Muscle cramps PLEASE HELP!!

[Sparkadv]

I play for a Hard Rock cover band. Lately, i've been getting a lot of muscle cramps on my arms and fingers.. I cut on caffeine and I eat 2 bananas for Potassium before the gigs. So far I can't figure out why I'm getting these cramps. Can anyone help?

[O Baterista]

There could be any number of causes. I'm sure you're doing so but I've noticed that if I do not do adequate warm-ups I will inevitably cramp up. It usually requires at least 15-25 good minutes of stretching and light playing before I'll be ready to roll.

It didn't used to be that bad but for some reason it's started creeping up on me. Now it just requires more and more warm-up time. Not a problem now that I know about and recognize it.

[Sparkadv]

Thanks...I will try to warm up well before the gig.

[aboylikedave]

I'm no doctor but one cause of cramps is when the muscles are using more oxygen in the short term they are getting from breathing. Make sure you don't often hold your breath during solos, fills, tricky bits etc.! Breath relaxed and deep.

[NUTHA JASON]

i agree with all the above posts. stretching and warming up is essential. to add ... drink loads of water before, during and after. how often are you playing drums? i find i'm stiff after three gigs in a row. or if the week has been spent intensively practicing.

j

[Jay.B.]

Hmm all good stuff, especially the breathing part, got to keep a nice flow of fresh oxygen entering your system to keep those muscles powered up, and keep those fluids going in as well.

I had a killer of a cramp in my right calf at our last gig, we were on our second set of the night, each one being about 75 minutes long, and three songs from the end it snapped in, I almost jumped off my stool, needless to say the bass drum patterns got drastically simplified for a short while, while I played through it, and by the end of the set it had just about disappeared, don't want that to happen again, it was a cracking gig up to that point.

[7red7]

I'll definitely echo everyone who stresses stretching and warming up before settling in for a long practice or recording session and live gigs...I was a fool and didn't warm up at all yesterday before sitting down to run through a setlist, and my hands hate me today...Years of mechanical work with my hands gave me artheritis like crazy...I hurt from wrist to fingertips, and I should have known better...

[Bernhard]

somebody told me to take Calcium Tablets....worked for me - but i'm nearly 60.

Bernhard

[7red7]

somebody told me to take Calcium Tablets....worked for me - but i'm nearly 60.

Bernhard

That may be my friend, but you're only as old as you feel :D

Sadly, I'm only 28 with bad artheritis in both hands...That will teach me to want to build videogames anytime soon...Thank you for the advice though, if it's one thing I know for sure I don't get enough of it's calcium...I'd honestly love to give that a try...I'm rehabbing a back injury right now as well, so maybe that would help that too :D

Thanks Bernhard!!!

DAN

[NUTHA JASON]

as a cautionary note athritis can be cause or worsened by the artificial sweetner: aspartine. i used to use it in my 8 + cups of coffee a day and found it was in the mix-a-drink i liked. as soon as i stopped the pains eased and are now gone.

always read the label

j

[jonescrusher]

Could always be poor grip. If you're gripping the sticks too hard, cramping will be inevitable. This will always become apparant in a gig situation, where you're going to put maximum energy and commitment into your playing. If you don't have a teacher, get one to at least review your technique.

[Sparkadv]

You guys are awesome! I really appreciated all the great advices.I haven't tried the Calcium tablets, warm ups, breathing properly and/or drinking loads of water.... but sweetner, only Splenda :-) These suggestions have been very helpful and I believe it can help a lot of people too.

[jamesanthony]

as a cautionary note athritis can be cause or worsened by the artificial sweetner: aspartine. i used to use it in my 8 + cups of coffee a day and found it was in the mix-a-drink i liked. as soon as i stopped the pains eased and are now gone.

always read the label

j

Holy shnikeez! That explains a LOT! I started dieting recently to get into roadworthy shape, and I've been noticing more pains in my elbows, shoulders and wrists lately. I assumed it was just from the amped up practice regiment, but I've been using a ton of artificial sweetner too. I'm going to back off the aspartine and see if that miminizes the discomfort.

Thanks for the great insight! :)

[DestinationDrumming]

Due to a disability my Wife has muscle cramps during the night. One thing she has found that helps is drinking tonic water because the Quinine has an effect on the muscles that reduces spasms and cramps.

Worth a try alongside the many other suggestions

[ross--]

The bananas should help because of the potassium. But I think you need to drink plenty of water to help your body absorb the potassium. Your not just scarfing down bananas without washing them down are you.

[Mr. Pasquini]

I'm studying this right now, the most important thing is that you are already hydrated wen you
begin drumming. If you are dehydrated, nothing will help the cramps immediately, 4 hours is acting time for water to act if taken orally. The only quick way to get cramps to go away is through a saline IV. I recommended you drink water ALL day until your gig. Make sure to go to the bathroom before. I hate to bring it up but make note of the color of your urine, if it's dark you're dehydrated while if it's tinted a very light yellow you are hydrated.

Good luck

[Jeff Almeyda]

Many of these posts are very helpful but I have found in my experience that the source of tightness and or cramping is usually a technique or a conditioning thing as opposed to a medical condition such as depleted electrolytes.

You'd have to sweat an awful lot in a 2 hour set to deplete your potassium enough to cause cramping. You'd keel over from the water loss first. Despite what the manufacturers of Gatorade would like you to believe, the human body can conserve its electrolytres for quite some time after sweating has commenced. If not, we'd have died out as a race on the African Savannah 75,000 years ago.

If you're reasonably healthy, hydrated and rested and you're still cramping then I would suggest something totally outrageous: Practice.

Good luck

[Sparkadv]

Thanks...please keep posting. I will try all this suggestions and let you know what worked the best.

[guitaristwhoplaysdrums]

stretch and warm up before you play....and focus on breathing normally when u play.....