Frustrated with calf pain/stiffness after running!

spin1

Hi all,
just wondering if anyone could help me out or offer advice!
i'm an active 28 year old female, and have always been fairly active. i have done 3-4 seasons of triathlon and been through the mill with injuries as i'm sure most have at some stage!

Since the summer '10, i've been experiencing very tight calves after any speed work in running e.g. interval sessions or tempo runs.
I've been to a sports injury therapist and a physio, both of whom have given me calf and glute strengthening programmes, which i continue to do.

I have tried most of the things people recommend - new runners, heel raises in runners, proper stretching before/after running etc, and usually while i'm running, i feel ok.
It's when i stop, and cool down (and after stretching!) e.g. getting back out of the car after coming home from running, that my calves just seem to have tightened up to the extent that i'm limping for the rest of the evening and the next day.
Around my Achille's tendon is quite tender to touch for a day or 2 afterwards as well.

I have had calf trouble in the past, e.g. knots and tightness which was worked out by the sports injury therapist and always felt much better, but this seems very different as its when i finish running!
I have been doing interval and tempo runs for the past 3 years, so it's not like i'm doing something new?

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar problem or could offer some advice or assistance!
Fed up doing heel raises at this stage!

Mr Slow

I've just changed runners and this pair are making my calves work much harder, I always massage them with Tiger Balm to release any tension and have bought compression sleeves for them (was measured and fitted) which I wear post workout and overnight which forces blood out of my calves bringing fresh blood through to help eliminate lactic acid and aid healing.

My experience - not medical advice

donothoponpop

I was out from running for 8 months owing to a torn calf muscle- part of my general rehab included barefoot running, which stretches the muscles in this area. I've found it useful ever since, even a few sets of 400's strides around a grassy pitch will be of benefit.

mrslow wrote: »

My experience - not medical advice

modNo problem mrslow- if we're at a situation where posters are afraid to give general advice of this type, for fear of breaking the medical rule in the charter, we'll need to tidy up that part of the charter and make it explicit/mod

shels4ever

spin1 wrote: »

Hi all,
just wondering if anyone could help me out or offer advice!
i'm an active 28 year old female, and have always been fairly active. i have done 3-4 seasons of triathlon and been through the mill with injuries as i'm sure most have at some stage!

Since the summer '10, i've been experiencing very tight calves after any speed work in running e.g. interval sessions or tempo runs.
I've been to a sports injury therapist and a physio, both of whom have given me calf and glute strengthening programmes, which i continue to do.

I have tried most of the things people recommend - new runners, heel raises in runners, proper stretching before/after running etc, and usually while i'm running, i feel ok.
It's when i stop, and cool down (and after stretching!) e.g. getting back out of the car after coming home from running, that my calves just seem to have tightened up to the extent that i'm limping for the rest of the evening and the next day.
Around my Achille's tendon is quite tender to touch for a day or 2 afterwards as well.

I have had calf trouble in the past, e.g. knots and tightness which was worked out by the sports injury therapist and always felt much better, but this seems very different as its when i finish running!
I have been doing interval and tempo runs for the past 3 years, so it's not like i'm doing something new?

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar problem or could offer some advice or assistance!
Fed up doing heel raises at this stage!

Well not sure exactly what your problem is so maybe check with physio to fix the root cause would be the best bet. Having spent most of last year either injured or just getting back from injury I found it really hard myself.

I would think that most my problems was coming back too fast, starting back at speedwork and/tempo's too fast after injury resulting in more injury.

My approach change and basical spent 2-3 months just doing easy running and reintroduce intervals slowly to the program. Touch wood it seems to have worked so far(apart from some slight pain last week).

Also a foam roller a couple time a week will help.

Maybe a bit of an odd one but coffee also seems to cause problem with my calf, No idea why but guess it maybe due to hydration also.

macinalli

Used to suffer a lot with tight calves, turned out to be down to my running style. I did the chi running course with Caitriona McKiernan and found it to be really good. I still don't use a lot of it but she was v helpful in improving my posture and the way my feet hit the ground while running. If you do a search there are a few threads here on this already.

The course is a little pricey (€150 I think) but the savings on physio bills makes up for it!

Sport101

I'd recommend that you try to do a lot of your fast work on grass if you can + get a foam roller if you don't already have one, they are great, especially after hard track sessions, and much cheaper than a physios massage.

10 Toe Runner

donothoponpop wrote: »

I was out from running for 8 months owing to a torn calf muscle- part of my general rehab included barefoot running, which stretches the muscles in this area. I've found it useful ever since, even a few sets of 400's strides around a grassy pitch will be of benefit.


I also think Barefoot Running could help you with your problems. In November I moved to running in Vibrams. They are tough on your calf muscles at first, so definitely need to take it easy, but I can feel the strenght in mine building up now. Might be worth looking into rather than calf stretches.

gerard65

shels4ever wrote: »

Also a foam roller a couple time a week will help.

+1. Had the same problem last year - Could hardly make it down the stairs the following morning after a hard workout the day before. Started using the foam roller after the workouts - no more problems.

tunguska

spin1 wrote: »

Hi all,
just wondering if anyone could help me out or offer advice!
i'm an active 28 year old female, and have always been fairly active. i have done 3-4 seasons of triathlon and been through the mill with injuries as i'm sure most have at some stage!

Since the summer '10, i've been experiencing very tight calves after any speed work in running e.g. interval sessions or tempo runs.
I've been to a sports injury therapist and a physio, both of whom have given me calf and glute strengthening programmes, which i continue to do.

I have tried most of the things people recommend - new runners, heel raises in runners, proper stretching before/after running etc, and usually while i'm running, i feel ok.
It's when i stop, and cool down (and after stretching!) e.g. getting back out of the car after coming home from running, that my calves just seem to have tightened up to the extent that i'm limping for the rest of the evening and the next day.
Around my Achille's tendon is quite tender to touch for a day or 2 afterwards as well.

I have had calf trouble in the past, e.g. knots and tightness which was worked out by the sports injury therapist and always felt much better, but this seems very different as its when i finish running!
I have been doing interval and tempo runs for the past 3 years, so it's not like i'm doing something new?

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar problem or could offer some advice or assistance!
Fed up doing heel raises at this stage!

Just comes with the territory Im afraid. Its just the speed work, I get tight calves after every speed session I do. Its just a matter of managing the situation with stretching and as Ger suggested, foam rolling.
Speed work places a lot of strain on calves so I think its just about taking the hit and doing the best you can with it. I mean if you were just doing slow to moderate paced runs you'd have no problems.

thirstywork2

Agree with Tunguska here,after a hard track session or speed session your calfs are going to be tight.
Spend more time stretching or even ice after session to reduce blood flow.
I wouldn't agree with running bareefoot as this will put your foot in a more agressive position and cause more tightening in my opinion.
couple of things I would look at might be your foot position on impact ie do you land heel to toe or mid foot or forefoot strike.what type of footwear do you train in?
For example more club runners will wear runners in their first couple of speed sessions and then progress to racing shoes and for the real fast stuff spikes.

spin1

Thanks all!
Have a foam roller and "the stick", but i suppose i haven't been using them as consistently as the stretching! (that and my achille's tendon is generally too sore, so i just do the muscle belly!)
Had planned to do the Chi running course last year, but it ended up being cancelled at the last minute, and between one thing and another i didn't book on another course!
running barefoot might be a bit chilly at the mo! (blasted weather!) but saw those vibrams in a shop the other day, so must look into those!
thanks again for the advice!

spin1

sorry thirstywork2, just saw your post now!
i kind of agree with you on the barefoot running as i have a pair of fairly flat cross country runners that i hate wearing, purely becuase i don't find them comfortable, they just feel too flat! i haven't run in a long time in them...
maybe doing long slow runs in the vibrams, rather than trying to do speedwork might be the answer?!

i got a gait analysis done last summer and apparently i'm nearing a mid foot strike and was advised to wear asics nimbus. gait analysis guy said i had internal rotation of the hips, so am working on that too..! :rolleyes:

gmurran

Get yourself "a stick" google it

and sore calves will be a thing of the past. Dont mix up muscle soreness with strength some calf building work on a ledge or step is a great help.

anymore

mrslow wrote: »

I've just changed runners and this pair are making my calves work much harder, I always massage them with Tiger Balm to release any tension and have bought compression sleeves for them (was measured and fitted) which I wear post workout and overnight which forces blood out of my calves bringing fresh blood through to help eliminate lactic acid and aid healing.

My experience - not medical advice

I'm 53 and get a lot of stiffness and tightness and now regularily massage around feet, tendons and leg muscles as a matter of routine as well as doing recommended warm up exercises and think it helps.
As mrslow says, this is just my experience, not medical advice. I have attended physios when necessary and no doubt will again. I should say the physio I attended did say it is good to attend physios occassionaly for routine checkups just as one go to a dentist for a routine dental check up and this seems like good advice.

Maars

I've had very positive experience with foam rolling too and I used to have a lot of calf problems. One thing I always try to keep in mind about muscle pains is that where the pain manifests itself may not be where the problem was caused. So when you are done foam rolling the calves dont forget the hamstrings and even the feet(you can stand on a golf ball or something to massage the feet). Some of my calf problems were caused because I was scrunching up my toes when running, tying your laces too tight can have a similar effect.

anymore

Maars wrote: »

I've had very positive experience with foam rolling too and I used to have a lot of calf problems. One thing I always try to keep in mind about muscle pains is that where the pain manifests itself may not be where the problem was caused. So when you are done foam rolling the calves dont forget the hamstrings and even the feet(you can stand on a golf ball or something to massage the feet). Some of my calf problems were caused because I was scrunching up my toes when running, tying your laces too tight can have a similar effect.

I discovered I was tying my shoe laces too tight as leading to occassional numbness in feet.

sc76

I see this thread is from 2011, but i have the exactly same problem as the OP,

just wondering spin1, if you ever got the problem solved, this originally started last november for me, and is on going for me through this race season, can't seem to do speed work without this problem coming back, very frustrating

ps @admin is there any way i can contact the op?

so sick of it, thinking of packing in triathlon:mad:

mr.wiggle

sc76 wrote: »

I see this thread is from 2011, but i have the exactly same problem as the OP,

just wondering spin1, if you ever got the problem solved, this originally started last november for me, and is on going for me through this race season, can't seem to do speed work without this problem coming back, very frustrating

ps @admin is there any way i can contact the op?

so sick of it, thinking of packing in triathlon:mad:

Definetly go to specialized running/ sports store for shoe advice. That and my favorite calf muscle restorer, the foam roller. What has your physio said?

spin1

Hi sc76,
Yes,I'm still triathloning, run training and doing speedwork!
The calves got better from a combination of the advice that others gave me!
They are still not 100% and if I haven't been good at my stretching/strengthening work, they are the first thing to go! I also now know when I need a new pair of runners as calves start getting niggly!
1. Check runners are appropriate for ur foot type/running style (most sports shops do a type of gait analysis for free when you're buying runners there, but go somewhere decent!)
2. I did get vibrams but really didn't fancy the idea of running in them (it just felt wrong!) and so glad i didnt as ive heard of so many getting stress fractures and the like from them!
So I wear them around the house and stick them on straight after a running session to lengthen the calves as they are so flat!
I don't know from ur post if ur male/female but if u wear high heels or even work boots with a supportive heel on them, ur calves spend most of the day in a shortened position, so barefoot walking around the house/when u can might help!?
3. I got compression calf guards and wudnt run without them for over a year (so much so it almost turned into a superstitious thing that I'd miss a run session if I forgot them!) I now run without them but found them great!
4. Most importantly though, I resigned to the fact that there is no quick fix and that I HAVE TO do regular stretching/strengthening work and not just my calves but everywhere! Particularly glutes and abs! And I have to do them properly! The Physio I was going to showed me the stretches, sent me a programme etc but never actually saw my attempts at them! I thought I was doing all the right things, but often while doing glute strengtheners, I was overloading my lower back to compensate. Similarly, while doing my heel raises on a step I was thinking the higher I go, the better (good strength work) but i wasnt lowering my heel down below the step (forgetting the stretch part of it!) etc etc!

Go to a good Physio, get a programme of glute and calf stretches, get Physio to watch u doing them (NB!), do them daily initially and then after a few weeks twice a week to keep u strong!

5. I also did Pilates which I found excellent for helping core strength and my body awareness and knowing what to think of when doing other stretches/strengtheners (of which there are thousands on the web, but all pretty useless if ur not doing them right!)

6. I do have "the stick" and a foam roller at home and try to make myself use them! I'm not particularly good at this though..!
I have got much better at warming up properly before a run, incorporating different drills in the warm up, cooling down and stretching properly after a run session, only doing 1 hard run session per week to allow time for proper recovery and not trying to fit in a turbo or hard swim the morning of that run session!

Lucky for u, it's the end of Tri season and u've a long winter of strengthening to do to see u back in flying form in the spring!

Hope this helps and best of luck with it!

sc76

well,
thanks a mil, i'm 37 male
yep did the gate analysis , have a good foam roller, stretch like crazy and loads of core also
i have calf guards too, i wear them to bed also sometimes!!

yep, gona take a complete break for a couple of weeks, and then try to strengthen calves and gluts, maybe a weights programme until christmas, i dunno, we'll see

such a nightmare!!!!:rolleyes: