Run, run, run, POP! Oh hell!

[Ryansson]

Well today I decided to do a 5k circuit, had a great run the other day and hoped to follow it up with doing 5k in 30 mins or a little more. Taking a different route than usual with more downhill I decided to just do a few stretches and head off straight out of the door rather than walk for 5 min to warm up.

I don't particularly like running downhill too much as it's uncomfortable, but got that stretch out of the way and turned onto the canal coming up to 2.5k into the run. I felt my left calf muscle tighten a little and slowed my pace to try get it to relax then suddenly felt a 'pop' and hauled up with sharp stabbing pain in the same calf. Oh bugger.

Limped the rest of the the way home feeling like a complete eejit with cars whizzing past me on the main road and me in running gear walking like quasimodo. Sat here at the moment with a bag of frozen peas tied to my calf and wishing to hell I'd have warmed up properly. Still lesson definitely learned. Hope am not out of action too long

[tor41 Graduate]

Oh no, hope the pain not too much, and you get better soon

[sofaqueen Graduate]

Poor you, I had the same injury a couple of weeks ago and was really cross with myself even though I had done the 5 minute walking warm up. Walking back home for half an hour was incredibly painful too

I didn't run for about 6 days and also got a foam roller which I've been using. When I went out again I did the 5 minute walk and some stretches, took my run at a steady pace and really concentrated on any signs of my calf twingeing as I would have stopped straight away but it was fine. Hope you're not in pain for too long.

[Ryansson Graduate in reply to sofaqueen]

Foam roller, did it help? May buy one as tend to get calf cramps more than normal.

[sofaqueen Graduate in reply to Ryansson]

Sorry, I did reply to you yesterday but it seems to have disappeared. I've only used the foam roller a couple of times, after advice from people on here, and it's been absolutely brilliant. Seriously, I wouldn't have believed it until I tried it. Came back from a run a couple of days ago and my sciatica was playing up, used the roller and the next morning it had really eased up, almost gone. Definitely has helped my calf muscles too.

[Mazzero Graduate]

Oh NO!!!! If you felt it pop and can hardly weight bear you may need a medical assessment. Both hubby and I have had similar injuries some years ago and were on crutches for a while Hope its not as serious and we wish you a speedy recovery

[Tready Graduate]

Hope you feel better soon and thanks for posting, it will help stop others making the same mistake. I have been tempted a few times to just set off running but will think again now.

[Ryansson Graduate]

Hi all thanks for your wishes. I can put weight on it, but really pulls when extending the muscle. Hoping i haven't done too much damage and will be back to it in a few days. It's rather like how your leg feels after having really bad calf cramp, almost bruised and weakened.

[Beek Graduate]

I agree with Mazzero. I think you need an expert to look at it. I am sorry that this has happened but do give yourself time to heal or it will take even longer before you are back into running.

Hope you soon get sorted out. Best wishes

[Ryansson Graduate in reply to Beek]

Hi beek, yeah will rest for a few days and see how it feels. Going to invest in a foam roller too as calves tend to suffer from cramp, may alsohelp injury.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Really sorry to read your post and hope it settles down very soon for you. Regarding foam roller, I swear by them, I do a stretch workshop at my gym on Friday's and they taught us how to use the rollers. I went out and bought one a few months ago but hadn't used it very much as I didn't need it. However when my sciatica started last week it was taken out and used, and used and . . . . . . . well you get the drift. Result is I'm planning my first run later today, have been walking briskly and everything has been fine. So as far as foam roller goes, I think all runners would benefit by getting one, they really iron out the muscles, aches and pains.

[greenlegs Graduate in reply to Oldgirl]

Hope your return run goes smoothly OG.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Hope the frozen peas have done a good job and you'll be ok again soon. Go gently though - you don't want to end up with a long break from running.

[Carolecal]

Ouch...poor you .Really hope you're not out of action for too long.Take care and rest up.

[Ryansson Graduate]

Hey all. Been getting around on it today ok all be it with a limp, am thinking I haven't done as much damage as I first thought. Got a tubigrip bandage on it atm so that's the compression side taken care of and the ice, now just need rest and elevation. Can anybody peel me a grape please?

[notbad Graduate]

I popped my calf in June, mine was grade 2 - was on crutches a week and could not run for 6. It still feels twingy now sometimes. The fact you could limp home hopefully means yours might not be so bad (I had to hop!) - best wishes for a good recovery, don't be tempted to run too soon.

[Ryansson Graduate]

Hi all, thought would give an update. Walking well on leg now with a compression bandage on it, still a little sore but am thinking have dodged a bullet with it.

To anyone who is reading this please please please don't contemplate running without a proper warm up, it is essential to prevent injury as I have found out the hard way (could have been allot harder).

Thanks for all your support guys. Hoping to be back light training next week depending on how leg feels.