I've had no further issues with this cramp and have been enjoying a bit more "Adam's Ale" (water). Thanks, Hanzo. I've got a new distraction. Fell and dislocated a shoulder on Thursday. Arm above the elbow is pretty much useless now. Both shoulders seem to do this when I put an arm out to catch myself. I'm working through the old physical therapy routine to get it back to working again. Might have to start wearing a helmet and strap a big pillow to my butt. Any fall at my age is serious.
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I rarely get cramps, so cannot speak from experience. But my students swear by it and I have watched them get relief from the packet of mustard.
Part of the tai chi program is fall prevention. One of my students retired was the head instructor of an aikido school. Before he retired, he started a class on how to fall safely for seniors. Good combo. How not to fall and how to fall safely if you do. Like cramps, I rarely fall. I fell for the first time in decades about a year ago. I was cleaning out the bed of my new truck. The bed liner is really grippy. As I was sweeping out the debris and getting to the edge, I was turning to face out to jump out. My foot caught on the grippy liner. Split second decision that went on in my mind was to twist and risk injuring something, or to fall out. So stupid. I chose to fall and I laughed on the way to the ground and rolled to my feet. Felt stupid. My wife hates martial arts, buts loves that she learned how to fall when she was young.
Three of the last four times I've fallen on hard surfaces I've put an arm back to catch myself and seen it rotate unnaturally around my head as the shoulder comes apart. A couple falls on grass I just went with it and rolled down, uninjured. Maybe the lesson is to spend more time outdoors away from pavement. Never a bad idea.
My last fall I was outside retrieving a package that USPS had "dump&dashed" - dropped on the ground OUTSIDE my gate. I am old, disabled and mobility impaired. If I fall I cannot get up on my own. I got overbalanced and fell back HARD on my butt on the concrete walkway. Luckily had my cellphone and could call 911. They got me up on my feet, basically uninjured, and I got back inside (with that danged package) to sit down. The next couple weeks my tailbone hurt like heck. I may have fractured it, but it healed up in time. I am very careful when I walk now, and always keep my phone on me!
Most memorable fall I had was in Norway at about 0200. Beer tent had closed, and everyone was asleep. It was just a short walk to the head. I broke SOP and went alone. Stepping over a communication wire tunnel (a jump in the icy path) my feet left me, and my head hit the ice hard. I laid there looking at the stars and Northern lights wondering if they would be the last things I saw. Fortunately, I still had to pee, so the time spent on my back on the Norwegian ice was brief.