Abdominal Muscle Spasms

[AngelinaB]

For almost 1 year now I have had horrible muscle spasms in my abs when I do sit ups. I do a lot of running and other exercise and my abs never tighten up like that any other time other than doing sit ups. Everytime I try to do sit ups I can get through about 10 then the upper right abdominal area completely tightens and feels like a really really bad charlie horse. I'm just looking for any advice or experience with this that anyone can give me. I saw my family doctor and he said it's not a hernia and it could maybe be my gallbladder. With everything I've read online about gallbladders it doesn't seem like that is it to me. Just wondering if anyone can give me some help!
Thanks

[Mpuccini]

Best thing Ito do when this happens is to stand up and walk around. It will go away within 30 seconds.

This happens to me too A LOT.  I have had 2 c sections within 3 years. I am athletic. I weigh 130 right now.... 115lbs pre-prego.

I get the muscle spasms usually about 2-3 times each workout session. And by workout, I mean I live on a farm. Today I was lifting and moving railroad ties to build raised gardens.

I get muscle spasms with what feels like overlapping of something inside me. Once the overlap clears, it feels better again. I always have to get up and walk it off to make the overlap go back in place.

It has happened twice while I was driving. I had to pull over and get out to make the pain stop.

[SallyAVO]

I have never posted anything on line before but i am so pleased to have found this thread i am doing so! i have the same symptoms. They started after my 2nd child ten years ago (both c sections) and then i did a lot of abdominal work for the first time in my life. i think i overworked the muscles. Anyway i describe it to people as if i have an alien in my stomach - it is always after i have been scrunched up and then come out of that position. It can happen on both sides of my abdomen and i can see an actual bulge appear and move for a few seconds.  Its so weird! i push hard at it and it will go away but then ache a little afterwards. I stopped doing stomach work for years because of it and it pretty much went away but recently I have started pilates - doing lots of core work-  and its happened straight away. I did years ago see lots of hernia guys and had a MRI exactly as  most people here also have but definitely not hernias and eventually a sports doctor said he thought it was tears in the stomach muscles. I am interested in what people think is the  best thing to do as regard stomach exercises as i feel i need to exercise my core (I'm 49) and fit -  but dont know how to go about it?

[Tomekap77]

I experience the same problem since I had my tubes tied. It feels like a rope tying a knot in my stomach when I do the situps. When I push my stomach in they then begin to relax. It makes it hard to try to lose weight in that area due to this problem. I wonder what can be done also.

[SusanW17]

I've had the same pain as most of you are describing on both sides right below my ribs. Thankfully it only happens on one side at a time. Caused by bending and tightening muscles at the same time, i.e. sneezing when bent over (guaranteed cause, lol). Only fix is to try to stretch it out and can be tender for days aterwards. I have always had strong ab muscles, so weakness is not the issue. This started 23 years ago following a c-section. I've suspected my muscles were damaged when they tried to turn the baby externally. This entails docs trying to grab the baby's head and hips through all the layers of your abdomen. Didnt work so they kept trying to no avail. Horrible experience. Previous docs blew me off about it. Will ask my new doc. There is comfort in knowing we're not alone but with so many women experiencing this, I'm appalled no one knows the answer. Will keep you posted if I learn anything and hope the rest of you will do the same.  

[Sascharene]

Wow i had a c-section in Jan 2016. Never before this have i ever experienced abdominal cramping. It's so damn painful it feels so unreal when my stomach muscles lock up.

[Workout234]

I hear you on that embarassing moment in the gym. I just started taking a boxing class the other day and my lower right abs seized up into that excruciating pain you all know and I was done for the rest of the class. I run 3-4 times a week and have worked out religiously about 5 days a week for the last 10 years. However within the last year I have noticed that just after a few sets of abs my abs have a tendency to spasm. I think I get enough water, but maybe not getting adequate sleep at night (6hrs avg). I will try uptaking my potassium and cutting down on artificial sweeteners in gum, coffee, etc.., and try to cut sodium as well. Definitely a very annoying ailmnet. Whatever guidance anyone else may have that may have helped I would most greatly appreciate.

[sheilaposter]

I am another person with this problem. After searching for 30 years I found some answers. My diaphragm and the muscles that run from my hip to the diaphragm both spasm, intermittently. I now know what is causing my spasms and I do have some general advice for people. For me, it is caused by my ketophis, what is commonly called dowagers hump, but it isn't osteoporosis. Mine is caused by my habitual bad posture. At the age of 67 I finally found someone who could explain what is happening to me. Just having someone believe me was a big step . Now I am doing exercises to correct this. As this is a Myofascial problem I can recommend three things that will help people. Trigger point therapy will deal with pain and tight muscles. There are also some good books on myofacial stretching A Pilates movement therapist or a John Barnes Myofacial Release therapist can help immensely. It turned out there was a solution to my problem, again  it is a myofascial problem. It can be fixed with hard patient work.

[Computerlady710]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one with this weird issue.  My muscle spasm is only on the right side.  It started immediately after the birth of my child; however, I do recall it once before as a child because it scared me so.  If I bend over toward the right like to tie my shoe every now and then it will lock up and sort of protrude out. It then rolls up and down and stops.  I have always wondered if it was caused by a torn muscle that just will not heal after 15 years.  I have noticed it is a lot worse if I am a little dehydrated.  I have the spasms more intensely and often every time I get the stomach flu or intestinal issues.  This makes me think it really is muscle related.  I thought the first few times it was a rib popping out.  The pain really does take my breath away for the minute it holds on then it stops.  It does remain tender sometimes , but it is fine after that until next time.  I wonder if it could be related to potassium deficency and dehydration like with Charlie horses?

[GoddessDi]

So many people! I thought I was crazy describing the pain in my abs as a charlie horse. Or at least people looked at me like I was nuts when I describe it. I am very active and muscular. I was morbidly obese for most of my life, since childhood, up until 12 years ago. In 2005, at 389lbs and 43yo, I began a journey and finally figured out what worked for me to lose weight. I lost 250lbs without weight loss surgery. After that, I did have reconstruction / skin removal surgery. They took 52lbs of skin off my body. I work out a lot and found my body responds well to lifting weights. However, for the past year, one side or the other, just under my breast bone, I get this incredible pain that doubles me over, clutching at my abs. If you didn't know me, you'd think I was having a heart attack. It's always been the top set of abs muscles and on one side or the other, never both sides at the same time. You can see the muscle bulge. If I catch it in time and stand up, put my arms above my head and stretch as far as I can, I can stop it. But sometimes it comes on sooooo fast that I can't catch it in time. Yesterday, I did about an hour of power lifting and then about 30 minutes of racquetball. Afterwards, as I was about to sit down on a mat and do some stretching, my entire ride side of my abs instantly seized up and I was frozen, because any movement actually made it worse. I was in an awkward position, sitting on the mat, leaning backwards, but not fully down yet. After a few minutes it finally stopped. I laid down and did some minor stretching, I was afraid to do more. Last night, laying in bed, my lower right ab seized, but it only lasted a minute. It actually felt like someone had traced their finger across my stomach and into the spot where it seized up. There is no rhyme or reason to them happening. It's not only when I work out, or after I work out. It happens on days when I don't work out too. I can be bending down to pick something up that fell and it'll happen. I can just be sitting on the couch and it happens. Just now, sitting at the computer WHAM, it happens. No one seems to know what causes it and many don't even understand. I had a neuromuscular therapist say that my electrolytes might be low and for me to drink some Gatorade. YUCK! I'll try it because I'm desperate for an answer. I wonder, as someone mentioned above, if surgical adhesion's might have something to do with it, but then ask why after so many years? When they took the skin hanging from my belly (28lbs of skin), they also fixed a hernia at the same time, but found hole by the hernia was very small, so no mesh was needed. I do have scars across the top of my abs and also across the top of my hips/pelvic area. But again, surgery was YEARS ago. My last surgery was August 2008. It's so frustrating!

[Griggsnancy5]

Amazing to find others!!!!   I had breast cancer and reconstruction using abdominal fat -- minimal muscle involvement. However, 6 months later my abdominal wall was overall weak and distended.  So I a a 10" square of mesh inserted to strengthen it.  Shortly after this, my spasms started.  Incredible pain at the most unexpected times.  I was beginning to think it was mesh related, but have not seen that mentioned by others. So, I lean toward adhesions, scar tissue or surgical staples.  

[5039]

The reason your abdominal Muscle spasm or seized up is because your body is trying to protect your spine and preventing you from doing the action that your are doing.  Whatever you are doing at that moment is causing your spine disc to bulge or herniate out.  The more bulging of your disc the easily you will get spasm during exercise.  

Do an MRI to from out about the condition of your spine

[721710]

I can9;t believe so many people have this same problem. I have been to every doctor I can think of and nothing. The pain is preventing me from working out because the fear of the pain. It happens all the time now. I have had several MRI's gull bladder out and still continues.  I also feel that is getting bigger or covers more area now. I am so frustrated but don't know what else to do. My back is hurting more now because I avoid using the stomach muscles. Ugh. Would a MRI show the spine issue if they weren't looking for it. Stomach MRI will show back issues?

[brandon690]

I'm 25 and I started getting the charlie horses under my right rib a few months ago.  I do heavy weight lifting, which seems to be in line with the physical activity that most of the previous comments talk about.  It's possible that I could have a muscle tear I guess.  Something else that might be worth looking into is a condition called "splenic flexure syndrome", which is basically gas caught in the splenic flexure.  The splenic flexure is located precisely in the area where the cramping happens.  I'm leaning toward this as the cause of my charlie horses.

[Izopac]

Me too!  This has been happening for YEARS!  I had my gallbladder removed 12 days ago. Today, I was putting lotion on my legs, bent over while sitting , and bam!  It happened again! I sat right up straight.

[melodysmerk]

I have recently started having this happen too. I have not asked my Dr. about it but it feels like my intestine is getting twisted or something. It is a very uncomfortable feeling and when it happens I worry that things (my organs) won't pop back into place. I do have alot of stomach fat but I am afraid to bend because I hate the feeling!

[Monster1023]

Have you found any answers on this yet

[jmichell]

I am glad I found this cite. I do have a hiatal hernia, s when I do sit ups and crunches, I can expect for the upper right quadrant to tighten and release, all I do is put my arms up over my head and it goes away, however I was at the gym this morning and that same tightening feeling happen in the lower abs.  What is going on down there?!  If I can get some feed back, I would greatly appreciate it

[suzukisteph]

I have these exact symptoms.  I'm a nurse and used to be a gymnast.  I thought I had a hernia but it feels more like a muscle that could have been torn.  I have seen two surgeons.  I think I could have Injured myself on a machine that works the abdomen by twisting again resistance.  Lime you , I can't do any abdomen workout.  I'm think I B-) maybe boric injections may help.  Going to talk with another doctor about this.  
Stephani

[Spinalstenosis]

I also get cramping under my left breast, sometimes so bad that it pulls the muscle and hurts for days after. I think I've eliminated the possibility that it's a potassium or magnesium deficiency, and I only drink water, and I'm on a whole foods plant based diet and take multivitamins and B-12.

The only guess that I can come up with is spinal stenosis, I looked the symptoms of stenosis and cramping is one of them.  I'm going to the spine center in my area in the next few weeks and I'm going to ask them if there is any surgery that can help, I am no medical expert but if the bone from my spine is pushing on the spinal cord or nerves, I would imagine that it could cause this problem.

Wish me luck.

[pooh5819]

I think they are all related somehow. I don't know how but I know after reading all these posts, I am not alone. Thank God. And all these Doctors out there are not doing enough, in my opinion. I believe my muscles in my stomach are seperated from having three C-sections and I have adhesions. I noticed the adhesions first then years later the cramps and spasms started coming just from bending over to pick something up or sometimes leaning a certain way. All pain is on my left side. I take magnesium but have to be careful because I take high blood pressure medicine. My salt intake is low and I don't think magnesium helps that much. I drink plenty of water. Have not tried the potassium. I take a C supplement and multi B supplement and D supplement. The only thing that helps me is to get up and stretch and stay that way for a few minutes. Tried the massage thing, not much help. If there are any Doctors out there please help. Maybe Dr. Oz can help. There has to be an answer somewhere.

[skier121]

I have the same pain left side why doesn't someone do sit ups in the doctors office and then let them see the spasm.

[TonySmith2]

I don't think it is Interostal Neuralgia. That disease seems to have a number of symptoms other than pain, including nausea, heart palpitations, mucus discharge, etc. We are mainly experiencing muscular spasms in the upper-abdomen.

[TonySmith2]

Oh, God. I have researched this subject so much, but this is the first thread in which people have the exact same symptoms. The worst time is while DRIVING! It is awful. I have had to pull over and park. Also, this has happened to me on airplanes. Once, we had a pretty "rough" landing that caused us to lean forward suddenly in our seats. Well, while everyone was laughing, I was almost in tears because of an abdominal cramp. And, because we were landing in Washington, DC., they refused to let me stand up (used to be a rule - everyone seated in DC 30 minutes before landing until the door is open). HELP!!!!!

[pollyrocks23]

Hi there, this sounds a lot like what I think I suffer from.  It's called Intercostal Neuralgia. Here is more info on it: www.localhealth.com/article/intercostal-neuralgia/symptoms. I'd mention this your doctor.

[LMJouch]

You've obviously not experienced the pain that many of us are having or you would not have made such a mean comment. I had 'charley horses' in my legs when I was pregnant 23 years ago. The muscle spasms and/or 'charley horses' I have in my stomach/ribs/groin area now are 100x worse than those. My doctors have not found what is causing the muscle spasm problem; I've had CTs, MRIs, x-rays...and I'm scheduled to have a scope inserted down my throat and another up my 'south' end in a couple of weeks.You are entitled to your opinion, but please do not make light of any pain being experienced by others. So, whether our intense muscle spasm pains come from vitamin deficiency, electrolyte imbalance, injury, being overweight, being underweight, too much exercise, not enough exercise, difficult pregancies, old age, constapation, coughing, sneezing, or a combination of these...please know that the pain is real and it is intense.

[poteddy]

Based on all the comments, it's not the same problem everyone is having. There are some women who have it post child birth, some that are just out of shape trying to get back in shape too intensely, and some that are in good shape but suddenly start having it out of the blue.
I myself had it a few times, the one I had yesterday was really bad, hence I'm here being relieved knowing I'm not the only one.

One thing I did notice, and a few of you already mentioned it - when it happens, try to gently massage it... I know it hurts like hell and you don't want to move or touch it, but for me, it helped to get it away. I was back in able to move around in 10-15 minutes. feel the tense spot with your hand and massage it lightly and you'll feel how the tissue softens under your fingers and pain eases a bit.

I too, will try to drink more water, electrolytes and up my potassium intake, even though I drank a whole bottle of gatorade while exercising yesterday... I guess, it wasn't enough.

[Bellaginny]

I have 3 children, I use to do a lot of stomach crunches when I was younger until 10 yrs ago, I went to a local yoga class, and all I did was touch my toes and my stomach locked the first time , it was scary everyone thought I was having a heart attack ! As I stood up slowly doing deep breaths it went down. Since then every time I bend wrongly ( without bending at the knee) sometimes when I sneeze or constipated !! It does not happen that often but I panic when it happens. I had a stomach camera and found I had pollups which were non cancer but caused by too much stomach acid. So if I eat anything too fattening ,or acidy my stomach bloats and cramps. So I have to be careful what I eat ! I have Nexium tablets plus I drink warm lemon water which helps plus I take magnesium tablets after a big meal so I am not constipated . Someone told me to drink Aloe Vera which helps the stomach too !

[sickofit77]

orgasms ARE muscle spasms

[Rayrayray68]

Read my post on Tangy Tangerine