help! strange foot cramps at pilates class!

Ok so I was at pilates class tonight (no comment please, I just finished reading another thread about that and don't want to debate its merits or faults, lol) and we were doing a certain exercise which involved pointing the toes. My left foot suddenly cramped up and was in excruciating pain. The right did as well, but not as badly. This has happened before at yoga or pilates classes and other times when I point my toes. It doesn't happen every time though.

It feels like there is a tendon pulling my foot together until it is totally pointed, or else I have to flex it back the whole way (remember Barbie foot? yeah along those lines.....weird). And above all, it hurt. So what could this be? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

I seem to get those a lot recently, and what seems to help (I hope) is taking a chelated magnesium supplement. I've also heard potassium (which you can find in bananas) but I'm on a birth control pill that actually increases potassium, so I don't think that's it for me.

I've also read that drinking pickle juice can help, but haven't dared try. I'm claiming it's because I want to know for sure if the magnesium is helping, but really, I'm not sure I could handle that.

Yoga toes.  I've been getting horrible foot cramps ever since I had to get off the birth control that upped potassium (I loved it- I'm low on potassium anyway and the pill made it all better).  So you could try eating some potassium rich foods (bananas, steak, spinach, etc) and see if that helps at all.

But besides that yoga toes actually seem to help me.  The cramps will make my toes literally curl in but the stretching relieves the freaking out muscles.  (I wouldn't recommend doing it during a cramp.)  Just a little bit of time every night and I don't get them as much.

http://www.yogapro.com/ts/toestretcher.html (There's other brands out there- mine's healthy toes or something like that- but it gives you the gist.)

i was having problems with both foot & leg cramps a while back.  it got to the point where i couldn't sit cross legged or on my knees because any pointing of my toes whatsoever caused my feet to seize up.  then i began having cramps during the night, too. (both legs and feet at the same time one night.  *shudder*). 

i did a little online research and decided to:  take a magnesium supplement, up my daily water intake and do foot stretches nightly.  the stretches are simply the opposite if pointing my toes - flexing my feet up until i can feel it in my calf, if that makes sense.  i do it while i'm reading in bed before going to sleep.  i'm not sure how many i do.  i just do them till i'm bored with it. 

i'm don't know which of the three things was what fixed the problem but none of them are bad for me so i'll just keep doing all three.  i haven't had any cramps in months.  

Is Pilates a fairly new thing for you?  I love Pilates, and I have a really good instructor who lets the class know that cramping of the feet and calves is normal, especially when first starting pilates class.  This is because your muscles are unaccustomed to the activity they are doing-namely, pointing and flexing.

If the cramping continues,  I would try two things; start your morning with five minutes warm up stretches of the feet.  Flex, point and gently stretch those muscles before leaving the bed.  See if the repetition daily of this type of exercise can help your feet recover.  Secondly, potasium in the form of a banana or spinach serving, etc.

Finally, find someone who is willing to give your tootsies a good foot rub (don't we all wish?!?).  Good luck.

I've been taking pilates classes for 5 or 6 years now, and I STILL get cramps in my feet... it doesnt matter how much stretching I do. But I also get really bad foot cramps and leg cramps on a regular basis, some lasting 45 minutes or more.

What i have found *helps* me but doesnt eliminate:

• Don't wear heels the day of the class (or the day before), wear flats, or very low, heels. 
• Calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Potassium alone (supplement, or even 3 bananas the day of my class) was not enough for me. I don't drink milk or get a lot of dairy, but I found eating at least one yogurt per day helped. And there was something about the yogurt vs. 16 ozs of milk per day.
• Keep your feet warm during class. My feet cramp more when they seem cold.

Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice! And as for night foot cramps I have had those in the past and it's terrible!! Glad to know I am not the only one out there. I am going to stick with my multivitamin and potentially start looking for one with more potassium or magnesium. I also just went off my BC which increases potassium and wouldn't have thought to put the two together! I love bananas so here's a new excuse to eat them :) I have been doing pilates/yoga for a while so I don't know if it's the beginner thing, but I will also start doing foot stretches. Thanks again!!! x