ankle/leg pain when running: Evening all, I... - Couch to 5K

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ankle/leg pain when running

Tattoodo profile image
6 Replies

Evening all,

I just got back from my wet and windy run (w4 r3) and it was a struggle. It felt like my ankles and lower shins were seizing up which made running really difficult if I’m honest.

I don’t know if this is what shin splints feel like, but it was like I couldn’t move my ankles, which then made it feel like my muscles round my shin and my calves were cramping. Very annoying!

I was wondering if anyone experiences this and what you do to fix it please?

Thank you!

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Tattoodo profile image
Tattoodo
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6 Replies
Annieapple profile image
AnnieappleAdministratorGraduate

🍏 Oh how very unfortunate. I wonder if you were able to do a good warm up before you went out. It’s a good idea before any run to do a dynamic warm up but even more so in this horrid weather. The other mistake we can make when it’s cold and wet is to run too fast. Hopefully by now you are are warm and dry. If you have any pain or swelling you need to apply ice then compress and elevate it & most importantly rest it. No more running until it’s better. If you still have pain you need to consult your GP or Physio. The runs will happily wait but you definitely don’t want to cause any further damage! Giving you a link to our stretch And flex for future ideas. Let us know how you get on!

healthunlocked.com/strength...

Yesletsgo profile image
YesletsgoAdministratorGraduate

What Annieapple says, if it hasn't got any better after about a week of rest etc get it checked out by your doctor. You absolutely mustn't try and run through the pain, you'll just damage yourself and make your recovery longer.

Good luck and get well soon :)

John_W profile image
John_WGraduate

What shoes are you wearing?What size are they compared to your normal day shoes?

How tight are the laces?

All those could be a factor.

Tattoodo profile image
Tattoodo in reply toJohn_W

They are new shoes, they feel tighter than my normal day to day shoes but I thought that’s how they were supposed to be as they’re running shoes?

I haven’t been out since, I’ve been wearing my shoes today to try and stretch them so hopefully it will fix it 🤞🏻

Thank you!

Yesletsgo profile image
YesletsgoAdministratorGraduate in reply toTattoodo

I've seen a lot of places that say you should go up half a size to a size for your running shoes. You need room for your toes to splay out as you land. Also, you may be wearing thicker socks than with smart shoes.

If your shoes are uncomfortable it might be a good idea to go to a specialist running shop where they can do a gait analysis (often free) and give you lots of different styles to try on. The right shoes can make all the difference.

John_W profile image
John_WGraduate in reply toTattoodo

Your running shoes should be bigger and therefore LOOSER than normal day shoes - at a very minimum, half a size bigger.

Depending on where you bought them from, you may be lucky and go back and explain what's happened - they MAY exchange for a bigger, more suitable size. It's certainly worth trying.

Shoe type, size and even the way your do you laces can all cause discomfort and issues below the knees.

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