QUESTION FOR THE RUNNERS OUT THERE.

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Cmccracken1
Cmccracken1 Posts: 326 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
here's the run down. I have been running for about a year. I do 3-5 miles probably 5 days a week. i love love love running. In the last couple weeks i have started having pain in the back of my calf on the back of my left leg. It goes away with Ibuprophen but i am concerened about taking to much. I also am having a problem getting that muscle to stretch no matter how i turn i cant feel it pull. Does that make sense.. It hasnt stopped me from running, and it does lessen once i get good and warmed up around the two mile mark, but when i am done within an hour even walking is painful... suggestions? remedies? ideas?
Thanks
CAsey

Replies

  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
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    Have you gotten new shoes or been wearing the same shoes for a while? It might wrong fit (for new ones) or that you need new shoes (worn out).
  • Cmccracken1
    Cmccracken1 Posts: 326 Member
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    i have fitted shoes from the running store.. I have had the current pair for about a month.
  • AmyTay82
    AmyTay82 Posts: 13
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    How are your running shoes?? You should change them every 6 months or 500 miles......I used to get all sorts of weird and wonderful pains in the midst of my training, not at the beginning, and when I went to a running shop they told me I had completely run through my shoes. Soon as I bought some new ones, hey presto all problems resolved :)
  • jeff261159
    jeff261159 Posts: 385
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    The symptoms sound like shin splints. Yes you can get them in the calf!! If you google shin splints there arevlots of articles about symptoms, cause and remedies. Good luck, hope you get it sorted!
  • foleydil
    foleydil Posts: 3 Member
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    It just sounds like some damaged/exhausted muscle to me. If I were you, I would ice it like crazy and take at LEAST 2 days off. Make sure you get plenty of protein too, so your calf has what it needs to rebuild!

    If you keep having pain, take it easy for a while to make sure it's not something more serious. Try cross training on something low-impact like a bike, that might help give it a rest and still get you your exercise fix!
  • KimertRuns13_1
    KimertRuns13_1 Posts: 705
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    Can you foam roll or use a "stick" to massage it deep? I have a hard time getting a good stretch in my glutes sometimes so I use a foam roller and sometimes (at the gym) I use their stick...it hurts like heck but it helps! I hope you can get some relief. Like you, I don't like to take too much ibuprofen or use it on a regular basis.
  • AmyTay82
    AmyTay82 Posts: 13
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    Did your problems start since your new shoes, or have you had the same pair before?
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
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    Definitely ice at least twice a day for 10 mins, and massage it. I would also take 2-3 days off during this little treatment phase. I know it sucks as I've been there done that also but in the long run it's better to be down a few days now instead of a few weeks later.

    Try cross training if you can instead, maybe bike or elliptical during those 2-3 days off.
  • sweetiepie31612
    sweetiepie31612 Posts: 240 Member
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    My calves are always tight and sore, but I know my soreness stems from the constant charlie horses I get. To losen them up though I'll rub some icy hot on them and then use a massager thats shaped like a rolling pin. I got mine from my old track coach, but I'm sure you can find one in any athletics store. If not though try laying on your stomach and having someone else apply the icy hot and then using their thums to massage up and down your calves. The more pressure they use, the better. Hopefully that helps.
  • vick9180
    vick9180 Posts: 144 Member
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    Have you ever heard of the acronym R.I.C.E? Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. I'd be sure to ice your calf after you run to keep the swelling down. When you run, you can wrap your calf...or they make compression cuffs for the shins/calves.

    Also, depending on where the muscle pain is, you could be stretching wrong. There are 2 calf muscles, the gastrocnemius, which is the upper calf muscle (most typically the part that people refer to as the calf) and the soleus, which runs the full length of the leg. The most common stretch for the calf is to stand with one leg forward and the other leg behind you and keeping your back heel pressed to the ground. That stretch only hits that upper calf muscle. If you lift your heel off the ground and bend the back knee slightly, you should feel the stretch in the middle to lower half of the leg. If that's where your pain is, and you're doing the straight legged calf stretch, that could be why you don't feel the stretch.

    On a good note, the fact that your muscle warms up when you run tells me that the pain is muscular (vs. tendons, ligaments, bones). You could have a slight tear in your calf or something similar which isn't too serious. (Serious to most runners means they can't run and that's usually unacceptable to us). Just keep treating it with ice. After you've had about 3 days of only doing RICE, then you can add some heat to your calf before you run and then ice after. But injuries like what you're describing can take as much as 6-8 weeks to rehabilitate, so try to be patient with your body as it heals and listen to it if it tells you to stop.
  • rafor
    rafor Posts: 78 Member
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    Sounds like you may have a pulled or strained Soleus (muscle around the Achilles' tendon). As for how much Ibuprofen, the maximum daily dose is 3200 mg. Regular strength pills are 400mg so that would be a total of 8 per day. Extra strength ibuprofen are 800mg so no more than 4 per day. Ibuprofen can be a contributing factor in poor blood clotting and stomach ulcers so take with caution. Consult your doctor for diagnosis and testing to determine cause and any treatment you may need.
  • Cmccracken1
    Cmccracken1 Posts: 326 Member
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    ok guys some really great info here. so here it is i will take the next three days off.. (not happy about this) I will force myself to do some strength training during this time... (not happy about this).. but i have my first 5 K coming on October 1 and while i know i can run more than 5 K this is the race for the cure and has huge meaning to me. RICE it is.. three days. then i'll slowly get back in starting Friday.. fingers crossed. I have an appt with my DR first week of october so if it's still bothering me i will definately get with him then.. thank you for all the support.. :)
  • mtntrailrunner
    mtntrailrunner Posts: 57
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    Can you foam roll or use a "stick" to massage it deep? I have a hard time getting a good stretch in my glutes sometimes so I use a foam roller and sometimes (at the gym) I use their stick...it hurts like heck but it helps! I hope you can get some relief. Like you, I don't like to take too much ibuprofen or use it on a regular basis.

    I second the foam roller
  • vick9180
    vick9180 Posts: 144 Member
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    ok guys some really great info here. so here it is i will take the next three days off.. (not happy about this) I will force myself to do some strength training during this time... (not happy about this).. but i have my first 5 K coming on October 1 and while i know i can run more than 5 K this is the race for the cure and has huge meaning to me. RICE it is.. three days. then i'll slowly get back in starting Friday.. fingers crossed. I have an appt with my DR first week of october so if it's still bothering me i will definately get with him then.. thank you for all the support.. :)

    Just be cautious with the strength training...if you have a muscle tear already, you don't want to make it worse by adding the extra force to the muscle area...you should be good if you can hop on an elliptical one day, or if you want to continue running, deep water running is great - zero impact, but you get to continue running. When I trained in high school and college, we'd do deep water running for the cardio aspect and to keep the legs from breaking down from all the high impact intervals and miles.

    Lost my mom to breast cancer, so I totally appreciate people like you who support this cause. I'll be running the local Susan Komen Race for the Cure this Saturday!!
  • aschultz9
    aschultz9 Posts: 89
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    Even though you have fairly new shoes, they may not be right for you. I've had that problem with brand new ones. I also second the foam roller, they are awesome!
  • Misiaxcore
    Misiaxcore Posts: 659 Member
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    Sounds like you tore it. I tore mine and had a similar experience with running.
  • Cmccracken1
    Cmccracken1 Posts: 326 Member
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    ok guys some really great info here. so here it is i will take the next three days off.. (not happy about this) I will force myself to do some strength training during this time... (not happy about this).. but i have my first 5 K coming on October 1 and while i know i can run more than 5 K this is the race for the cure and has huge meaning to me. RICE it is.. three days. then i'll slowly get back in starting Friday.. fingers crossed. I have an appt with my DR first week of october so if it's still bothering me i will definately get with him then.. thank you for all the support.. :)

    Just be cautious with the strength training...if you have a muscle tear already, you don't want to make it worse by adding the extra force to the muscle area...you should be good if you can hop on an elliptical one day, or if you want to continue running, deep water running is great - zero impact, but you get to continue running. When I trained in high school and college, we'd do deep water running for the cardio aspect and to keep the legs from breaking down from all the high impact intervals and miles.

    Lost my mom to breast cancer, so I totally appreciate people like you who support this cause. I'll be running the local Susan Komen Race for the Cure this Saturday!!


    I'm just going to do the strength for upper body. i dont have access to an elitpical but i have a rowing type machine that uses your body weight as a counter weight you know what i mean. So i'll use that, i just still want to have some kind of calorie burn each day because if not i sit all day and do nothing :(. My mom is stage 4 breast cancer this is her second round with it.. it's going to be very emotional but i'm going to do it.. thanks for the great tips...

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