# Leg Cramps During Orgasm (TMI?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2002, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142 "2002-03-13T23:30:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/1 "2002-03-13T23:30:36Z")
Back on the temporary board, this was touched on briefly by Qadgop The Mercaptan during an different thread, and I wanted to ask it here where I’m more sure of the restrictions. While I’m on the edge of or having an orgasm, I occaisionally get rather painful leg cramps. When this happens, I try to adjust the position of the leg in question, but it’s rather distracting at a moment when I’d rather not be distracted. Does anyone know anything about the cause and possible methods of prevention? Giving up orgasms is not an option. 🙂 Not for Lent, or any other time. Among other things, the gentleman responsible for them would be rather disappointed. I am female, and have no idea whether this happens to me, although I would be rather curious to learn whether it does. Thanks, CJ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/2 "2002-03-14T00:56:52Z")
That’s “Mercotan”, dammit! Re: Avoiding leg cramps/charley horses during sex or other activities. Good warm ups are important! Stretch those muscles out, slowly and gently for 1 or 2 minutes ahead of time. If exercising vigourously during the day, make sure and do good cool-down exercises, like at least 5 minute of slow walking to keep things loose. During amourous play, change positions frequently, to help keep limbs supple. ---
**Author:** ![ScoobyTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@ScoobyTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScoobyTX)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/3 "2002-03-14T01:11:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Qadgop The Mercaptan **QtM** - I think she’s trying to tell you that you stink! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/4 "2002-03-14T01:14:00Z")
My sincere apologies for the misspelling. Now for a discreet way of saying “Hang on a minute, lad. I just need to do my warm up exercises.” [insert double-entendre of your choice] CJ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/5 "2002-03-14T01:17:31Z")
I will not attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by ignorance. One final word of advice: If the cramp occurs during orgasm, go with it! Yell, scream, moan, thrash around! If it occurs prior to orgasm, it is polite to explain as soon as possible to your partner that your yelling, screaming, and moaning were not in fact an orgasm, but cries of pain. “LEG CRAMP!” generally will convey the needed information. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/6 "2002-03-14T01:58:36Z")
I tend to get leg cramps, but I can only orgasm when I am on my back, legs outstretched, pushing down on my heels down into the bed (floor, surface, whatever). Is this when you cramp? If you can orgasm in other positions, that would be the answer. Otherwise, I don’t know - I’ve always just tried stretching the calf muscle by pulling my toes up when I feel it’s imminent (the cramp, not the orgasm). ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/7 "2002-03-14T03:59:15Z")
[Justin’s Wife] I get the leg cramps all the damn time, too. On my back, on top, during oral, doesn’t matter. I was told that drinking milk led to them, but reducing my dairy didn’t help much. Nor did potassium supplements. I, too, am at a loss. My SO is used to the cry of “Ow! owowowowow! Dammit, get off me!!” Please, if anyone knows a cure, I will see to it that you receive the Nobel in, well, something. [/Justin’s Wife] Justin ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/8 "2002-03-14T04:19:14Z")
Leg cramps? No. Foot cramps? You betcher ass. I used to have a hell of a time with those, having to jump out of bed and put both feet flat on the ground, to general pissed-offedness all around. I found it happened most often when I wasn’t getting enough sleep, and calcium supplements did seem to work. (Not sure if that’s a _post hoc_ sorta thing, or what, but my experience was that after I started taking the calcium, I stopped leaping out of bed, screaming in agony. Worth a shot, anyway.) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![agentfroot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@agentfroot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agentfroot)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/9 "2002-03-21T03:24:00Z")
you may be surprised and even somewhat embarrassed that i, your young and innocent friend, stumbled upon this (i got bored today, so i’m prancing around the message boards), but here’s what i have to say: first of all, let the “gentleman” know before anything interesting happens. he’ll probably be more than willing to help end the problem. second, try new positions (i won’t, uh, suggest anything, because i’m not experienced in the matter…). third, find out what’s comfortable, and stick to it. muscle cramps suck. but rubbing sore muscles vigorously helps a lot (have fun with it). uh… that’s all i can say. today i was told that i’m the most sexually shy person my friend ever met… _sigh_ good luck, anyway… ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/10 "2002-03-21T03:59:36Z")
I’ve read that calcium/magnesium supplements help prevent leg cramps. Of course, the only sites I found on my search that support that are selling calcium/magnesium supplements… I also have been known to get really nasty leg cramps during/just prior to orgasm. It ain’t fun. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/11 "2002-03-21T18:01:53Z")
Calcium supplements might help, but why not slow gentle stretching on a daily basis? My understanding is that supple muscles don’t cramp up as much. \Qadcop the Mercotan - that **is** from Children of the Lens by E.E. Smith, isn’t it? In my view, the weakest of the series, but I may be biased by someone telling me there was a logical conclusion to the relation between Kim Jr. and his sisters - and I thought , if it is what I think it is, it is pretty obvious.\ Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/12 "2002-03-21T23:10:25Z")
Now that this post has embarrassed me as much as I feared :o , I don’t think calcium should be that much of a problem – I tend to drink a glass or so of milk a day. Dehydration, on the other hand, might be. I’ll also leave it at saying that the variety of positions also is not a factor. I’ll see what can be done about trying some general stretching exercises, if only to fight off the effects of the years and leave myself in better shape for fencing. I’ll also be grateful those cramps don’t happen all that often [shouts for joy]! Thanks for all the input, CJ ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/13 "2002-03-21T23:55:01Z")
Ahh, I’ve just figured out a small anomaly from my childhood. I grew up in a hot an humid country. My parents were always taking “salty sodas” to avoid cramps, but strangely enough, my brother and I were never given them. So there’s your answer. Get the tonic water, add a teaspoon or so of salt, stir and enjoy 😃 . If that doesn’t work, you could always combine the sex and the stretching - go Tantric! ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/14 "2002-03-22T03:37:17Z")
And hey, if nothing else works, try an old wives’ tale that my husband swears by: before bed, place your shoes (the ones you wore that day) upside down under your bed. He says it is guaranteed to work. Couldn’t hurt! ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leg-cramps-during-orgasm-tmi/98142/15 "2002-03-22T04:46:00Z")
My understanding is that it is the magnesium that helps the cramps. The calcium helps with the absorption of magnesium so they are typically in the same supplement.