Calf pain

[Bongo]

Hoping for some help:

I've been running about a year and I've recently started having some issues with one of my legs.
During running, everything feels fine. After running (not immediately), my calf feels very tight. I
can stretch and really feel it, but can't get the tightness to go away. I'm really concerned about
getting worse if I ignore it.

Initially, I had the tightness for a few days and then took almost two weeks off while fighting the
flu. I figured that any injury to the calf would heal during this time. As soon as I started running
again, the tightness returned.

I warm up prior to running; I cool down afterwords. I stretch before and after. The shoes are
running shoes (from a real store) and I've been wearing them for 3-4 months with 15-20 mpw.

Any thoughts?

[Lyndon]

>Hoping for some help:
>
>I've been running about a year and I've recently started having some issues with one of my legs.
>During running, everything feels fine. After running (not immediately), my calf feels very tight. I
>can stretch and really feel it, but can't get the tightness to go away. I'm really concerned about
>getting worse if I ignore it.
>
>Initially, I had the tightness for a few days and then took almost two weeks off while fighting the
>flu. I figured that any injury to the calf would heal during this time. As soon as I started
>running again, the tightness returned.
>
>I warm up prior to running; I cool down afterwords. I stretch before and after. The shoes are
>running shoes (from a real store) and I've been wearing them for 3-4 months with 15-20 mpw.
>
>Any thoughts?
>
Calf strains can take longer than you might expect to heal. I've had two minor ones that were ok
after the standard 2 weeks, but some can take as long as 2-3 months. I remember back a few years
when Steve Scott was still competing as a masters miler, he had one that took at least 6 weeks and
kept him out of milrose. So, you could simply need more time (go lift weights for a while).

But there are other possibilities--

Some people get these from trying too hard: Their form breaks down, and they end up slapping the
ground and running too much on their forefeet, which puts too much strain on the calves (note: I am
not recommending heel-striking, but don't strike the ground too far forward). When you get back to
training, cut your volume and intensity enough so that you maintain from through the whole run and
build your workload back slowly.

Warming up to get your legs up to "running temperature" and used to the required speed of the
workout is needed--in the cold a longer warmup jog may be required to get the body temperature up
(physical therapy sources also have various wraps that can keep various parts of your body warm).
But stretching before working out is NOT needed and, improperly done, can be the cause of injury.
There is no scientific evidence whatsoever that stretching reduces incidence of injury in a healthy
athlete. Try stretching only AFTER running (if then) for a while.

Muscle strains can be caused by dehydration. Many runners don't adequately rehydrate, so check this.
Also, deficiencies in certain trace minerals like magnesium and zinc. Take a multivitamin and see
your MD if the problems continue to make sure that you're not short of something you need.

Lyndon

"Speed Kills...It kills those that don't have it!" --US Olympic Track Coach Brooks Johnson

[Bill]

> I've been running about a year and I've recently started having some issues with one of my legs.
> During running, everything feels fine. After running (not immediately), my calf feels very tight.
> I can stretch and really feel it, but can't get the tightness to go away. I'm really concerned
> about getting worse if I ignore it.
>
> Initially, I had the tightness for a few days and then took almost two weeks off while fighting
> the flu. I figured that any injury to the calf would heal during this time. As soon as I started
> running again, the tightness returned.
>
> I warm up prior to running; I cool down afterwords. I stretch before and after.

Speculation:

Stretch before? Try massage with hands, "the stick" or a rolling pin rather than stretching. It
depends on just how much you warm up and method of stretching, but you could be reinjuring it every
time. Two weeks is not that long a recovery period.

Stretch? Learn to do a contract-release stretch, or contract-release, antagonist-contract stretch,
since this overcomes the stretch reflex and minimizes damage. Strengthen calf in eccentric
contraction, light load, many reps at first.

Calf stretch for the gastrocnemius could include simultaneous stretch of foot, calf, ham and lower
back in the "Downward Facing Dog" yoga pose. In almost any book of hatha yoga, esp. Iyengar.

Also, it might be posterior tibialis. Stretch shins and strengthen shins and ankle stabilizer
muscles. Ozzie had instructions on how to massage the tibialis muscle, IIRC.

The shoes are running shoes (from a real store) and I've
> been wearing them for 3-4 months with 15-20 mpw.
>
> Any thoughts?

Get some new shoes, as yours will soon die. Learn about the different types of running shoes, about
your own mechanics and which shoe types might be best for you.

[Bc]

Good stuff!

I too suffer from calf pain. I have greatly reduced (but not eliminated) my pre-run stretching.
Maybe I should.

I've been through a bunch of different shoes - I've had the best luck so far with a pair of New
Balance M855NWs. It's nice to run longer than 4 miles w/o my lower-legs killing me.

[Miss Anne Throp]

It's the running.