Gymnasts How do I help cramping Achilles?

[Mthegymqueen]

Hello, I am a gymnast, gymnastics rec coach, as well as a member of my high school's marching band, so I am always on my feet, and rarely have any rest time. Usually after football games (which doesn't help that early the next day after late Friday games are early morning practices, and have a band show that same evening), I usually get really bad cramps in my Achilles, which makes it hard to train at practice, or even sometimes stand.

Are there any stretches, or anything I can do to help it? After practice, I will apply heat to it, and put peppermint essential oil on them to relieve the pain (if it gets really bad, I will take ibuprofen, but I don't like medicine at all and use it as a last resort).

Thank you!

 

[raenndrops]

I'm not understanding what you are asking. The Achilles is a tendon. Tendons can cause muscles to cramp, but the tendons themselves don't cramp.
Is your cramp in the foot, the ankle, or the lower leg?
If it's not a cramp but a pain in the Achilles, you may need to get it checked.
If the tendon is too short (which can happen during growth spurts, especially, because sometimes the tendons don't keep up with bone and muscle growth), they can prescribe stretches to do.

 

[Mthegymqueen]

I'm not understanding what you are asking. The Achilles is a tendon. Tendons can cause muscles to cramp, but the tendons themselves don't cramp.
Is your cramp in the foot, the ankle, or the lower leg?
If it's not a cramp but a pain in the Achilles, you may need to get it checked.
If the tendon is too short (which can happen during growth spurts, especially, because sometimes the tendons don't keep up with bone and muscle growth), they can prescribe stretches to do.

Its the muscles in the back of my lower leg

 

[NutterButter]

If you are experiencing pain where it’s hard to do your normal activities or even stand, you should see a physician or physical therapist.

 

[Angelina2026]

You should stretch it out and put heat on it

 

[NutterButter]

You should stretch it out and put heat on it

Herein lies the problem. The OP can't correctly identify the part of her leg causing pain (ie, 'achilles' is cramping) and you are simply suggesting stretching and heat.

Closing this thread.