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NJCher

(37,751 posts)
Tue May 1, 2012, 08:51 AM May 2012

Solution for Leg Cramps

Overuse of muscles in the spring gardening season often leads to leg cramps at night or in the morning. As I have intensified my gardening activities in the last week, I've had problems with leg cramps.

The solution is to rub on apple cider vinegar as a topical.
Yes! Rub it right on the cramped muscle.

How I Found this Solution

I've had this problem for years. A long time ago a doctor gave me pills for it, but no more. Then another doctor suggested half a tablet of Ambien. That works, too, but who wants to take pills if there's an easy natural solution?

My last doctor told me to drink quinine, as in tonic water. Yeah, that works but yuck: horrible taste and can't get back to sleep after that nasty experience.

A couple years ago the NY Times published an article on leg cramps being treated with pickle juice by athletes. Not a bad idea, but again, who wants to drink pickle juice in the middle of the night?

There is even a guy who has bottled up pickle juice and sells it for this purpose.

In researching this subject more, I learned that the Amish have a natural solution and they sell it by the bottle. It's rather expensive, though, and in reading the comments in threads about it, I found that people have basically concluded that their bottled product is mostly cider vinegar with a few herbs added.

I've been using straight cider vinegar as a topical for the last few days and found instant relief.

Happy to have a solution to this painful problem, I wanted to share it with my fellow gardeners.


Cher

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Solution for Leg Cramps (Original Post) NJCher May 2012 OP
Interesting. I'll give it a try. dmosh42 May 2012 #1
Bar of soap Cracklin Charlie May 2012 #2
I love easy solutions that cause no harm. Curmudgeoness May 2012 #3
I get cramps in my feet from having diabetes. I think I will give it a try. Usually I get up and jwirr May 2012 #4

Cracklin Charlie

(12,904 posts)
2. Bar of soap
Tue May 1, 2012, 10:27 AM
May 2012

I sleep with a bar of soap under my sheet by my calves. It really does work, for me, at least. I will have to try the cider vinegar cure.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
4. I get cramps in my feet from having diabetes. I think I will give it a try. Usually I get up and
Fri May 4, 2012, 12:57 PM
May 2012

walk it off.

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