Why does everything suddenly hurt?

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Alatariel75
Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've always been a walker. Even when not trying to be fit, I tend to walk a lot. Public Trans to work 5 days a week, meaning a walk to and from the station both on the home end and the work end. Walking to the store. Walking at lunch times because I like to get out of the office and I do errands meaning I walk a couple kms every lunch.

In the last few weeks... it hurts. Walking to the end of the street, my shins ache and my calves feel like they're cramping. I start to sweat and get short of breath (I think because of pain more than fitness).

Just doing my daily walk to the train is a struggle and I do not know why!! Doctor (new one, I don't have a regular anymore) merely suggests my weight is making life hard on my body. But while I've only lost 3.5kg from my heaviest, I've been this size for a long time and it's never affected me walking to the bloody train station before.

Better shoes? Stretches? Should I be worried about something more serious?

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    how much are you eating?

    your doctor could be right, excess weight takes its toll eventually...

    when did you last get new shoes?

    maybe see another doctor though if it has been going on for weeks?
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I'm on about 1600 cals a day on average, with no exercise cals to eat back at the moment.

    I might need new shoes, its cranking hot here to I have been wearing flip flops to work before changing into work shoes, but again, nothing has changed in the last 2-3 years on that. I get the same pain wearing my Sketchers, which have been my walking shoes, when I purposely got for "a walk"

    I totally get that my weight takes a toll and I pick many ways in which it does but this just seems so sudden. I might go for a second opinion, I just hate seeing new doctors, because I just have to start all over!
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
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    Honestly, I had the same issue, I'm exactly the same as you, I commute 5 days a week, and I walk 2 miles a day during my commute, and then one day, it just started to hurt. More so in my hips and thighs than my calves. It stopped a couple of weeks later, almost as quickly as it started, and I can only put it down to one change; which is that I started to wear boots rather than my walking trainers due to the sudden change in weather.

    I'd recommend buying new shoes, it's got to be worth a try. Doctors can be frustrating; as soon as they see you are overweight any issue you came in with is down to your size. But ultimately he could be right.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Don't have an answer, sorry but for the shin splints- I saw some foam rolling videos on YouTube and found this shin one has worked great for me,

    I don't know what kind of ball the guy was using or even remember the name of the video but after I saw it I started using one of those little tumble dryer balls to massage the muscle at the side of the shin. You just go down on your knees with the ball undr the muscle and roll it up and down the length of it. The chap described why but I really can't remember, I think it's just giving it a really good stretch but it has worked.
  • Karmynzahringer
    Karmynzahringer Posts: 192 Member
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    Has this started since you have been eating at a defecit? Maybe you are not providing your body with enough energy and its feeding on your muscles? Someone with more expertise than me will chime in I am sure. I remember the first time I started counting calories I was waiting tables and even though I had been doing the same amount of walking for years, once I was eating at a defecit I started getting sore.
  • JeninBelgium
    JeninBelgium Posts: 804 Member
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    also are you doing any other sports activity (like weight lifting) that could be causing the pain? how are you sleeping? is the pain really from all over or can you pinpoint a certain area that is in more pain than others?
    get new shoes, do some stretches, eat a banana (it helps with cramping) and follow-up with your doctor (or a new one)
  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
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    I have been wearing flip flops to work before changing into work shoes, but again, nothing has changed in the last 2-3 years on that. I get the same pain wearing my Sketchers...

    Oof, there's a fair chance that this by itself is your problem. Wearing them regularly can cause permanent damage that would trouble you no matter what shoes you're wearing.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/11/flip-flops-foot-problems_n_3569222.html

    http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/08/08/flip-flops-101-potential-danger-of-summer-footwear/

    Look for walking sandals instead.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    OK, I wore my proper sneakers to work the last few days, with a plan this weekend to buy decent trainers. Better, but still shin splints and calf cramps just from walks I'd usually breeze through, even just the station to work etc.

    I just figure that my horrid weight and bad treatment of my body is catching up with me and this is a wake up call. I'll get fitter for proper shoes this weekend and plan to power through it.

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