Running Injury Prevention Calf and Leg Cramps From Running Causes, Coping, and Prevention By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Luff, ACE-CPT LinkedIn Twitter Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. Learn about our editorial process Updated on May 16, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Miho J. Tanaka, MD Medically reviewed by Miho J. Tanaka, MD LinkedIn Dr. Tanaka is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in the treatment of sports medicine injuries. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print comzeal / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Hydrate Warm Up and Stretch Avoid Fast Starts Try a Massage Wear Compression Socks Dealing With Mid-Run Cramps If Leg Cramps Continue It's common to get leg and calf cramps while running, especially when going long distances. But if you pay attention to possible causes, you can manage muscle cramps. Learn how to deal with leg cramps while running, plus keep them at bay on your next long run. Hydrate Properly Muscle cramps are often associated with dehydration, so it's important that you make sure you're hydrating properly before, during, and after your runs. Before Running An hour before you start your run, try to drink 16 to 24 ounces of water or other non-caffeinated fluid. Stop drinking at that point, so that you can void extra fluids and prevent having to stop to go to the bathroom during your run. To make sure you're hydrated before you start running, you can drink another 4 to 8 ounces right before you start. Before a long run or race such as a marathon, some runners do a "salt shot" before they start running. Get a small packet of salt, dump it into your hand, and follow it with water. Sodium and hydration requirements vary by individual, so this might not be for everyone. During Runs The general rule of thumb for fluid consumption: Take in 6 to 8 ounces of fluid every 20 minutes while you are running. During longer runs (90 minutes or more), some of your fluid intake should include a sports drink (like Gatorade) to replace sodium and other minerals (electrolytes) lost through sweat. Muscle cramping often occurs as a result of electrolyte imbalance, so it's critical that you replace your electrolytes. After Running Don't forget to rehydrate with water or a sports drink after your run. If your urine is dark yellow, you need to keep drinking. Urine that's a light lemonade color indicates good hydration levels. Keeping Hydrated During Your Runs Warm Up and Stretch Doing a proper warm-up before you start running gets your blood flowing to your muscles and can help you deal with leg cramps while running. Warm up by jogging slowly for 10 minutes and doing some warm-up exercises, such as butt kicks, jumping jacks, or high knees. Perform static stretches, during which you hold stretches for 30 to 60 seconds, before and after you finish your run. How to Warm Up and Cool Down Avoid Fast Starts Another possible cause of muscle cramping at the end of long runs or races is that you simply went out too fast. Avoid pushing the pace too much in the beginning and burning through your stored energy and hitting the wall, Deliberately run your first mile slower than you plan to run the final one. It's tough to do, since you'll most likely feel really strong in the beginning. But keep in mind that for every second you go out too fast in the first half of your race, you could lose as much as double that amount of time in the second half of your race.Make sure you're in the correct starting position. Don't start yourself with faster runners because you'll most likely try to keep up with them.Start your race at a comfortable pace and make sure you check your watch at the first mile marker. If you're ahead of your anticipated pace, slow down. It's not too late to make pace corrections after just one mile.Keep telling yourself that runners are going to pass you in the first mile. But you'll be passing a lot later in the race.Practice starting out slow during training runs. When you do your long run each week, try to hold back during the first few miles, so you get used to the discipline of not going out too fast. Try a Massage Going for a sports massage can be a good way to treat soreness that often develops as a result of muscle cramps. Regular massages can also help reduce tightness in your muscles and reduce your chances of muscle cramping during runs. You can also use massage tools, such as a foam roller, to do self-massage at home. Make sure you're also doing some post-run stretching to reduce tightness. Wear Compression Socks Compression socks work to circulate blood between your feet and your heart, improving overall blood flow and potentially easing cramps and discomfort in your legs. While small studies show that compression socks may help ease leg cramps while running, they have been shown to offer significant benefits in recovery. A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science shows that compression socks work to decrease recovery time, especially after long bouts of exercise. Wearing compression socks may help ease soreness and tightness in your muscles. How to Handle Mid-Run Cramps Staying well-hydrated, warming up, and other strategies will help prevent muscle cramps, but if you do find yourself dealing with leg cramps on a run, try slowly massaging and stretching the affected area to relieve the cramps. 15 Tips to Avoid Cramps on Your Next Run If Leg Cramps Continue If leg cramps persist after trying several methods, consult a healthcare professional to determine whether the cramps could be a result of a vitamin deficiency, medication side effect, or underlying medical condition. 9 Essential Post-Run Stretches 4 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Jung AP, Bishop PA, Al-Nawwas A, Dale RB. Influence of hydration and electrolyte supplementation on incidence and time to onset of exercise-associated muscle cramps. J Athl Train. 2005;40(2):71-75. Bordoni B, Sugumar K, Varacallo M. Muscle cramps. In: StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. Mota GR, Simim MA de M, dos Santos IA, Sasaki JE, Marocolo M. Effects of wearing compression stockings on exercise performance and associated indicators: a systematic review. Open Access J Sports Med. 2020;11:29-42. doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S198809 Montoye AHK, Mithen AA, Westra HL, Besteman SS, Rider BC. The effect of compression socks on maximal exercise performance and recovery in insufficiently active adults. Int J Exerc Sci. 2021;14(7):1036-1051. By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit