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Cramps are spasmodic, painful, involuntary [[Muscle|muscle ]] contractions. This page is focused on Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC), though there are other types. Many runners suffer from cramps, and sometimes cramps can be severe enough to prevent the completion of an event, or catastrophically impact performance. There are two leading contenders <ref name="twooptions"/> for the cause of muscle cramping; [[Sodium Deficiency]] and muscle fatigue.

There is also evidence<ref name="pickles"/> that even small amounts of pickle juice can help limit cramps. Coaches often recommend<ref name="NYT"/> pickle juice for athletes who suffer from cramping. While pickle juice is quite salty there is evidence that it is not the sodium that is helping prevent cramping. Studies on pickle juice show that it takes effect within seconds and well before any of the pickle juice would've been digested. Instead it is believed that it is the vinegar (acetic acid) that is triggering a reflex that stops the cramping. There is some suggestion that small quantities of vinegar are just as effective as pickle juice. (For those interested in the details, the hypothesis is that the pickle juice triggers a reflex in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oropharynx oropharyngeal] at the back of the mouth, which acts to reduce [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_motor_neuron alpha motor neuron] activity in the cramping [[Muscle|muscles]].)