Calf Pain after just 15 minutes!

Tim Good

So I'm relatively running for at the moment and went for a quick 15 min run the other day but ran for about a mile in the road before onto a muddy trail.

I ended up using some almost barefoot shoes with little heal padding so forced me to run on my mid or toes...... I usually run trails and do heal strike.

Anyway wasn't an issue as it was only a mile. Since they my calfs have been seriously painful since. It felt like I'd run 15 miles without any training!

That was 4 days ago and they're still sore. Doesn't feel like an injury but I just can't believe this happened from a 15 minute run, of which on half of it was on a road.

Thoughts?

SHADES

Barefoot shoes will make you run on your toes and will give you achilles and calf injuries unless you adapt to using them very gradually.  Even more so as you are a heel striker.

Why have you suddenly changed shoes? 

Tim Good

It's just what I had at the time as visiting my parents.

Matthew Head

Have you stretched your calves? In multiple ways - wall push, bent knee wall push, heel raises and drops?
You may find that if you've not actually injured yourself that you're just suffering from tightness by using your calves in a way you're not used to.

xink1982

Hi Tim 
Whilst I was a runner - I experienced calf pain too which ruled me out for 6 weeks or so .
a quick fix was knee length compression socks - they don’t look sexy - but reduce the muscle vibration and impact when you foot strikes the ground .
i wore them ever since by calf injury around 6 years ago up until I retired last month  - they never flared up again 

cougie

+1 to Shades comment - you have to adapt ridiculously slowly to go barefoot.  15 mins is way too much.

brightonblonde

Are you still suffering Tim? How are the calves now??

Simon Rainbow 2

Sorry to hijack the thread but for some reason I cannot start a thread. Previously I've had sports massage and physio for injuries to my calf muscle. Every time I run within seconds my calfs hurt.
This is every time. 
I stretch and I have had a gait analysis done, so why is this happening all the time. I have taken months off from running and when I start again my calfs starting hurting. I have spoken to friends who run and they do not have this problem

Any ideas

Simon

SHADES

Simon - I believe new forumites have to post a few times to existing threads before being able to start their own thread.


I suggest you go and see a physio/podiatrist about this.   

Are you trying to use zero drop shoes perhaps, if so try a traditional shoe with a higher heel drop.  

Are you able to walk pain free?  Probably taking months off hasn't helped, unless you've been doing lots of walking, rest isn't always the best way to recover. 

Simon Rainbow 2

Hi Shades,

I walk all the time, I've had physio and I wear a neutral shoe.
I am quite active I swim two to three times a week and cycle around 90 miles a week it's just running. Would doing calf raises help you think

JGav

Single leg calf raises are what helped me with calf strains from running.  That and getting up to speed/distance slowly.  A good physio should be able to assess your injury and needs to be more accurate. 

SHADES

Simon - neutral shoes can be zero to 15mm drop.  A zero drop shoe puts a lot more pressure on the achilles and calf muscles so starting out with a higher drop shoe might help.

I agree with JGav that you need to seek professional advice re this problem so you can ease yourself back into some running.   It could be that your cycling has maybe made your calf muscles very tight so some rehab exercises/stretches/treatment might help.

Simon Rainbow 2

Cheers people, I will keep you posted as I say I have seen physio and I have to stretch 2 to 3 times a day. I am back with physio on the 20/07
Cherrs

SHADES

Simon - hope it goes well and you can get back out there running soon.