A thought on calf pain

[Buglet14]

So I get calf pain on my runs, but I manage it OK with stretching and foam rolling. It looks like lots of people are suffering from calf pain too, often a lot worse. And it seems like a bigger portion of the messages coming into my feed at the minute (and presumably everyone else's) are about people with calf/leg pain. It may not be true, but it seems that way to me.

I appreciate that everyone on here has already given pretty much all the advice there is going on calf pain. Ensuring you drink enough (possibly the hot weather is causing more dehydration and cramps because people aren't increasing their intake according to the heat and increased sweating); stretching; foam rolling; gait analysis and appropriate shoes; compression garments; and also slowing down.

I wanted to tentatively put forward an idea, and I would be grateful if anyone in sports science or physiotherapy on this website would weigh in. Is it possible that for people whose biggest problem is calf pain, the advice to keep slowing down is actually making the calf pain a bit worse?

I'm given to understand that the faster you run, the more your upper leg and bum muscles are engaged, and they are big muscles capable of doing a lot of work. The reverse must therefore be true: the slower you go, the less the upper leg and bum muscles are engaged. Is it possible then, that if you go very slowly you are relying almost entirely on your calf muscles to see you through the run, and it may be that this is contributing to people's leg pain?

I'm certainly finding that if I am really struggling on runs (like I am at the minute with week 4), and have to keep slowing down, my calves seem to be more painful and tight. I would be interested to know if anyone else has noticed this pattern.

Possibly, if there is anything to this, then speeding up might actually help for people struggling with their calves. This would likely necessitate a drop down to the previous week's timings to allow the cardiovascular system to cope with the increased speed. I appreciate that a lot of people won't want to go backwards. However, if it turns out that this allows you to run at a comfortable speed that takes the bulk of the work off your calves, maybe it's worth it.

As I said, I would welcome the opinion of any sports scientist or physiotherapist - this is your area. I may be wholly wrong, and I'm completely willing to accept that.

P.S.: one stretch I have found that rarely seems to come up but really helps me is an Achilles stretch. It looks like a calf stretch with the front leg bent in front of you and the back leg stretched out straight behind, except you also bend this back leg. It's for the Achilles tendon, as the name suggests, but I also find it helps stretch out the lower parts of the calf muscles that the calf stretch doesn't always manage to reach well. This has given me much relief in the past.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

An interesting post and hypothesis, which I am not qualified to answer.

The other cures for calf pain not mentioned by you are general leg strengthening exercises, which normally seems to work and also compression socks and/or sleeves.

One thing is sure, if you run faster than an easy conversational pace, the reduction in available oxygen is likely to cause tiring of muscles.

[Crittermad Graduate]

I suffer a lot from solid painful calves - I’m also currently in week 4 and came to the conclusion last run that the pain is present in the walking and lessens in the running

[Buglet14 in reply to Crittermad]

That's really interesting!

[Hidden]

I'm in agreement with IannodaTruffe , strengthening both calf muscles and also your glutes can lessen the likelihood of injury as they can help relieve the excess stress that is out on the calf muscles as a result of running.

The calf performs a fast and large contraction when running, as the foot pushes off the ground, it can easily stretch beyond it's ability to withstand the tension. The resulting stress on the muscle may result in a strain, or in the extreme a tear....

I wouldn't think altering the speed of your running would reduce the risk of injury as the impact is still going to be the same.

I know from one of my own experiences, I without thinking altered my running style ( normally a heel striking runner) I strained a calf muscle when I ran briefly striking the ground with my midfoot.

Now I'm definitely not any where near qualified to offer any advice other than what I know from my own experiences, but the purchase of calf compression sleeves, or socks will definitely have a positive effect and protect those calves to a degree 🤓

[Post-Op-Jogger Graduate]

Yes Buglet14. My physio told me that the achilles stretch is very important for women. He said we are more likely to hurt our achilles due to the distribution of weight on our hips (I think).