Cramping in Summer Sports: The Sodium Solution

by: E. Randy Eichner, M.D.
Team Internist, University of Oklahoma
© More from this issue

The adult body contains 200 to 250 grams of salt (sodium chloride), which is about a half-pound and more than enough to fill a few salt shakers. But in August football, in five sets of summer tennis or in tropical triathlons, some athletes can lose 25 to 50 grams of salt in sweat. So athletes going hard can lose up to 10 to 25 percent of their total body salt! Massive salt loss like this – along with dehydration and muscle fatigue – leads to cramping.

Cramping starts as muscle twitching, often in the arms or legs, and can evolve into painful whole-body muscle cramps that can disable athletes: Picture a football player writhing on the field; a triathlete hobbling to the finish; or a tennis player forced to default.

Not Al....The full article can only be seen by subscribers.
Subscribe today!

User Name    Password  Password Help	NOT A SUBSCRIBER? Subscribe now to start receiving our monthly magazine PLUS get INSTANT unlimited access to over 4000 pages of 100 percent football coaching information, ONLY available at AmericanFootballMonthly.com!

**SUBSCRIBERS ONLY** NEED PASSWORD HELP

Subscribe online or call 800-537-4271 and get your password today!

NEW BOOK!

Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach