Many people experience leg cramps while swimming, including cramps in the calf, toes, ankles, and other areas. It is dangerous to ignore cramps, but understanding the causes of leg cramps while swimming and taking preventive measures can effectively avoid them.
Inadequate nutrition
During swimming, the whole body is active, and if the exercise intensity is too high, more fluids will be lost than usual. This means that the body will lose a lot of water and salt, and muscles need to replenish sodium, magnesium, potassium, and other elements to help maintain function. If attention is not paid to hydrating and nourishing the body before swimming, leg cramps are more likely to occur.
Insufficient warm-up before swimming
If insufficient warm-up exercises are done before swimming, the cold water temperature can stimulate the skin, causing a large number of blood vessels in the skin and muscles to contract, reducing blood flow and not meeting the needs of muscle activity in a timely manner, leading to cramps.
Swimming after excessive physical fatigue
If other leg-intensive activities such as running or cycling were done before swimming, causing the legs to be already fatigued, the likelihood of leg cramps during swimming increases. This is because running has already consumed a large amount of energy, and swimming pools are usually colder. The chances of cramping increase due to the stimulation of cold water.
Incorrect leg kicking technique
When learning to swim, it is necessary to practice leg kicking. If the toes are in a straight and tense state during this process, leg cramps are more likely to occur. Therefore, during leg kicking practice, consciously learn to relax the legs, ankles, and knees to avoid cramps.
Excessive swimming duration
If swimming for too long, excessive energy consumption in the body will cause a large accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, leading to excessive muscle fatigue and cramps.
