Please Dr. Internet, Diagnose My Running Problem
iAMsmiling
Posts: 2,394 Member
Never been a runner. Working my way through C25k. Now at Week 5, Day 2.
I started C25k with regular running shoes and had horrible shin splints in short order. Decided to do something different, so I bought a pair of New Balance Minimus shoes. Only a 4mm rise in the back, so pretty minimal, but not barefoot.
The shin splints pretty much disappeared after that.
Unfortunately, I have a new pain, in my left leg only. Feels like the soleus muscle. It gets very sore after a run and only starts to recover in a couple of days, in time for the next run. The pain is severe enough that I will limp for the first minute of walking after I've been still for a while.
Is this some known problem associated with a particular running gait?
Any ideas?
Also...no need to tell me you aren't a doctor. I'll assume you aren't unless you tell me otherwise.
I started C25k with regular running shoes and had horrible shin splints in short order. Decided to do something different, so I bought a pair of New Balance Minimus shoes. Only a 4mm rise in the back, so pretty minimal, but not barefoot.
The shin splints pretty much disappeared after that.
Unfortunately, I have a new pain, in my left leg only. Feels like the soleus muscle. It gets very sore after a run and only starts to recover in a couple of days, in time for the next run. The pain is severe enough that I will limp for the first minute of walking after I've been still for a while.
Is this some known problem associated with a particular running gait?
Any ideas?
Also...no need to tell me you aren't a doctor. I'll assume you aren't unless you tell me otherwise.
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Replies
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If this is your first time running in ages, sore spots will form all over the place while your legs slowly reinforce themselves. One week I would have feet pain, the next calf, then knee, then glutes, then back, then quad, etc. Each time you're sore at a certain spot you're overtaxing that body part. In response your body strengthen it, which typically puts pressure on the next weakest link. If it's painful enough to make you limp, I suggest you take at least a week off running. It doesn't mean you need to stop exercising, just work on something with less impact, like stationary bike, elliptical, or rowing machine in the mean time.0
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^ I have agree with this guy. I had the same thing. Then again, I've hurt pretty much everywhere else in my legs too at different times. I'm stubborn and didn't see a doctor. It went away.0
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The best thing to do is ice it after every run and take a few extra rest days until it clears up. If you overtrain you might do what I did, and screw up your leg forever.
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D@mn this Rest Thing! :sad:
I'm already resting my shoulder from a problem there. Any more "resting" and I'll stay in bed all day.
I hate that I know you guys are right....0 -
Minimal shoes seem to be known to cause calf pain.
Switch back to a shoe with more of a heel for awhile?0 -
With a low heel drop and fore/midfoot strike you are engaging your calf muscles much more than before. It will take a while for them to become fully conditioned to the new demands. Eventually though, you will run pain free.
In other words, what you are experiencing is normal. Don't push it too hard while it hurts or you may strain or tear the muscle.
When I transitioned to low drop heel and forefoot strike I pulled my soleus muscle twice in the first months.0 -
With a low heel drop and fore/midfoot strike you are engaging your calf muscles much more than before. It will take a while for them to become fully conditioned to the new demands. Eventually though, you will run pain free.
In other words, what you are experiencing is normal. Don't push it too hard while it hurts or you may strain or tear the muscle.
When I transitioned to low drop heel and forefoot strike I pulled my soleus muscle twice in the first months.
Maybe if I just cut back to 2wice a week vs. 3x a week I can get it done. I can't go back to the normal shoes, the shin splints were really horrible.0 -
New Balance 1080v3 has 8mm drop, which is halfway between regular running shoes at 12mm and minimal ones at 4mm. You might want to try them.0
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I don't blame you. I never get shin splints or knee pains since switching. This will pass. In the meantime soreness is expected. You may or may not need to rest completely based upon your judgement of how much it hurts. The only solid advice I can give is that if it starts hurting more and more while running then stop and take a day or two off.With a low heel drop and fore/midfoot strike you are engaging your calf muscles much more than before. It will take a while for them to become fully conditioned to the new demands. Eventually though, you will run pain free.
In other words, what you are experiencing is normal. Don't push it too hard while it hurts or you may strain or tear the muscle.
When I transitioned to low drop heel and forefoot strike I pulled my soleus muscle twice in the first months.
Maybe if I just cut back to 2wice a week vs. 3x a week I can get it done. I can't go back to the normal shoes, the shin splints were really horrible.0 -
Maybe if I just cut back to 2wice a week vs. 3x a week I can get it done. I can't go back to the normal shoes, the shin splints were really horrible.
In my Internet accredited opinion - they are both related to weak calf/shin muscles.
Fix that and you can wear whatever shoes you want.
Think of the mechanics of landing - when you heel strike, the front works to lower you. When you toe strike/mid strike - the calf lowers you.0 -
With a low heel drop and fore/midfoot strike you are engaging your calf muscles much more than before. It will take a while for them to become fully conditioned to the new demands. Eventually though, you will run pain free.
In other words, what you are experiencing is normal. Don't push it too hard while it hurts or you may strain or tear the muscle.
When I transitioned to low drop heel and forefoot strike I pulled my soleus muscle twice in the first months.
Maybe if I just cut back to 2wice a week vs. 3x a week I can get it done. I can't go back to the normal shoes, the shin splints were really horrible.
Honestly, the best move I ever made was going fully barefoot. I know it's not always practical but once my calves strengthened up everything worked fine, and there's the added benefit of never getting blisters. And for a guy with Hobbit feet, the no blisters were a welcome relief0 -
Maybe if I just cut back to 2wice a week vs. 3x a week I can get it done. I can't go back to the normal shoes, the shin splints were really horrible.
In my Internet accredited opinion - they are both related to weak calf/shin muscles.
Fix that and you can wear whatever shoes you want.
Think of the mechanics of landing - when you heel strike, the front works to lower you. When you toe strike/mid strike - the calf lowers you.
That's interesting.
So, I must be fairly neutral on the right foot and toe striking on the left. I'll be thinking of that on my next run.0 -
That's interesting.
So, I must be fairly neutral on the right foot and toe striking on the left. I'll be thinking of that on my next run.
Or you are right leg dominant and your right side is naturally stronger.
My left side (I'm right dominant) is always the side that gets strained.0 -
Mine too. I pulled my left soleus twice. My right side never hurt much at all.That's interesting.
So, I must be fairly neutral on the right foot and toe striking on the left. I'll be thinking of that on my next run.
Or you are right leg dominant and your right side is naturally stronger.
My left side (I'm right dominant) is always the side that gets strained.0 -
I have to agree with Scott81, two years ago I became an avid runner, hitting 4 miles at least 6 days a week. My shins were Hell..ish!!! I switched a pair of Brooks Adrenaline to My beloved Vibram 5 fingers! 3 weeks into my regular running regimen BAM stress fracture of the 4th metatarsal of right foot SMH, I am right dominant. Lessons learned :With a low heel drop and fore/midfoot strike you are engaging your calf muscles much more than before. It will take a while for them to become fully conditioned to the new demands. Eventually though, you will run pain free.
In other words, what you are experiencing is normal. Don't push it too hard while it hurts or you may strain or tear the muscle.
When I transitioned to low drop heel and forefoot strike I pulled my soleus muscle twice in the first months.
Maybe if I just cut back to 2wice a week vs. 3x a week I can get it done. I can't go back to the normal shoes, the shin splints were really horrible.
-Always start carefully with new running shoes ( even more for minimalistics), shorter duration, slower speed, shorter distance...
- You may be stronger on one side causing you to harm it in the first place! You can go to a specialized shop and have them analize you stride on a treadmill for free, places like Runners High, they usually have qualified personel that can give great counseling.
I hope you get better :flowerforyou:0 -
Mine was the 4th metatarsal of the left foot. To be fair, it hurt for two months before it broke and I simply ignored the pain figuring I could run through it until it went away. Wrong answer. That too passed and I can now run fore/midfoot with low drop heels as much and as often as I want more or less pain free.BAM stress fracture of the 4th metatarsal of right foot0 -
Yep, rest is often the best medicine. I run in the NB Minimus and cant say enough about how good minimalist is.
A few tips:
Run light, meaning plant your foot as if you are stepping on eggs. Mid or forefoot plant.
Use a vibrator massager before and after your run....it's magic.
Do easy dynamic calf stretches (toe lifts) before and after, easy and dont bounce
Rest is very important for a new runner. Cut your runs back until your body gets up to speed and run slow.0 -
If this is your first time running in ages, sore spots will form all over the place while your legs slowly reinforce themselves. One week I would have feet pain, the next calf, then knee, then glutes, then back, then quad, etc. Each time you're sore at a certain spot you're overtaxing that body part. In response your body strengthen it, which typically puts pressure on the next weakest link. If it's painful enough to make you limp, I suggest you take at least a week off running. It doesn't mean you need to stop exercising, just work on something with less impact, like stationary bike, elliptical, or rowing machine in the mean time.
This guy has the way of it
swimming is also good and yoga to stretch good 0 -
Check out chi running. There was a NY Times article a while back about it. People said they have less pain and fewer injuries with it. Reader comments on the article seemed to confirm that it helped them. http://www.chirunning.com/0
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i ordered some compression socks and compression calf sleeves to help me over the hump. midfoot running feel better for me while running but my calves and feet are needing to get stronger. in the meantime i find the compression helps with soreness0
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Use a vibrator massager before and after your run....it's magic. 0
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I've decided to take an extra day off between runs and drop back to week5, day1. Ill stay there for a few runs and maybe that will give the muscles time to acclimate.
Thanks for the help!0
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