Calf pains when running - help please!

elengwenllian
elengwenllian Posts: 25
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello!
Okay so I'm on my first week of doing the C25K, and done my second day yesterday.
I'm finding it okay, except that I am in agony with my calves when running - they just get to tight it really is painful. I try not to stop because I think I just need to work through it, but then sometimes I just have to pause the programme to try relieve the muscle.

Any one else have problems like this, and any tips for me please?

I'm enjoying the program, and want to carry on, so any suggestions would be appreciated!

Replies

  • GrumpyAG
    GrumpyAG Posts: 41 Member
    What trainers are you wearing? and how old are they? I know my trainers need replacing when I start getting pains in my calfs.

    I also have tight achilles and this often gives me pain in my calfs, I now spend a lot of time stretching my calf muscles pre and post all exercise on the advice of a physio.

    I know everyone is different but it's food for thought :)
  • julielh72
    julielh72 Posts: 92 Member
    Hello. I had this problem when I started running again back in March. Are you warming up and stretching properly? I found that this improved if I ran 500m gently and then stopped for a stretch before continuing my run. Also I found that doing some exercises to strengthen my calves really helped. Calf raises with some dumbells would be perfect. Ideally doing some resistance work for all of the lower muscle groups would help with your running. I really hope this helps. It takes time for your body to get used to running so stick with it. It'll all be worth it when you finish the program. Best of luck.
  • isthisolivia
    isthisolivia Posts: 37 Member
    Oooh i know the pain! Three things helped me when i first started running:

    + Foam roller: spend some good quality time with a foam roller on the muscles before and after you run. It worked wonders for me.
    + Hydration: Drink more water then you think you should.
    + Warm up: I like to do calf raises on stairs as well as other dynamic stretches that target the calves -- this is an excellent video:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zs4hh4cp98

    Good luck and feel better!
  • elengwenllian
    elengwenllian Posts: 25
    What trainers are you wearing? and how old are they? I know my trainers need replacing when I start getting pains in my calfs.

    I also have tight achilles and this often gives me pain in my calfs, I now spend a lot of time stretching my calf muscles pre and post all exercise on the advice of a physio.

    Thank you guys!

    I'm wearing Asics trainers, and they're less than a year old, so I thought they'd be okay, but maybe I do need to go to check this out in a proper running shop.

    As for the exercises - what type do you do?
    I think that is my main problem - my calves are tight anyway, without exercise, but yep gets worse with exercise so I probably need to just make it more flexible!

    Thank you!
    Elen
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    lots of stretching and calf raises
  • skyedaniels7
    skyedaniels7 Posts: 1
    get properly fitted into some running shoes and invest in some 2xu compression socks !
    i work in one of these specific running shoe shops and to be properly fitted will help you immensely . also 2xu compression socks are amazing !
  • GrumpyAG
    GrumpyAG Posts: 41 Member
    It would be really difficult to explain each exercise but if you google calf stretches you'll get a pretty good idea of what you should be doing. Your calf actually has 2 muscles and my problems lie mostly with the soleus which is the smaller muscle that sits below and under the big calf muscle (gastocnemius) so I spend a lot of time targeting that muscle......sorry I can't be more helpful.
  • FitFabFlirty92
    FitFabFlirty92 Posts: 384 Member
    What shoes are you wearing? Were you fitted at a specialty store? I know people on mfp must be sick of hearing this, and I didn't believe it myself until I did it, but getting fitted for good shoes is crucial to running pain and injury free. So if you haven't gone to your local running store (you can find one online if you don't know where to go) and been fitted for a new pair of shoes, I'd suggest that first.

    With that said, I was fitted and still had calf pain when I first started C25k. It was never so bad I had to stop, so I think it was just part of my body adapting to running again, which I hadn't done in years. After about two weeks, it lessened dramatically and eventually went away.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    I'm wearing Asics trainers, and they're less than a year old,

    If you've been using them for other things then they're probably lifed out. That said, despite the rhetoric about shoes as your're only in week two I'd be very surprised if it's that causing the calf pain.

    It's most likely to be calf flexibility or strength.

    Squats, calf raises, cycling with toes clipped into the pedals should all help. Similarly a decent stretching routine after your run, or something like yoga, will help improve your flexibility.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    if you have a desk job and are coming off taking off a bit of time from running this this is to be expected. i find that for me that the shoes i wear arent really a factor since i'm a front-midsole runner anyway but it's more a matter of my calves not having been worked in the way you work them for running. i'm just getting back into picking up my distance after several months off (and I have a sedentary desk job) and here's what's been helping:

    Before run :
    general dynamic stretching and foam rolling or dynamic stretching + calf massage

    right after run :
    static stretching (just make sure to give it a bit of time if your calves are exceptionally tight after a run) + foam rolling

    recovery :
    compression sleeves and massage

    eventually your calves will tow the line. on your off days you might also want to add in some plyo work

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