Calf cramp?

[Curlygurly2]

I've been OIC for a couple of months with Achilles tendonitis, rested and did the heel drops, and it began to fell better. I started running again very tentatively, C25K from week 1, one run of each week, paying attention to picking up my heels, and it all seemed to be going well. Today, though, I have cramping in that calf - is that part of the same injury? It felt OK yesterday during my run. Any advice?

[JoolieB1 Graduate10]

Bless you, hate it when running is hard or even impossible.  I have been doing ok but over this last week, when I run I have a burning sensation in my calves, it is agony and all I can do is stop and stretch my legs.  I tried rubbing them, that helped.  Frustrating though, I am supposed to be running not standing.  I think it is a build up of toxins in the muscle, think I will look it up.  

My problem is I did some silly exercise last week (skipping) and did a long run on rough ground which hurt my ankle plus I have been running a bit faster.  Maybe try running slower, run shorter distances with some walk breaks, hope u will be ok

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

Do you foam roll too? I do that pre run to stretch everything out otherwise I do also get calf cramps.... 

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to ju-ju-]

I looked at foam rollers and the exercises for calf/achilles and was scared I would fall off...you use a rolling pin don't you? How? Just roll it up and down? I could do that...

[boptillyoudrop49 Graduate10 in reply to Curlygurly2]

Place it horizontal to the floor below back of your knee and run it up and down vigorously. It is fine to press like you're rolling out recalcitrant dough. Then do the sides. Up and down about 20x. I do thethighs too. Before and after every run.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to boptillyoudrop49]

Thanks I'll give it a go. x

[Hidden]

I used to get calf cramps quite regularly from cycling, and occasionally get it from running too. A doc recommended quinine (as in tonic water) but I found high 5 zeros worked better. Either try something like that or introduce more minerals into your diet - potassium in bananas, zinc etc in sunflower seeds, calcium in greens, chickpeas, dairy etc. I tend to get cramps if I've dropped the ball on having a varied enough diet, or if I've done a large amount of exercise, e.g. 30 mile bike ride. I imagine tight post-injury calfs could just be more susceptible?

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Ruth, I think this is related to the tendonitis, and I'm going to take another rest day to see if it goes away. So frustrating!

[davelinks Graduate10]

Is the cramping maybe related to doing something your doing different like picking up your heels? I tried changing how I ran up hill by getting up on my toes slightly, then got something like metatarsalgia pain in the front of the ball of the foot and into the middle toes, which I still get twinges of...

Hope you recover soon curly!😊

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to davelinks]

It could be, but I tend to think it's related to the achilles problem, it's like it just moved up my leg a bit!

[poppypug Graduate10 in reply to Curlygurly2]

I think youre right Curly, if you look at a pic of the tendons  at the back of the leg, ( sorry I cant post the link ) the Achilles tendon does go quite nearly to the middle of the back of the leg , which really surprised me as I thought it was confined around the ankle/heel area.

Hope this makes sense !

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to poppypug]

Yes, and it extends underneath the heel for quite a way too

[davelinks Graduate10 in reply to Curlygurly2]

Yes, It's all connected!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to davelinks]

google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...

[davelinks Graduate10 in reply to Curlygurly2]

Ha ha!  They look cool dancing with the shades on! Reminds me of the film Jason & the Argonauts!

[Hidden]

Get one of those rollers that you can roll yourself easy without having to use your body weight like this from txmaxx (i got a smaller one from txmaxx like this for a fiver they just dont show them on hte website)   tkmaxx.com/womens-sportswea...

[misswobble Graduate10]

You have to persist with the leg exercises.  Sorry to say 😊

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

It sounds pathetic, but I don't have stairs here inside the house! I did them regularly in Cambridge when I went upstairs, now I have to go out into the garden, so I forget....

[misswobble Graduate10]

Do a calf raise, all the way up and then slow Lower into a heel drop,  going right down very carefully til you feel the stretch. Do each leg for on minute ☺

[AvatheGardener]

Oh dear. Much sympathy! How frustrating it is. I cant give you better advice than you've already had here just a lot of sympathy.

when foot pain was too great for me (plantar fasciitis type pain) I ran in a shallow swimming pool- that gave me some exercise but removed the weight bearing from the action. Don't know if it helped but it was funny, and so were the looks I got from others!!!