Lower leg discomfort when walking: I did a 10... - Couch to 5K

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Lower leg discomfort when walking

Sundae8pm profile image
Sundae8pmGraduate
9 Replies

I did a 100 day walking challenge last year, and I think it worked wonders in building up my stamina, leg strength and helped with weight loss. At the end of the 100 days I was walking around 12 miles a day!

I have just finished week 2, and find the runs quite manageable at present, but the walks are quite painful, with lower leg pain, which disappears when running. Any thoughts?

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Sundae8pm profile image
Sundae8pm
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9 Replies
runner56 profile image
runner56Graduate

Where exactly is the pain?

Sundae8pm profile image
Sundae8pmGraduate in reply to runner56

As miss wobble says, it isn't shin splints, as it is around the side of the lower leg.

It also affects my stride, and walking during the exercise feels unnatural and awkward.

It's all back to normal a few minutes after exercise.

JaySeeSkinny profile image
JaySeeSkinnyGraduate

Could be shin splints?

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny

If it was shin splints it would hurt all the time.

We can run off our niggles. I know I did with a knee problem I had, which was keeping me away from running. I figured if it hurt when I didn't run I might as well run, so I did and was able to run it off.

Walking is different to running, as you're beginning to find. As long as you take things steady, and take your rest days, you should be fine. Go nice and slow!

Well done on your walking and getting fit and healthy. C25k will be the icing on the cake.

If things do get worse then obviously stop and seek medical advice

baronblaze profile image
baronblaze

Certainly sounds like something not quite right with your body, so some form of manipulation may improve it; you may need an MRI scan. I have a similar problem in which if i walk too much i get pain in my back and also nerve pains in the front of my thigh. It gets so bad that after 5 miles or so it gets too painful to walk. I can run however usually without any issues due to my body going through a wider range of motions. I know my problem originates from my back on which i have had an operation to remove discs and replaced with nuts and bolts. You must have some form of injury above your lower leg that persistent walking puts a strain on it while running isn't as bad as you are using the tendons, ligaments or discs over a greater range. A sports physio may also identify what the problem is

Jeleybelly profile image
JeleybellyGraduate

Was it the GCC you did?

I walked a lot first but found running completely different!

Take it steady, take your rests and see how you go, maybe it will improve when you run more/walk less

Sundae8pm profile image
Sundae8pmGraduate in reply to Jeleybelly

Yes, I really enjoyed it, mainly as we had a large number of participants at work, and it became very competitive.

Hopefully it is just different muscle groups, as it is just the walking in between the runs where it hurts. The warm up walk is fine, and about 5 minutes after the routine, once I have stretched is fine, it is just the 90 second walks...

Jeleybelly profile image
JeleybellyGraduate in reply to Sundae8pm

Yes we had a lot of teams where I work, it does become a bit competitive ( too competitive!) but I try to block that out and just achieve the targets I set for myself...

Hope the walks get less painful

Sundae8pm profile image
Sundae8pmGraduate

W3R1 completed and no return of the intensity of the pain, but just a slight twinge. I stretched a lot the day before, and during the walk I lengthened my stride to try and stretch my calves as well. All seemed to go well.

I was brisk walking on my rest days, so I think I will just stretch!

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