"Three Percent Hypohydration Does Not Affect the Threshold Frequency of Electrically-Induced Cramps"- Miller et al, Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise, 3-10.....
"Reflex inhibition of electrically induced muscle cramps in hypohydrated humans"-
Miller et al, Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise, 5-10....
The conclusions? "cramps may be more associated with neuromuscular fatigue than dehydration/electrolyte losses. Health care professionals may have more success preventing EAMC by focusing on strategies which minimize neuromuscular fatigue rather than dehydration".........."Pickle juice, and not deionized water, inhibits electrically induced muscle cramps in hypohydrated humans. This effect could not be explained by rapid restoration of body fluids or electrolytes. We suspect that the rapid inhibition of the electrically induced cramps reflects a neurally mediated reflex that originates in the oropharyngeal region and acts to inhibit the firing of alpha motor neurons of the cramping muscle".
The authors speculate the cramping mechanism is exhaustion, either caused directly or through the biochemical processes associated with fatigue.
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3 comments:
Joe,
I will be dating my self; but when a few of my fellow students from Indiana State graduated and went to Texas high schools in 1980 they were introduced to pickle juice as a method to reduce muscle cramps. The mechanism of relief was unknown but they knew it worked.
Another case of what Vern would say - coaches (ATs) leading and sports science following.
Kevin Moody
Yeah- and it opens up a whole new area of research! The idea of the cramp inhibition reflex originating in the oropharyngeal region. At what is about the pickle juice? Is it the acidity? Would sucking on a lemon work just as good? Strange but fascinating.
I forwarded your post to our speech therapist and she said the oropharyngeal region acting to inhibit the firing of alpha motor neurons of the cramping muscle makes sense. She and I are going to sit down and discuss this when we have time.
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