I have been wearing heels for a long time, but not for many hours a day, but recently I have been wearing 4 to 5 inch heels for most of the day, taking them off at night and doing some stretching exersises for my calf muscles. I still have been getting cramps, especially in the morning. Does anyone else experience this?
Sometimes, yes. Getting your potassium? That can help with cramps.
As you have stated. you are stretching those calf muscles, and they aren't used to it. it's like standing on tip-toe for long periods. Stretching your calf muscles will help,but it's gonna take time, and if you only wear heels on occasion, you're gonna lose that stretch in between times. 5" heels are quite a stretch.
Are your shoes too tight? Or do you wear the same pair several days in a row? I have noticed that making your foot stay in the same exact position a lot can cause cramping. Just one of many possible causes. I get cramps in my thighs sometimes lately, which is weird. Upping my potassium intake seems to make a difference.
No, I have some wiggle room in my shoes, and I do change from one pair to another with different heel heights. I guess I need to do more stretching and buy a nice bunch of bananas next time I go to the store. I also did get cramps in my thighs in the past several weeks since my heel wearing time has increased.Originally Posted by Anne66
I still love them and won't give them up!
Then, I tried foot stretching exercises, followed by wearing ballet boots for about 15 minutes!
No more cramps!
U can't keep doing the same things over and over and expect to enjoy life to the max. When u try new things, even if they r out of your comfort zone, u may experience new excitement and growth that u never expected.
Challenge yourself and pursue your passions! When your life clock runs out, you'll have few or NO REGRETS!
Your body is trying to tell you something!!
A little less time in heels might be wise.
I've gotten some cramping in the calves before and an occasional hip that wants to ache, but staying out of pretty shoes for a while seems to be the best way to calm the aches and pains.
Remember: All good things in moderation is always a better lesson than All good things must come to an end...
E²
Potassium,hydration and stretching are all good. A time machine would be invaluable.
i had the same thing hapopen when i was moved from 3" to 5". it all cme down to "time in the saddle". the more i wore them the better it got.
i am in 5" all day 3 dys a week now and no issues, still get sore toes but no cramps
silk
If I attend an event, and spend hours on my feet, I usually wake up about 3AM with a terrible cramp in one or both calves. I've come to accept it as just The Price I pay for being in heels for long periods of time. The cramping usually goes away in a minute or two.
A couple of "tricks," that might help. 1.) Massage those calves and point your toes downward, seems to speed up the process of making The Pain go away. 2.) An old Dancer's Remedy for cramps is to take a full soda can, place in on the floor, and roll The Can back and forth with the ball and arch of your foot.
I understand your concern. Those leg cramps hurt like Hell! But I'll imagine you'll be like the rest of us. When faced with a choice of "Heels or Cramps?" You will probably choose The Heels.
Peace and Love, Joanie
i actually find iget worse cramps when wearing flats than heels(yes im the freak),i did get bad cramp after spending 13hr in heels walking around london in october but more because the most id spent before that is less than 2 hours in heels
stacy-marie
First time I wore my five inchers for a whole evening and night (I slept in them!) while my wife was away, I had cramp feelings in my calf muscles when I took them off. I didn't actually get cramp, but I had that "stiff" feeling in them for four days after!
Tony
After 4 days, (and NITES), in 4" to 5" heels, I had sore toes and calves, but NO CRAMPS!
( That included 5 hours of DANCING in heels one nite!)
That was in Sep., at the SCC. And I'm 60+!
U can't keep doing the same things over and over and expect to enjoy life to the max. When u try new things, even if they r out of your comfort zone, u may experience new excitement and growth that u never expected.
Challenge yourself and pursue your passions! When your life clock runs out, you'll have few or NO REGRETS!
Check out "Dr. Legs" program for helping with walking confidently in heels...
http://www.catwalkconfidence.com/meet_the_doctor/
It is true that potassium and calcium might be needed.
But,
I notice that when I'm tired and walking a bit more like a guy (not leading with the hips) that the calf muscles strain a bit more than they should. Just in case, I would suggest that you might want to evaluate your walking style just to make sure that you aren't putting undo strain on the connective tissue.
tina
Thirty years ago, i was told to take salt tablets. Yuk! No wonder i was so irritable! Now, i take calcium/magnesium/zinc, or calcium/D, a banana, too. I used to have awful thigh, and calf, and sometimes foot cramps. Very seldom now. Yes, they are horribly painful, and i don't miss them.
I have had terrible leg cramps at least since I was a teen. They pretty predictably come on after I go to bed at night and last between a few minutes and an hour or so. When I first started wearing heels with some regularity, it would increase the likelihood and intensity of having cramps that night. But as I've worn heels more and more and now have them on pretty much all the time except at work, I've found that the frequency of cramping has decreased and is probably about as low now as anytime in my adult life. My lower calves and ankles are definitely stronger and thicker, so I credit the improved muscle tone and flexibility from wearing heels regularly with helping to relieve my cramps.
I've had chronically low potassium levels for a long time and do take a prescription supplement -- which still doesn't get it quite up into the "normal" range, but it's an improvement over my natural state. This could also help explain why I've been cursed with leg cramps for many years.
- Diane
I did get some bananas, and some potassium gluconate, which should help if that is part of the problem. Wore the usual heels for 6 or so hours yesterday and today. No cramps today, or yesterday. Gonna go with hydrate, stretching and make sure I have enough potassium.
Thanks to all that responded to my thread.
I'll be darned - I get these after dancing the night before.
I also find sitting for extended hours can have the same effect.
i have had serious muscle cramps, always at night. and I am sure the cause was dehydration.
I used to enjoy spending the day in 4" heels, but now that I am 65+ more than a few minutes in heels over 2 1/2" - 3" causes me to suffer for a couple of days.
i myself dont get cramps in heels, but my man shoes are called Z-Coil, they have a huge spring mounted at the heel, so it is like wearing a 3 in heel all the time.
Last edited by JamieOH; 12-11-2009 at 09:32 AM.
Wearing high heels is not natural for anyone. I try to avoid wearing them when I do for very long. I certainly don't dance in them and I love dancing. When it comes to practicality vs style, practicality will win out every time for me.
At present I am wearing 4 inch and sometimes 5 inch heels for about 6 to 8 hours every day. At the beginning, I had muscle cramps in bed but since I take magnesium sparkling pils with soda water, I became free of cramps.
Crossjoerg
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