Having Severe Pain And Cramps While Playing. What Do You Suggest?

Posted on Sun, 3 Nov 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 3 Nov 2013 Answered on

Mon, 25 Nov 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : hello...my son is 15 yrs old...last XXXXXXX thru march during basketball season, he would have severe pain and cramps during games and practice..he was looked at and found to be severely packed full of feces...after quite a battle we got him cleaned out but now tonight towards the end of a basketball game he once again started having these severe pains..you can tell he is quite uncomfortable...after about 20 mins to cool down he seemed to recover and went ahead and ate...this seems to happen only in basketball where he runs a lot and gets really hot....any other sport we have seen no issues...he is regularly going to the bathroom..can u help us?

Answered by Dr. Ketan Vagholkar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Various possibilities need to be identified Detailed Answer: HI. Thanks for writing in. I would suggest the following Since jumping(basket ball) is precipitating the symptom an ultrasound examination of the abdomen would help in picking up any abnormality. Having done that and if it is normal then I would suggest the following measures, 1. Consume plenty of water at least 2 liters per day. 2.High fiber diet. 3. Avoid constipating food articles including lot of red meat. If these also do not help then the last option would be as follows. If the problem happens during the course of playing only one game then it is a stress related disorder. He should abstain from the game and see if it gives relief of symptoms. I hope this advice helps you out. Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ketan Vagholkar (9 hours later)

thank you for the answer...I would like to try and follow up...since he had these problems last winter, we have seen other re ocurrences, but only when basketball is the sport he is playing...last night when he had these pains he had played one game 2 hrs earlier with no issues...he started having the severe pains only at the end of his second game...don't know if this extra info changes anything or not...also ..could you elaborate a bit with suggestions for a diet high in fiber? would you recommend a daily fiber drink?

Answered by Dr. Ketan Vagholkar (15 hours later)

Brief Answer: CT would be better in diagnosis of the problem Detailed Answer: Hi, There is high likelihood of some anatomical problem as he has pain specifically after a game of basket ball which I assume involves lot of jumping.In fact a contrast enhanced Ct would be more beneficial in picking up the diagnosis. Regarding fiber diet the best diet would be that which has a XXXXXXX content of green leafy vegetables. With respect to drinks the best would be plain water in sufficient volumes . (At least 2 liters per day) I hope this answers your doubt. Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar