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

[Rayrayray68]

years and years of suffering ,sit ups ,sneezing,laughing(maybe the worst),putting on socks,swimming(very bad),had to give up martial arts you name it anything could cause a plethora of spasms like movements in my abdominal region and back.On  May 13 2012 I started taking a supplement called Tangy Tangerine(I never buy these types of things,a friend gave  it to me because sleeping problems and a lack of energy).On May 19 2012 I had  an  ex-employee  set me up for a home invasion,was struck twice in the face/skull with a hatchet ,lost a lot of blood but fought my way out of house(2 guys).When I went to the hospital I told the nurses of my condition and expected a spasm for hours ,I did not have a spasm for four days(which the nurses recorded).when I returned home  I started  taking Tang Tangerine again and my spasms were greatly reduced.I still have a spasm now and then,but are much less painful and much shorter in duration.most often occurs when doing any sit up type of movement.   Good luck I lived in hell for years

[epalmbeach]

Wow- I have a similar remedy when the spasms hit: I sort of hang from a door frame by hooking my fingers over the trim and stretching.  I'm so happy to have found this tread- I thought I was the only one.  No help from doctors either....

[doverbaldy]

Does it give you trouble after eating...almost as if pain is caused by contents pushing out on the tear?

[ageisjustanumber]

Hi Everyone - I am an official member of the club too!  After 12 years of dealing with this so called rib muscle cramping, I beleive mine was brougt on by an excruciating delivery of my daughter.  I pushed for over 2 hours....and I am almost certain some kind of muscular damage was done at that time.  It was soon after my delivery that I started getting these awful spasms/cramps in my rib cage muscels when I would bend over for anything.  It was any motion that mimmiced an ab "crunch".  It happened regularly for a while, and then when I got back into the gym to start working out again regularly, that is when they really got bad any with any kind of ab work.  I would immeidately have to stop what I was doing, lay flat, extend my arm, and use my other hand to try and massage the cramp out.  Of course, I looked like a fruit cake to everyone else as they didn't understand what I was going through.  
My journey led me to seek Physical Therapy for a few months.  The PT thought I was something of a phenomenon as he had never seen anything like it.  He gave those exercises to do, that help open/expand the rib cage.  Of course they helped as long as I kept up with them, but the cramps have never gone away.  I have also read and educated myself about how crunches are not even the best way or proper way to work out your abs.  Plank is the best!  I can do plank fairly well, but if I really push myself, the cramps start.  It's just about knowing your body and what your limits are.  Good luck to all.

[TDAN21]

Hey Everyone,

I'm going to share my own theory part A and part B which I think are behind the infamous stomach cramp phenomena that I came up with all on my own. I have these stomach cramp problems too; ESPECIALLY when I'm doing my declines and I would like to be rid of them for good.

So, when my stomach cramps of course I stop the set right on the spot. One thing I've noticed is that when it does happen I'm not breathing properly. My theory A is that you are not breathing properly. Now, I'll be doing great at trying hard and making sure to get a solid rep so that I can feel my abdominals squeeze; but often times when I cramp up I'm not breathing and by breathe I mean inhaling and exhaling at the right time. What I do is I will be holding my breathe trying as hard as I can to finish the rep and I think I've been making the same mistake for years. Who know's that when your doing the bench press or any kind of workout that you inhale while working the negative, or going down, and exhale when working the positive, when coming up? If you breathe properly your abs won't feel as strong as they do when your holding your breath. If you breathe properly your muscles will get a higher quality workout and the cramps won't happen, period. Also if you breathe properly your abdominals will literally feel and be weaker; but they will get stronger over time until you eventually won't have the cramping issue any more. This is theory A; which is the first part of my stomach cramp theory.

This is part B of my stomach cramping theory and is to be combined, used in conjunction and as a part of theory A. Stomach cramp theory B is that the stomach cramping issue is partially a cosmetics/ego issue. Now, how many people guys/girls like having their belly stick out in public while wearing a pair of jeans or while they're at the beach shirtless/in bikini's? Nobody! My second theory is that because people want to appear more fit they suck their stomachs in in public to fit into that pair of jeans or when they're at the beach in their swimming clothes. Now, when you suck in your stomach your muscles have to suck in too so that your belly can appear flat while it is sucked in. My theory is simply that people do it so often that it actually weakens and deforms their abdominal muscles. Sucking in your belly weakens your abs in such a way that when you go to do your sit ups that not only are you not breathing properly in good form; but your stomach is accustomed to being sucked in, deformed from being sucked in and thereby weakened from being repeatedly sucking in your stomach day after day.

Part A and B combined. If you don't suck in your stomach under any circumstances ever again and breathe or inhale and exhale properly when performing your ab exercises I believe that you will have fewer and fewer stomach cramps over time and that your abdominals will be continually strengthened until you no longer have the cramps when working out. This means sacrificing looking good until you actually have the real deal flat stomach and taking the time to always be conscious that you are inhaling and exhaling when working out. If you build the discipline to be able to remember to inhale and exhale properly and sacrifice the superficial flat stomach until you have the real deal then my theory is simply that you will not have the stomach cramps, period. In conclusion and in my opinion in order to solve the riddle you must sacrifice sucking in your stomach and you must begin to discipline yourself in breathing in order to not cramp up.


I know that was a lot! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.



Sincerely, TDAN21  

[cygnetdesign]

Thanks, I will try it.  Soda stream has a tonic water flavor.  I'll check it out to see if  quinine is an ingredient.  I have had this similar problem for over 50 years.  IBS is the fuzzy conclusion.  I just know it hurts, is stressful and scary.
Can you obtain quinine from other sources besides a prescription?  Maybe worth looking into