Pain in calf when walking? Please help! :c

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xHanniee
xHanniee Posts: 16
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm 18 years old since I was in my last year of high school I've had a bad pain in my calf whenever I am walking. Often it starts about 5-10 minutes into my walk (Bear in mind I walk 3 miles to college and have to walk home as well.) and frankly it's unbearable. I asked my Mum and she said it was because I don't exercise enough, but I still think I should go see a doctor tomorrow.
Any ideas what's wrong?

Replies

  • xHanniee
    xHanniee Posts: 16
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    bump because no ones answered yet :<
  • richx83
    richx83 Posts: 334 Member
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    What shoes do you wear? Have you tried stretches?
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    If you're walking six miles a day, the pain is not due to lack of exercise.

    It could be linked to unsuitable footwear and carrying an asymmetric load, if I was doing a six mile walk carrying a load of books / laptop etc, I'd be wearing my hiking boots and carrying everything in a properly fitting backpack, but really you need medical advice about this.
  • Scoochie1
    Scoochie1 Posts: 121 Member
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    It could be an old injury? I was very unfit (and a smoker) when I got my act together. I got bad pains in my shins when I walked any distance. I'm not that heavy, BMI well under 30. But it felt like my bones were going to snap.
    Anyway, I learnt just to take it a bit slower until my muscles caught up, now I can walk (4kms an hour - very brisk pace!) no bother.
    Then I started playing badminton. I was 30 seconds into my first game when I tore my calf muscle. OUCH!!
    So - moral of the story, if you are really unfit and haven't moved in a while, just start slow. If things hurt, slow down even more. Stretch and WARM UP (or pay the price!)
    If you smoke, less oxygen gets to your muscles so that isn't helping.
    If you hurt that part of you before and now it is acting up again, see a physiotherapist would be my advice.

    Hope that helps a little?
  • loopybec2002
    loopybec2002 Posts: 313 Member
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    Have you tried stretching properly before you start? This sounds silly but 3 miles is a long walk.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Great info here!

    1. I 'exercise' and don't do 6 miles a day. What you are doing IS exercise my dear and good for you!
    2. See a doctor. Take info from here, and bring the knowledge to him/her. Don't wait
    3. Sometimes when we are walking, we feel it is not exercise, so we do not stretch. I learned the hard way to STRETCH before and after.
    4. The shoes are majorly important. (my inj was caused from play running in good sandels:ohwell: )
    5. My Chiropractor is constantly telling me to balance my load, and I am walking from my car to the apt:laugh:

    Your doing a good job. Let us know what the doctor says:flowerforyou:
  • xHanniee
    xHanniee Posts: 16
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    Thanks for the info guys :) I decided to go later tonight instead (I finish early today woo!) and catch a bus because its raining at the moment.
    I didn't think about my footwear :o I've been going to college wearing cheap ugg boots, probably not the best haha! And the bag I carry is one of these large shoulder/handbag type things, which is probably not good either!
    If the rain stops later ill try stretching in college before walking back, and take my time a little.
    Again, thanks for the info guys :) I'll let you know how it goes :D
  • ❤_veggies_rock_❤
    ❤_veggies_rock_❤ Posts: 43
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    tourthepast:drinker: :drinker: has the best answer for sure. Money is very tight for college students but messing up your body is mighty expensive price to pay as overhead to the shoes which will keep you fit and perhaps the doctor will not need for you to have expensive x-rays and physical therapy and instead mention your footwear too. Good Luck and check out some Epsom Salts for a tub soak providing you are not diabetic or have kidney issues as the Epsoms are amazing as a soaking agent to sooth your nervous system and relieve pain. These salts are magnesium and they are amazing as a body scrub too...and best of all inexpensive:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: 13142164.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • Jessie8520
    Jessie8520 Posts: 4
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    Are you hydrated? If you aren't drinking enough water (and not water in your juice, tea or coffee that doesn't count), then you are going to have muscle cramping.

    Figure out how much water you need by taking your weight in lbs divide in half and the answer is how many oz of water a day you need.

    If you are working out on top of that, know that for every 60 minutes of aerobics, you can lose 2.5L of water thought persperation, so in addition to your daily requirements you need to replace the fluids you lost through your workouts.
  • Coleyrole
    Coleyrole Posts: 53
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    mine do the same thing! I think it's because they cramp up while I'm walking so I try to stretch a lot before and after. good luck! heat helps too :) try a heating pad.
  • paulaSo8
    paulaSo8 Posts: 34
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    i had those too,, mine felt like cramps - my brother told me to eat bananas and to do some stretching
  • j4nash
    j4nash Posts: 1,719 Member
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    Go the doc if it's a chronic condition.
  • 714rah714
    714rah714 Posts: 759 Member
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    Happened to me, on occasion, while running. Learned to stretch and hasn't returned.
  • itsybitsyme47
    itsybitsyme47 Posts: 1
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    Since you are walking at least 6 miles a day, I would think that is a good amount of exercise. And since the pain is so severe, I would feel better seeing a doctor. I would also go to a really good running store and get fitted for a pair of running shoes. I was wearing orthodics that were not helping the pain in my feet and legs. I went to a running store; explained to them what my problems were; and got fitted for a great pair of running shoes. No more pain! This store had a treadmill that showed pressure points when I walked. Good luck.
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    If you can go to the doctor, then you should. Better safe than sorry right?

    BUT...I used to get pain in my calves too when walking, and most of it was needing to stretch. I also walk weird when I started to get tired (Its hard to explain just next time your walking pay attention to how you step with your foot, and if its flexing funny). Good shoes helps with that.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Have your Dr recommend a good podiatrist.
    Pain is always an indicator that something's not quite right.

    Get checked out!
  • Becky1971
    Becky1971 Posts: 979 Member
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    I had a lot of pain in my calves, walking, zumba ect. Lots of stretching has helped a lot, not just a few seconds, but I go for 20 secs, and if I don't feel the release/relief yet, I go longer. The best stretch for my calves has been to stand on a step, with just my toes, letting my heels hang as low as possible without falling, and then relaxing in to that, allowing maximum stretch. It's been like magic! They don't bother me anymore at all.

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