The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Injuries › Cramps AFTER yoga
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Yesterday, and again today, I’ve had severe cramping of my fingers AFTER hot yoga — my fingers lock in crazy (usually straight) contortions that make it difficult to do anything normal… even drive. I try to relax and stretch the fingers, but nothing seems to work — the cramping seems to go away after 30 or 45 minutes.
Yes, I’ve read the other threads re cramping, and I suspect that the problem is my excessive sweating during class, my unusually high water consumption during class, and an inadequate dose of sea salt and other electrolytes. I hydrate before class and use sea salt at meals, and I consume a liter of coconut water and a liter of ice water during class, and at least a half liter of water after class.
After reading the related threads, I expect that Gabrielle will tell me to consume a half teaspoon (?) or so of sea salt. But, is that the right amount? and, when would be the best time to take the salt? and, is there something better than the fancy Celtic Sea Salt that I purchased at Whole Foods?
If you’re suggesting that I should add the salt to my liquids taken during class, I’m concerned about the taste. Currently, I freeze some water in two 1-liter plastic bottles and add a liter of coconut water — the ice melts during class and keeps the coconut water cold. Adding salt might ruin my enjoyment of the coconut water?
I hesitated to start a new thread, but I’m wondering — has anyone else had similar cramps AFTER hot yoga?
John
This is an update, one day later —
I ate a couple of pinches of sea salt before I went to class today. The class had a rookie (?) instructor who didn’t make the room as hot and didn’t put the “snake” in front of the door. I had a nice cool draft and a less-demanding class.
Afterward, with my usual cool-down and shower, I felt refreshed and energized… but the cramps still controlled my fingers a few minutes later, as I was trying to drive home. I had brought along a salt shaker filled with sea salt, and I ate perhaps a half teaspoon of the salt from the palm of my hand while the fingers were cramped into contortions…
But, I didn’t experience the instant release that I had hoped to feel! Instead, the cramped fingers seemed to recover on their own after the usual delay — I could notice no difference with the added sea salt… did I misunderstand the advice?
Please let me know what you think, Gabrielle. Perhaps the cramping fingers are indicating a more serious problem? anemia? incipient heat exhaustion?
Thanks —
JohnHi John
I imagine that with your usual good attention to medical issues that you may very well have done some more investigating. I hope so!
What say you? Did continued salt use (even by the spoonful) make a difference? Was it progressively better? Or are you still experiencing the same cramping?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thanks, Gabrielle, for your reply.
I had planned to gradually increase the salt after class, as you correctly guessed… but, I was concerned about taking in too much salt. Is it hardening of the arteries that is usually the main concern? Without some guidelines from you or a physio, I decided not to go to a half teaspoon or more of sea salt after class. Was I overly cautious? You know I’m 68…
The salt from the salt shaker seemed to make little difference, and the shaker has moved from the car back to the house. So, I’ve been omitting the after-class salt altogether, the past 3 or 4 practices. I see now that I probably exaggerated the cramping. It’s unpleasant, inconvenient and a little painful, but I’ve come to expect and accept it — it doesn’t last very long, usually.
This is not a serious problem for me, and I do the Bikram series only 2 or 3 times a week, with practice of various vinyasa yoga styles on other days. I posted the thread because I wanted to learn if others had experienced such cramping. I’m really quite surprised that no one has posted a reply to say that they had!
John
Hi Gabrielle —
I’ve been out of town, practicing in the Traverse City, Michigan studio where I met Sara Jones and connected with this site a year ago — sadly, I learned that Sara was injured again, currently unable to teach at the studio, and I missed seeing her.
The slightly lower temperature/humidity of that Michigan studio totally eliminated my problems with hand cramps after class. It was the same Bikram series but with only a little over 100F and with slightly lower humidity than I’m used to here in Charleston SC.
But, now that I’m back in Charleston, the hand cramps have returned. Luckily, tonight, my right hand wasn’t as severely cramped as my left hand, and I was able to drive home from the studio okay. I dosed myself with about 1/3 teaspoon of sea salt when I arrived home, and the cramps gradually lessened — but, I’m not sure if the salt helped or if the cramps would have ended at the same time naturally, as my body rebalanced itself.
I prefer the somewhat moderated temperature of the studio in Michigan. To me, the crazy high temperature/humidity of my local studio is not necessary and is perhaps dangerous.
While I was in Michigan, I read the book “HELL-BENT, Obsession Pain, and the Search for Something Like Transcendence in Competitive Yoga”. The book impressed me, and I was quite surprised that my “search” of your wonderful website failed to locate any references to this book. Benjamin Lorr has done an amazing job of observation and thorough research, in my opinion!
I found Benjamin Lorr’s book by chance, when I was doing an online search for another book on the Amazon website, and, when I read the first few pages online, I realized that I was actually in the Esak-led class at my local Charleston SC studio that Benjamin Lorr was writing about!
I’m very anxious to learn your opinion of the book, Gabrielle. Especially, I’m interested in your thoughts about Bikram’s protege Tony Sanchez, and others, who are moving toward a greater number and variety of postures and relying less on heat during class.
Should I initiate a new threat directed to Benjamin Lorr’s book?
Thanks —
JohnHello John
Yes indeed! Since this thread is about cramps I guess a new thread would be great. I had better read the book then eh? I do have it (it was a gift).
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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