I have recently been looking for additional information on muscle cramping. As I looked around, nothing new or exciting on up-to-date ways to avoid those nasty moments of pain and discomfort stood out. What I did find were the usual suspects like fluid in balance, low mineral, sodium and calcium intake.

One bit of information I found particularly interesting - inadequate carbohydrate intake can trigger muscle cramps. As your body depletes its carbohydrates, muscles can cramp. This is consistent with endurance athletes who bonk, a term associated with prolonged exercise where their fuel - i.e. carbohydrates - have depleted and their muscles cramp and shut down.

I think we can all agree any type of cramping is an extremely uncomfortable condition. When cramping is related to exercise, it typically involves skeletal muscles and occurs during exercise or right after a workout.

Many of us have experienced the painful, spasmodic, involuntary contraction of your muscles that brings you to your knees, or at least make you stop whatever you are doing. For years, the common theory for the cause of muscle cramps was dehydration and electrolyte depletion. New research is starting to show that muscle cramping is more complex, with more risk factors than just dehydration and electrolyte depletion.

Here are a few of the risk factors for cramping that came out of a study of some 1,300 distance runners: Older age, longer history of running, higher body mass index, shorter daily stretching time, irregular stretching habits and poor nutrition.

A number of studies offer new insights into the causative effects of muscle cramping.

Abnormal spinal reflex activity has been tied to muscle cramps. Studies have shown that muscle fatigue leads to abnormal functions at the spinal level of the muscle contraction mechanism and is believed to be a direct cause of muscle cramping during activity.

We all have receptors called Golgi tendon organs (GTO) that cause muscles to relax when they are contracted. A study found that inconsistent body movement and poor posture can cause the GTO to malfunction, then muscles cannot relax and cramping begins.

Remember my column on Bonking?

Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles as glycogen and used for energy during activity. It seems in another study that when carbohydrate depletion occurs, it can trigger muscle cramps during endurance activity. This ties back to abnormal spinal reflex and muscle fatigues, which can play an important role in developing cramps.

Here are a few great practices for properly preparing your body for activity and exercise that will help you avoid cramping:

• Stretching. Be consistent and follow a complete stretching regimen. Remember that you should stretch daily even if you're not heading out for a swim, bike, run or gym workout.

• Train gradually and increase your conditioning at a pace that fits your fitness level. For competitive athletes, be sure to do your workouts on terrain and in temperatures for a duration that best match the races you will run.

• Work on proper running and body movement, then correct any muscle imbalances where you may be overcompensating your body mechanics. Develop an efficient technique for your fitness program or sport that you complete in.

• Take in enough carbohydrates to ensure your body is well fueled. You should eat a normal diet made up of at least 60 to 70 percent carbohydrates, three days to a week before you plan to compete in an endurance race. Develop a nutrition plan that fits your exercise regimen.

• Ensure you're eating nutritious foods rich in calcium, magnesium, omega 3 and potassium. Also remember you need 1.6 to 2.4 grams of sodium per day and that it is one of the key electrolytes. Electrolytes play a key role in water retention.

• Hydrate properly during any event. Always remember to drink a dozen 8 ounce servings of water daily. Also remember to continue to hydrate every 20 minutes or so during competitive events. The hotter the weather, the more water you need.

Some people think that getting cramps is just part of exercise and that there is little that can be done to prevent them. An occasional minor cramp here and there is probably inevitable, but for the most part, muscle cramps can be prevented with proper nutrition, care and following the daily practices listed above.

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation.