Shin/calf Pain

Hfrink

posted: 2/21/2012 at 12:00 AM

I am sure folks get tired of this one. I am training for a half marathon on 3/3. When I am running, about the time I hit 5 miles, I get pain in the inner, lower leg area. Not a sharp, make you stop in your tracks pain, but a " this is annoying and how am i going to make it to 13.1 miles" kind of pain. Specifically, if you grabbed you leg and put your thumb right behind the leg bone. I don't think it is shin splints. The toe tapping drill did not make my leg ache. When I stop running, it aches while I cool down, but about 20 minutes after the run, there is no pain. Any thoughts as to what the problem could be and how to resolve it so I can make it the whole 13.1 miles?

NaderAlfie

posted: 2/21/2012 at 12:18 PM

Hey, I have been dealing with the same thing all winter. Mine was pretty bad, but it looks like I am almost in the clear.

It seems to me that it's the result of a really tight calf (in my case, that seems to be because my left hip is kind of tight, maybe). The tight calf seems to be pulling on the shin bone, ergo, the dull ache on the shin.

Do what you can to keep that calf loose. Massage and stretch throughout the day.

Viich

posted: 2/21/2012 at 2:20 PM

Do your feet slap when they strike? Or alternatively, did you recently move from a heel strike to a mid-foot strike?

Sounds like a lot of training. Only thing likely to help you in the next two weeks is stretching and making sure to recover properly. Make sure you're stretching both parts of the calf, the normal leg straight, heel on the ground and lean forward stretch as well as the knee bent version.

Stretching Diagram

The standing soleus and standing calf stretch may help the problems you're having. Of course, your taper may help them too.

2013 Goal: Make 3:00:16 go away.

Hfrink

posted: 2/21/2012 at 2:45 PM

I had a friend ask if I ran on my heels. I honestly don't know. I am sure my heels touch at some point. Sometimes, if I get the pain early, I make a conscientious effort and I bend my foot back more when I lift up and it goes away almost instantly, but once 5 miles hits, it is just there. In both kegs at the same spot. I did get measured for shoes, they watched me run, etc, so I do not think that is an issue. I will definitely stretch more. Probably should properly warm up instead of stretching then immediately running, too..... It makes me feel better that it goes away when I stop, so hopefully it is not a stress fracture. I am going to take it easy these two weeks before the run. Maybe saving the legs will help a bit.

mooyootoo

Tomorrow will be worse

posted: 4/10/2012 at 9:51 AM

Did you manage to get it cleared up? I'm actually having a very similar problem and was worried about the bone as well. My calves are habitually tight though, so maybe a more concentrated stretching/massaging effort is in order.

I don't know what to make of it, with no really muscle pain and no swelling. I have the same thing though, no pain for the first 30mins or so of running, then a dull achy pain

Shin/calf Pain (Read 1025 times)