang on the money albeit after reading a few things perhaps the blood reading bit might be an idea I can do to try to solve the problem.
> I have started drinking far more water that has definitely got me longer into the games before the problem starts than previous. That is 100% certain and I’m not that knackered that it just sheer tiredness. It’s definitely a physical thing that happens to me. I played yesterday, going strong after 60odd minutes, stood to defend a corner, next step felt like I had been stabbed in my calf. Carried on thru it but was definitely hindered by it for the rest of the game. It doesn’t feel like a pull or tear, it’s just very sore afterwards and my recovery time definitely isn’t what it used to be after a game of footie



It could be what's happening is nothing to do with diabetes but the HbA1c blood tests you're having every 6 months won't show any blood glucose variations you might be getting on a daily basis.  Don't know anything about intermittent claudication that TW and Eddy mentioned but you would expect anything like that to show up on the wattbike as well.  Lucozade sport contains electrolytes as well as glucose but if you don't want the glucose then the electrolyte tablets such as High 5 zero's in a bottle of water will do the job.  Hope you get it sorted.


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## pk1601 (May 26, 2019)

Hello
I will be the first one to admit I’m still a little naive about diabetes as I have had it pretty easy controlling with diet. 
The physio mentioned High 5 as well so when you also mentioned them I ordered some off their website this afternoon, neutral and flavoured. Open to anything that might help but might be nothing more than old injuries finally catching up with me. 
Already got my blood tests at my surgery scheduled in for Thursday so gonna try to see a GP as well straight after.


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## HOBIE (May 26, 2019)

pk1601 said:


> Hello
> 
> Short history
> Type 2 controlled by diet, no medication, regular exercise, blood levels under recommended minimum levels. I’m the fittest and strongest I’ve been for many years.
> ...


Hydration ! pure water. & deff not pucozade  Good luck


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