Calves cramping on cold water dives

[crpntr133]

A dry suit that doesn't leak should help Also leave those calves on shore. They have no business diving. Diving calves...that is udderly ridiculous.
I didn't have a problem till I went to turtles with the dry suit. And shortly after that I went to doubles. Haven't dove anything but doubles since so I can't say that is the sole cause. Stretching does seem to help.

 

[tstormdiver]

A dry suit that doesn't leak should help Also leave those calves on shore. They have no business diving. Diving calves...that is udderly ridiculous.

You're right, I forgot that my drysuit had been leaking in the feet (all fixed now). The second point belongs in the "Sarcasm" thread Wally.

It's generally happened at the end of the dives which can be 30min.- 1hr, so fatigue can also come into play.. Now, looking back (don't you just love that 20/20 hindsight?), I sometimes tend to not hydrate as I should. Good thoughts all. Thanks!

 

[Diver0001]

Ok, so far a lot of posts saying that they don't find it strange.

Here's an idea about prevention:

- make sure your equipment, the suit and especially the fins, are not too tight. The flippers are a common culprit. If the fin is too tight around your foot, it can trigger a cramp. Likewise, if you hvae spring straps on your fins they may be too tight and putting undo stress on the Achilles tendo, which can trigger the cramp.

- Work on condition. You might try exercises like pushing up onto your toes with bare feet or using something like a stair-master to just conditoin the muscles. Fitter muscles are less likely to cramp and have better circulation, which will help in the cold water.

- Try strectching. The more supple the muscles are the less likely they are to cramp.

Hope that helps.

R..

 

[sam1]

I HAD the same problem---then I started doing exercises to strengthen my calves. No problems since.

 

[Melicertes]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3744443-post5.html

I was about to post a link to a site with some really interesting stuff when I realized Gombessa's reference already did so. In the referenced post TSandM provided a link to a collection of very handy articles, one which discusses Preventing Foot and Calf Cramps here http://www.divefitness.com/html/articles/article_pdfs/foot_calf.pdf

What got me in trouble in the past was that my old fins' foot pocketses were not wide enough for my foot to splay comfortably when finning , usually when I'm dealing with currents and working harder than usual. As per that article I've also given particular attention to exercises targeting my upper and lower calf muscles and combined with some stretches I've never really had problems again, so it worked for me.

 

[Buoyant1]

Ok, so far a lot of posts saying that they don't find it strange.

Here's an idea about prevention:

- make sure your equipment, the suit and especially the fins, are not too tight. The flippers are a common culprit. If the fin is too tight around your foot, it can trigger a cramp. Likewise, if you hvae spring straps on your fins they may be too tight and putting undo stress on the Achilles tendo, which can trigger the cramp.

- Work on condition. You might try exercises like pushing up onto your toes with bare feet or using something like a stair-master to just conditoin the muscles. Fitter muscles are less likely to cramp and have better circulation, which will help in the cold water.

- Try strectching. The more supple the muscles are the less likely they are to cramp.

Hope that helps.

R..

That's a good point that I didn't mention about my own situation...I dive a 7mm wetsuit and if it's skewed on my leg a little (and therefore a little tight) it makes me cramp easier. I make sure it's on my leg straight and not skewed at all, and that helped either (but you're diving dry) I'm headed towards a dry suit this season...