Sore calves while walking?

aabowser232
aabowser232 Posts: 3 Member
edited August 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
When I go for walks my calves start to burn and feel incredibly tight after only about 1/4 mile. Obviously it's worse while walking up hill but it is still very noticeable while walking downhill as well. It makes it hard to walk for long distances although I continue to push myself to walk at least a mile. I stretch before and after. Any suggestions?

Replies

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    My hubby gets this. I blame his physiology (long body short legs) and cheap shoes.

    Look at your shoes and perhaps get your gait assessed at a specialty run/walk store.

    I don't think this is a good burn. I suspect you've got some inflammation building up and if you don't get a handle on it you will do damage.

    Hubby does stretching exercises during the day and if he gets a flare up he cuts his walk short.

    We're old people, big on maintenance. After all, we can't trade in these old bods. At least not yet.
  • aabowser232
    aabowser232 Posts: 3 Member
    It definitely doesn't feel like a good burn. At first, I just ignored it because I hadn't walked in awhile but this is like nothing I've ever felt before. It's hard to explain it. It's like my calves are so tight I can barely walk any further. Thanks for you input I'll look into it!
  • FutureThoughts
    FutureThoughts Posts: 95 Member
    If the pain stops when you stop walking and/or put your legs up, you should see a doctor. Calf pain while walking that dissipates when you stop can be a sign of blood clots or peripheral artery disease. Plus, based on your last comment, it really seems like something worth getting checked. Better safe than sorry! (Fyi, blood clots can lead to a stroke, pulmonary embolism, heart attack...not something to mess around with!)
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,943 Member
    edited August 2016
    Also have your blood checked. Things to look at might be ferritin and vitamin D3. Magnesium and calcium might be other things to look at though I think those values are not very indicative in serum. Important: don't take any supplements (multivitamins) at least two weeks before such test apart from iron if you happen to take it.

    Since my late teens I had the leg problem you described. You know what solved the problem? My iron levels were ridiculously low, which resulted in 'heavy legs' especially when walking uphill, and in being very easily out of breath at moderate heights (say 2000m above sea). Replenishing iron really helped. Now I still suffered from cramping lower legs, which vanished once I replenished vitamin D3 and associated minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphate - yea, I was pretty close to having rickets, as an adult for some reason). Anyway, low calcium and magnesium can also cause cramped up muscles.

    And thirdly, and most importantly: if you're not used to walking you just need to do more and get used to it. Your muscles will adapt. Don't forget to stretch your calves regularly, especially if you otherwise have a very sedentary lifestyle.

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