Done yesterday (20110104 We)

[mdlbear]

Not all that good a day. I woke up with a painful cramp in my right calf -- this has happened before, I don't know what causes it, and I don't like it. At least, after the first few steps, it didn't hurt to walk. But in the afternoon after I did walk about half a mile, which actually seemed to help, it hurt more the next time I stood up after sitting for a couple of hours.

Still hurts a little after a night with muscle relaxant and naproxen. *goes to take another dose*

I left my computer glasses at work. The old ones are noticably worse.

... and Chaos's keys and student ID/transit pass ended up getting dropped into a random mailbox, rather than our mailbox. I would love to have listened to the conversation wherein the two people involved each managed to confirm what they thought the other meant, rather than what was actually said. Not a happy bear; Colleen thinks I got inappropriately angry. It certainly drove off most of the Wednesday guests; the house was empty well before 11.

Growf. Not a good day. Be nice if I could breathe, too.

0104 We
  | woke up with a nasty cramp in my right leg.
  * up 6am; W=196.4; drugs, nose, teeth, dishes, exercise, light
  @ solarbird | no fun at all (politics) 
    For Bloggers at Risk: Creating a Contingency Plan | EFF
  * print setlist book.
  * practice:  full set (short on the easy ones, as usual)
    This is also a beta test of the new setlist book; a couple of tweaks needed.
  : OakPackaging.com sent me, or rather HSX, a couple of samples of reusable
    recycled-plastic bags.  "Are you ready for the San Jose BAG BAN?"  Yes,
    but thank you.
  @ Supermechanical : Twine - Listen to your world, talk to the Internet
  * walk:  very short (.5mi?) but got most of the cramp out.
    | (actually, no -- after sitting all afternoon, it's worse)
  * buy: pantsu - om sale, so hard to find
  & left computer glasses at work, apparently.
  : some of our friends are incredibly stupid.
    ! disgusted.  frustrated.  C thinks I overreacted.  restless...
      feelings I can't sort out...  somewhat depressed.
    @ chaoswolf | Well, keys are gone.
  % 10ish - Colleen and the YD in bed; only one guest (K).  Oh - here come
    J and A.  Now J thinks it's all her fault, and A claims he just
    relayed Colleen's request to drop the keys in _our_ mailbox.  Baffling.
    Simply baffling.  I know none of this is my fault, but I feel like crap
    anyway.  If K wasn't here and the drier wasn't still running I'd go to bed
    too.  10:40ish.
  % I'm guessing it was an ambiguously worded question/answer
  : 11pm everyone gone.  Going splat.  Spalt?  :P
    ...and K. comes back for her gloves.  :P
  % I may have lost another friend or two.  At least for a while.  Sheesh!

Comments

[firecat]

I get the calf cramps if I'm low on potassium and/or dehydrated and/or if I exercised more than usual the day before. I can usually stop one when it happens by flexing my foot toward my knee.

[mdlbear]

Calcium and magnesium are other possibilities.

Thanks for the tip about flexing my foot -- that's a good one.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

Leg cramps that come on while one is sleeping are fairly common - I've had them off and on for most of my life. There seem to be three factors involved: First, when you sleep, your position and the pressure of the covers tend to make you extend your feet in a "pointing your toes" position. This is effected by the contraction of the calf muscle, and if it's constantly contracted, it can go into spasm. Second, if you've been walking or otherwise exercising your legs more than usual, that can also lead to muscle spasms. Third, there seems to be a relationship between electrolytes (magnesium and calcium, I think), dehydration, and muscle cramps. Oh, and I often find that I get them more if I've had a bit to drink before I go to sleep. Alcohol is a muscle relaxant, so I think there's a paradoxical effect - the leg muscles relax too much, and then contract too much when the alcohol wears off.

I still haven't quite figured out what causes "shin splints" - painful spasms in the muscles on the front of the lower leg - but it's got to be similar.

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

*nods* potassium/magnesium/calcium balance is very important. Tricky part for me is figuring out *which* I've got too little of.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

Often, though, I know that it's not an electrolyte imbalance. It's either that the bottom of the bed-covers is tucked in too tight, and/or my leg muscles were either overstressed or over-relaxed when I went to sleep. Or maybe the leg-cramp fairy just happened to be in the neighborhood :-(

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

I often eat bananas to ward off those kinds of cramps. Being dehydrated can trigger them, too, so drinking water before bedtime can help, too.

Once you've had one, stretch before going to bed the next night, because "rebound" cramps often follow.

[mdlbear]

I don't like bananas at all; fortunately prunes have twice as much potassium, and potatoes four times as much. I often reach for potato chips when I know I've been sweating off electrolytes. Unfortunately the cramps tend to happen just as I'm getting up.