Calf pain!: Any suggestions from the more... - Couch to 5K

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Calf pain!

jessicastoves profile image
4 Replies

Any suggestions from the more experienced among you regarding calf pain? I am on week 4 session 2 and experiences tightness (is that a word?!) in the right calf. I got it a couple of weeks ago and seeing as I was loving the running i got my gait analysed and some new trainers in case it was the shoes doing it. It is still tense and also I am getting a bit of pain in my right leg at the top at the back now too. I am new to running, am nearly 36, not really overweight (OK maybe just a few pounds by my own judgement) and am stretching and warming up.

Could I do anything to help? Will it improve now I have new shoes? I have only run twice in the new shoes and it was better yesterday even after a tough run!

LOVE running :)

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jessicastoves profile image
jessicastoves
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4 Replies
notbad profile image
notbadGraduate

Sounds like you're doing everythin ug right, stretching is great for tight calf muscles so keep that up. If it's improved since getting new shoes then it may well be that you've just got residual tension which will settle in time. In the meantime you could try massaging it with a tennis ball, sounds a bit mad but it helped me. :-)

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate

I agree, keep stretching, concentrating on the muscles that are painful. There are lots of links on here or on the internet for the correct stretches to do before and after a run. If doing them before, make sure it is after your warm up so the muscles are more pliable and not cold otherwise you can damage them. A good 10 mins on stretching after a run though will really help and I have always done them religiously.

Applying a cold shower jet to your calves and legs post-run will also help and I also apply arnica gel to any aches and pains right after my shower too.

Also, it takes a while for your body to adapt to this new running lark ( :O ) so its natural to have tightness and aches and pains for a while though the pain shouldnt last for long after each run and if it does then there might be an unerlying factor for it so keep an eye on it. Getting the correct shoes is the best thing to do too so you seem to be doing everything right :)

Best of luck for your next run Jessica and I hope it proves to be less painful for you!

Sue

123456789 profile image
123456789Graduate

Hi there lot's of great info on the site, check tags for tight calves etc, I also suffer with it and I use an old ltr glass juice bottle filled with cold water, I place it on the floor, sit down on the floor placing which ever calf is playing up on top, I then roll it back and forth, rotating leg left and right as I do it, it works for me.

Sorry if it sounds complicated, but it does work.

All the best

Dale

jessicastoves profile image
jessicastoves

Thanks all, lots of good tips and info. I love this site, don't know what I would do without it! Go Team Couch :)

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