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Calf Tightens When Climbing Hill (Read 631 times)

    Yesterday, on my run I had to climb a hill, Its one of the biggest in my area, by the time i got to the top my calf was extreamely tight.  I kept my pace up the hill relatively slow. Trying to go easyier then my normal effort.   I stopped and did some stretching and just in general took a little bit of a rest. Basiickly waited for the tight feeling in my calf to go away.  

     

    The same thing happened to me a month ago except I did not stop at the top of the hill. Which resulted in me having to stop because of the pain in my calf.  It feels like a pull but behaves like a cramp.  

     

    Does anyone else ever have the same thing happen?  Is there anything I can do to make my calf able to handle going up hill?   Will just more running on the flat help or do I need to add some more hill running?

    Orion Goals: 5k 18:30 10K 38:00 Marathon 3:10

     


    #artbydmcbride

      If the hill is really steep, I would slow down a bit and run more flat footed (not all up on your toes)  until your legs are more used to the climbing.  Lots of hill running will get your calves used to it (but don't get injured in the meantime)   Cool

       

      Runners run

        Do you perform any specific calf stretches?  What part of your calf feels tight?  I had problems for years until I did both straight leg and bent leg calf stretches before running.  Since becoming fastidious about stretching calves, quads, and hamstrings, one leg at a time, it has been six years since my last calf injury (soleus).  Either the stretching helps, or I have had so many tears that there is enough flexibility there now.  YMMV.

          Yes the hill is pretty steep for here in Green Bay.   I will try the landing more flat footed.

          Orion Goals: 5k 18:30 10K 38:00 Marathon 3:10

           

            Do you perform any specific calf stretches?  What part of your calf feels tight?  I had problems for years until I did both straight leg and bent leg calf stretches before running.  Since becoming fastidious about stretching calves, quads, and hamstrings, one leg at a time, it has been six years since my last calf injury (soleus).  Either the stretching helps, or I have had so many tears that there is enough flexibility there now.  YMMV.

              I do stretches bent and straight leg stretches before i run.  I dont have the problem if I am running flat or smaller hills, but on this grad it has been giving me problems.

            Orion Goals: 5k 18:30 10K 38:00 Marathon 3:10

             

            runwietecha


              Dig around the calf and soleus and see if you can find any muscle knots.  It sounds like that could be the culprit.

                I was dealing with similar symptoms right before mine went POP a month ago.  Just ran my first uninterrupted mile since then this week.  Be careful.

                 

                Calf strains suck!

                 

                 

                "I aim to misbehave."

                  Do you perform any specific calf stretches?  What part of your calf feels tight?  I had problems for years until I did both straight leg and bent leg calf stretches before running.  Since becoming fastidious about stretching calves, quads, and hamstrings, one leg at a time, it has been six years since my last calf injury (soleus).  Either the stretching helps, or I have had so many tears that there is enough flexibility there now.  YMMV.

                   

                  As a result of achilles tendon issues, I found that I was having problems with that calf constantly cramping up.  Made it hard to run.   I finally built myself a little slant board, made with a couple of 2 x 6 boards supporting a 12" x 12" piece of thick plywood.  I think the angle is about 25 degrees.  I put a section of adhesive friction tape on the top surface so my foot wouldn't slide down.  I have this in the living room, so 4 or 5 times a day I work on stretching that calf by stepping on the board.  In the last few weeks, my cramping has lessened considerably.  Just something that seems to help my calf issue.