Forums >Running 101>Constant Calf problems
Hey! So I have been increasing my miles over the past 2 months or so now, running roughly 35 miles a week. I switch off running shoes everyday just to keep the wear minimal. Last week, when running 6 miles at a pretty quick pace for me, I had these thingly shocks come from my left medial calf. The pain wasn't that bad so I finished the last mile. I spent the last week recovering and basically just swimming. This week, I decided to start running. The frat day I ran 2 miles, then three, and yesterday I didn't 6. I started to feel map in in the same area but on the other side of my calf (below the calf muscle half way down bettween my heel and my knee). I didn'contribute the run this time in hopes that it didn't get worse. I've been icing and elevating it, and now it just feels tender.
From this can you tell if I have a problem in my stride or something?
I run in mizuno creations and riders. Most of the wear on my show is medial. Just purchased superfeet green insoles, in break process now (haven't ran in them yet). I usually run on the grease as much as I can.
thank you so much your help!
Do you stretch or do any calf exercises?
Personal bests (bold = this year): 5K - 23:27 / 5M - 38:42 / 10K - 49:31 (track) / 10M - 1:24:26 / HM - 1:51:17 / M - 3:58:58
Next races: NYC Marathon, Nov 2014
Yeah I do stretch before and after my runs. I do the stretch where you are almost in a pushup position. Then do one leg over another and repeat. I hold each position for about 20 seconds.
Do the exercises in these two videos. Hold off on using the Superfeet.
Eccentric calf straight leg
Eccentric calf bent knee
Thank you for the exercises, I will try them out today.
Are the superfeet not suppose to be good? If not I can return them because I mainly go them thrust to add support and prevent these injuries. I just started walking around in them yesterday.
Do the exercises in these two videos. Hold off on using the Superfeet. Eccentric calf straight leg Eccentric calf bent knee
It sounds simple and kind of obvious, and I don't know if it will really help with the kind of problems you're having, but I find that self-massage of the calves, ankles, and feet at least once, preferably two or three times a day, really helps a lot with my calf issues.
Yeah I use "the stick" and that does feel good. The pain really only occurs during running and about an hour or two post running. It doesn't feel like a fatigue running pain.
Just tried to run on the treadmill, and it was hard to get started becuase my calf was stiff. I have been icing, stretching, and using the stick to massage the calf. I decided not to even do the run and rest to see if I could run later or just take the day off. Any advise?
You did the right thing. If the calf is already stiff, don't run. Have you tried heat instead of cold?
I applied a little bit of heat 30 minutes before I tried to run to try and losses everything before. The pain/stiffness is located not on the larger part of the calf muscle but closer to where the muscle and tendon meet. Half way between my ankle and knee.
I had calf pain around January. Stiffness set in near the end of a run. The following day, I still had stiffness, but could run. The following day, the stiffness/pain was enough to prevent me from running. I took 3 days off from running and I treated the calf with heat every day. On the 4th day I was fine.
bTW, I don't know why you have calf pain. Did you just recently start running? If so, you probably need to take it easy at first. Before I ran consistently, I'd always have calf cramps when running. I was asking my body to go faster than it was ready to do.
I use to run all the time and took a couple years off. I started training again about a month a half ago. The mileage it starting to higher, so that might be it too.
So I guess when do you know when to ice vs heat? I don't have any swelling.
I had calf pain around January. Stiffness set in near the end of a run. The following day, I still had stiffness, but could run. The following day, the stiffness/pain was enough to prevent me from running. I took 3 days off from running and I treated the calf with heat every day. On the 4th day I was fine. bTW, I don't know why you have calf pain. Did you just recently start running? If so, you probably need to take it easy at first. Before I ran consistently, I'd always have calf cramps when running. I was asking my body to go faster than it was ready to do.
Stop stretching and that might do the trick. Consider, that for some runners, muscles need to be warmed up, not stretched. Stretching causes problems with some people and can increase the probability of injury for a good portion of runners according to some studies. The only time I've ever had problems with calves is when I stretched them. For some, they don't have problems. You might be one that the stretching isn't good. Try to extend your warm-up instead. Take 15-20 minutes to get up to training effort.
Is that for before and after a run? Or do you still stretch after? Thanks again for all of this advice!
Everyone is different. Some stretch before, some after, some separately (i.e. yoga), some never. You have to find what works for you. That said, there is a 50/50 chance that heel drop exercises will cure the problem, and that is better odds than anything else.