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Help w/Calf Injury
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Help diagnosing/treating a nagging calf injury.

It's a tightness/soreness right in the center of the calf muscle, just to the inside (medial) of center. It was a bit tender for a couple months. Never went away, but also never prevented any activity.

One week ago it flared up 3mi into a run and I had to stop/walk home. RICE'd for a week. Biking was fine, no running.

Did an easy test run (9:30/mi) today, felt a bit tight (1/10 discomfort). At 1.25mi in it tightened up and went to 4/10, so I immediately stopped.

The pain it during the transition from midfoot to forefoot during the stride (heelstrike and toeoff are pain-free).

Anyone else have something similar? What helped and what didn't?

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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I had problems in both calves, the last time I thought it was healed after two weeks then bang injured it again and took six weeks to heal. There’s an article called ‘calf heart attack’ that I followed for my recovery and it worked well https://www.runnersworld.com/...-attacks-in-runners/

Now I stretch more and don’t ignore the slightest twinge, plus roller massage.
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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I can't help much with a diagnosis of the exact problem.
But can relate what I've learned and been told by a couple of different physio therapists. As someone with recurring mad calf disease 😖.

Firstly, it's taken several weeks off running to recover. Not 1. And I defo learned that the hard way.
Obvs depends just how much damage there is. I've only had grade 1 and 2 tears. Not completely torn.
The worst really was 6 weeks off running. The more minor (caught early) were about 3 weeks off running.

Still biked. Few if any probs (worst one did still hurt when biking for about 7-10 days. I had to stop standing up out the saddle, and make sure I decended with the injured leg leading (so the trailing leg was the one getting the calf stretched).

Still swam. But had to change the push- offs to only really push with the 1 good leg.

Defo no foam roller. Was told by 2 physios that was doing more harm as it was already damaged.

Once it was improving, I did calf raises to strengthen. Gentle at 1st with no big dips. And slowly over a few weeks migrated to single leg and then more 'dip' from the edge of a step, and rising more onto tiptoes.

Had to miss the final 5 weeks of running leading up to one iron distance race. Missed the longest runs (didn't go above 14 ish miles). The resting made it so I was able to complete the mara ok (well just as slow as I'd have been anyway).

Best of luck.
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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Sounds similar to what I struggled with for years. Took longer than it should have to learn, with help from a PT, that I had a mild instability on right heel strikes. Switching to light stability shoes (I wear Nike Infinity React) with, and this has turned out to be crucial, shoe inserts that elevate the arch a bit (I use Powersteps). This has one hundred percent fixed my wagon. I’m still in mild shock over this. Feel as though I’ve been given new life.
Last edited by: JBresland: Mar 27, 21 17:11
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [BobAjobb] [ In reply to ]
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Sounds like it might be your soleus. What’s worked for me were bent knee calf raises (targets the soleus). From there I progressed to short runs starting at 1 minute run/1 minute walk. Did that for a few runs then moved up to 5 minutes on/1 minute off, 10 minutes on, 1 minute off, etc..
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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For the treatment of acute pain and get you back running pain free, seek out a physio / sports therapist who does dry needling. It works great. After a couple treatments you'll be wishing you did it sooner. That was my first experience with it in the fall. I have since referred people and they have had similar success. After the issue is resolved be diligent with the recommended exercises above... strengthening, stretching, rolling are all necessary preventative care exercises to keep the calves happy.
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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I had the exact same situation as you describe about 2 years ago. In another ST forum, somebody mentioned the Alfredson eccentric protocol. I did it for 8 weeks on both legs and have had no calf issues since. I still do a few sets as part of my regular cool down routine after every run.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/...s-tendonitis-2696560
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [gmhend] [ In reply to ]
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Compartment Syndrome, Fascia, Mad Calf Disease, Calf stiffness, muscle tear/sprains I've been there for the last 7 years. Very frustrating. Eventually it was game over for me after exhausting all channels. Swimming is my thing now. The tightness is my calves re appears indiscriminately
but with no running anymore it subsides within minutes.
one should take this injury seriously. I'm now 61 and have peace with no more running however if i was younger I would first and foremost visit a sport doctor and have the compartment pressure in the muscle tested. Ice, roller stretching will not help. Rest allows the damaged fibers to heal partially but the tendency to re occur will remain.
Good luck
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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What is the heel to toe drop of your shoes? I used to have a similar problem. Pain almost always buried in the center of my calf muscle that would only act up during runs, especially if I did any hill work. My shoes at the time had about a 4mm drop. I eventually switched to 8-10mm drop shoes and haven't had the problem come up since. I believe it's some sort of strain/tendonitis brought on by low drop shoes.
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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I had a similar pain in my calf years back for several seasons I had to manage and ruptured my plantaris several times. Reading your report you say you heal strike as do I and as the last poster suggested moving to a higher drop shoe in the last few years I have had no calf issues at all. I just bought up a stash of Nike Pegasus Turbo shoes as they are being discontinued. They agree with me having 10mm drop, are a soft responsive shoe and I get no leg soreness after my runs. I race in the 4% or next% and have a similar feel so ticks all my boxes.
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [Yosa125] [ In reply to ]
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Been using Epic React Flyknits since 2019 (10mm drop). Had some 0 drop Altras prior to that; liked the cushioning, but not the weight and the drop. My everyday shoes are Vans (so 0 drop).

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: Help w/Calf Injury [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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I had a similar issue and after months of chiro sessions I stumbled upon the solution. My everyday shoes were Altras and I ran in some Hoka model. I got my Altras muddy and was a little lazy and didn’t clean them for a week. Pain went away almost magically. I spent 8-12 hours a day in a 0 drop shoe but did my running in a shoe with drop and that made my calves angry. Crazy simple solution. YMMV
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